Psychology and You

[BiblioRook]

Today for one of my classes I got to participate in an experiments where you stand around in public staring upwards (at nothing) and see if anyone looks up too. We had 8 models, a male and female each for four categories: official looking, casual, sexy, and weird (I got to be 'weird', I wore a Zorro-ish costume :smallbiggrin:)

While great fun, it's probably rather tame compared to some other (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bYEeMb1g2U&) experiments along the same lines.

Has anyone else done something like this? Ether officially or just for fun? :smallsmile:

[The Rose Dragon]

My interaction with psychology is limited to my observation that psychologists tend to be smoking hot. Even the males.

I also regularly see a psychologist in a clinical context, but that doesn't count.

((Seriously, what's up with that? Is there a beauty contest before they accept people into the field?))

[QuadraticWizard]

That sounds really awesome. I now have the urge to try that.


Similarly, once, a few friends and I were on the way to school, on the subway, and the train had been stopped for a while. We didn't know what was going on, so we decided to have some fun and improv a reinaction-type thing of the Doctor Who episode "Midnight" to see what the other passengers would do. Lulz were had.

[Moff Chumley]

Similar to when me and my friends wander down the street with an acoustic guitar singing at the top of our lungs, although that's not Psychology so much as it is being a public nuisance...

[Toastkart]

I'm working on a masters degree in psychology. A study I did last year dealt with how fictional media may influence our values and beliefs on death. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that well because my sample size started out pretty small and I had a significant number of dropouts. Also, the professor I was working with insisted I change my study from a descriptive one to an experimental one. It wasn't pretty afterwards.


Other than that, I was also a research assistant for a professor who was studying the efficacy of problem based learning. That was a lot of fun.

[Xyk]

Today for one of my classes I got to participate in an experiments where you stand around in public staring upwards (at nothing) and see if anyone looks up too. We had 8 models, a male and female each for four categories: official looking, casual, sexy, and weird (I got to be 'weird', I wore a Zorro-ish costume :smallbiggrin:)

While great fun, it's probably rather tame compared to some other (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bYEeMb1g2U&) experiments along the same lines.

Has anyone else done something like this? Ether officially or just for fun? :smallsmile:

...what were the results? Which models attracted the most followers? I would guess the sexy ones would get the most.

[Lady Moreta]

I've done things like that before, it's fun :smallbiggrin:

I once yawned deliberately and then watched to see how many of the people around me yawned as well. And I'll occassionally stare at someone to see how long it takes them to start twitching with that 'someone's looking at me' sixth sense.

I've also done the wander down the streets singing really loudly thing. Friends and I used to do that at uni all the time - uni students, late at night, walking down the main street singing songs from Grease. Yeah, we got odd looks (and yet, we weren't drunk).

[BiblioRook]

...what were the results? Which models attracted the most followers? I would guess the sexy ones would get the most.

I don't know actually. As a model myself I wasn't with the people actually gathering data nor was I really in a position to really get a good look at the passerbys. But yeah, the 'sexy' models getting results would be my guess as well. All I know is that during my times I would just hear alot of giggling >.>
Wednesday we should get to see the numbers everyone got though, should be interesting.


Another this along these lines I like to do just for fun is when I go to zoos I occasionally just stare intently at a random spot in an animal exhibit. It never fails to draw a crowd of people staring at the same spot, trying to find the 'hidden animal' I apparently noticed. :smalltongue:

[Haruki-kun]

A friend of mine once went around the school greeting random people and telling them "Hi! Do you remember me?" to see how many people pretended they did remember her. She says it was a lot of fun. :smalltongue:

[Serpentine]

A friend of mine once went around the school greeting random people and telling them "Hi! Do you remember me?" to see how many people pretended they did remember her. She says it was a lot of fun. :smalltongue:I saw a video that found this to be a worryingly good way of getting sensitive information from people.

[Lady Moreta]

I saw a video that found this to be a worryingly good way of getting sensitive information from people.

I don't doubt that.

I must remember that 'stare into a zoo exhibit one' though, sounds like fun :smallbiggrin:

Actually, I think I may have done it accidentally (and not at the zoo) since I have a tendency to stare off at a random point intently just when I'm thinking. I'm pretty sure I've seen people peer around trying to see what I was looking at.

[Icewalker]

I saw a video that found this to be a worryingly good way of getting sensitive information from people.

Where was it? I totally believe this, wondering who did it, and I'd totally watch it.

And yes, flash mobs are terribly fun...Improv everywhere does some awesome stuff. Like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkYZ6rbPU2M)!

[Serpentine]

I'm not sure. I think it was a segment from some British TV show. Try a Youtube search for... information from strangers experiment or something.

[KenderWizard]

We did an experiment in a psychology course I took during the summer when I was 16 where one of a pair would go up with a clipboard and ask someone a question, thank them, and leave, and then as soon as they were out of sight the other member of the pair would stop them and ask them about that person that just asked them a question, to see if they remembered what they looked like. (They didn't, a surprisingly large amount of the time.)


I don't doubt that.

I must remember that 'stare into a zoo exhibit one' though, sounds like fun :smallbiggrin:

Actually, I think I may have done it accidentally (and not at the zoo) since I have a tendency to stare off at a random point intently just when I'm thinking. I'm pretty sure I've seen people peer around trying to see what I was looking at.

I do that all the time! Especially if I suddenly realise something, I'm staring off into space and then suddenly go "Oh my God!" and everyone turns to see what surprised me, but it's a blank wall.

[Serpentine]

You seen the ones where they swap people mid-questionaire, and most of the time noone notices?

[Morph Bark]

My interaction with psychology is limited to my observation that psychologists tend to be smoking hot. Even the males.

The thread title made me presume I would somehow be offended by this thread. One post in and already it got turned around. I approve.

[Asta Kask]

How about The Amazing Colour-Changing Card Trick. (http://www.youtube.com/user/Quirkology#p/u/24/voAntzB7EwE)

[KuReshtin]

How about The Amazing Colour-Changing Card Trick. (http://www.youtube.com/user/Quirkology#p/u/24/voAntzB7EwE)

Also, there's The Basketball Observation Test (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GEEvvTiiQk).

I freaked out one of my colleagues the other day.
His desk is in another office where there's a window next to his desk, facing into the corridor I usually walk to get to lunch.
So, the other day, on the way to lunch, I decided to stop in the corridor, just at that window, looked at him until he noticed me standing there, then i pointed at him and started laughing.
Then, before he had time to react to it, I turned around and left.

I got a very confused message over the instant messenger system at work later that afternoon, asking me what the hell I was doing. When I said that I was just messing with him, he thought it was funny as well.

[Traab]

A friend of mine once went around the school greeting random people and telling them "Hi! Do you remember me?" to see how many people pretended they did remember her. She says it was a lot of fun. :smalltongue:

I did that once at some multi school get together. I had this one girl so confused she believed that she had forgotten all about our summer romance. I got me a kiss out of the deal, so bonus points for me! I am the undisputed KING of the big BS. I cant tell a small lie to save my life. "Of course I cleaned the living room!" But I can convince a coworker that id been married 5 times already, (I was 16 at the time) and that the first had been an arranged marriage at the age of 1.

[Haruki-kun]

I saw a video that found this to be a worryingly good way of getting sensitive information from people.

It is. :smalleek: People need to be more careful. Of course, my friend didn't try to get any info out of them, she just greeted them.

[Sipex]

Messing with people is an interesting passtime.

If you ever work in an office and someone leaves their computer unlocked, go on it and minimize a few items or maximize others but don't actually close anything or do anything.

Let your co-worker see you at their computer and hastily remove yourself from it, locking the computer.

When asked what you did say "Nothing" but with a suspicious edge to your voice.

[KuReshtin]

Messing with people is an interesting passtime.

If you ever work in an office and someone leaves their computer unlocked, go on it and minimize a few items or maximize others but don't actually close anything or do anything.

Let your co-worker see you at their computer and hastily remove yourself from it, locking the computer.

When asked what you did say "Nothing" but with a suspicious edge to your voice.

This is also a very efficient way of ensuring that the colleague in question locks his computer when he leaves his desk the next time. And the next time. And the next...

[Sipex]

It's a good practice they should be getting into, plus most company security policies state that you have to lock your workstation.

This way you get to mess with your coworker, avoid violating stricter policies (which usually state that you can't prank someones PC due to inappropriate images/misconstrued emails or whatever) AND re-enforce the necessity of locking ones computer.

Win win win

[mootoall]

Yeah, experiments on conformity are fun. Candid Camera did one involving an elevator. Right now I'm designing an experiment having to do with altruism and resouce allocation. It's pretty fun.

[KuReshtin]

It's a good practice they should be getting into, plus most company security policies state that you have to lock your workstation.

This way you get to mess with your coworker, avoid violating stricter policies (which usually state that you can't prank someones PC due to inappropriate images/misconstrued emails or whatever) AND re-enforce the necessity of locking ones computer.

Win win win

we had a manager do just what you mentioned as #2 on that list...

One of my colleagues had left his workstation unlocked, and our manager came around to talk to my team leader and he spottd the unlocked workstation.
So he opened up an instant messenger window for the HR manager, and declared his undying love to her.
Everyone but the guy who'd left the workstation unlocked thought it was high-larious.

[Sipex]

we had a manager do just what you mentioned as #2 on that list...

One of my colleagues had left his workstation unlocked, and our manager came around to talk to my team leader and he spottd the unlocked workstation.
So he opened up an instant messenger window for the HR manager, and declared his undying love to her.
Everyone but the guy who'd left the workstation unlocked thought it was high-larious.

I love pranks like that but you have to have the right people for it to work without repercussions.

I used to work at a place where it was custom to set the offenders wallpaper to one of the following:
1) Barney
2) My little pony
3) George Castanza in a speedo
4) Borat

[Thes Hunter]

My interaction with psychology is limited to my observation that psychologists tend to be smoking hot. Even the males.

I also regularly see a psychologist in a clinical context, but that doesn't count.

((Seriously, what's up with that? Is there a beauty contest before they accept people into the field?))

From what I understand, psychiatrists charge by the outfit.

The better the suit, the higher they charge.

And getting a whole new wardrobe is a requirement of some residencies. :smallwink:

[BiblioRook]

Yeah, experiments on conformity are fun. Candid Camera did one involving an elevator. Right now I'm designing an experiment having to do with altruism and resouce allocation. It's pretty fun.
I don't know if it's the same thing Candid Camera did, but the elevator one is a pretty classic test on conformity. Variations usually involve filling an elevator with people in on the experiment and having them randomly face a direction other then forward and see if the non-confederates (clueless bystanders) turn to face the same direction everyone else is facing.

[Gaius Marius]

My interaction with psychology is limited to my observation that psychologists tend to be smoking hot. Even the males.

I also regularly see a psychologist in a clinical context, but that doesn't count.

((Seriously, what's up with that? Is there a beauty contest before they accept people into the field?))

It's very possible that you are attracted to people in position of knowledge and authority over you. In short, the Scholar, the people who can peer farther down the surface of the people around them.

Possibly mean that you actually like to expose yourself to someone else, which could indicate exhibitionist tendencies (figuratively, rathert han litteral).

Further proof supporting this theory is your behavior to expose yourself on public forum for the creepy eyes of people who's fetish is to interpret and attribute sexual motivation on every unorthodox behavior... :smalltongue:

[The Rose Dragon]

From what I understand, psychiatrists charge by the outfit.

The better the suit, the higher they charge.

And getting a whole new wardrobe is a requirement of some residencies. :smallwink:

Psychiatrists go to med school, though, not psychology department. Those two are quite distinct in Turkey. Not that you can't go to both of them, but most psychiatrists don't.

[BiblioRook]

Psychiatrists = Pill pushers
Psychologists = Head shrinkers
Just thought that could use some clarification (not that I have anything against ether :smalltongue: )

Actually, the how 'attractiveness' of a psychologist is often a carefully crafted front. They can't do their job if you don't talk to them, and people are more likely to open up to pretty people (quite like the 'looking up' experiment I did and that people are more likely to imitate the 'sexy' people).

[Gaius Marius]

you forgot Psychotherapists

[BiblioRook]

Well I guess technically Psychotherapists would be the head shrinkers, I'm just used to lumping therapy into what Psychologists do in general as most I've meet are both.


(Side note: Am I the only one that can't spell 'psychotherapist' with out thinking of it as 'psycho the rapist'? :smalleek:
I blame Arrested Development...)

[Morph Bark]

Psychiatrists go to med school, though, not psychology department. Those two are quite distinct in Turkey. Not that you can't go to both of them, but most psychiatrists don't.

In the Netherlands you have to have a Psychology degree before you can get into the education for becoming a licensed psychiatrist.

[The Rose Dragon]

In the Netherlands you have to have a Psychology degree before you can get into the education for becoming a licensed psychiatrist.

Well, in Turkey, you do get an M.D. through medical school, but you don't need a bachelor's degree to enter medical school. Instead, it is entered like any other degree. The only difference is that it takes 6 years instead of 4, at a minimum, and requires internship after finishing it. Psychiatrists enter med school to become licensed psychiatrists, but it only allows them to prescribe medicine, not conduct therapy sessions. For that, you can either get a psychology degree, or go through special training. Most hospital psychiatrists (pill pushers, as said above) do not have the license to conduct therapy. Private practitioners tend to go through the special training, but they usually hire more dedicated psychologists in their staff rather as well.

It is a field of fascination to me, really. After getting a Ph.D. in molecular biology, I really want to get one in criminal psychology as well.

[Ezeze]

(Side note: Am I the only one that can't spell 'psychotherapist' with out thinking of it as 'psycho the rapist'? :smalleek:
I blame Arrested Development...)

That's actually my mnemonic device to remember how to spell therapist...

[Eruantion]

That's actually my mnemonic device to remember how to spell therapist...

Reading in Psychology is much more fun when you separate that word :smallbiggrin:

[Savannah]

Sadly, none of my psychology experiments were that interesting. I do want to know what your results were, though, when you get them!

[scarletsorcerer]

I did an experiment on self-rated IQ scores in relation to seven personality traits (friendliness, extraversion, dedication, independence, optimism, sensitivity and impulsiveness). Most people rated themselves as around 100 (the averages were 103 for females, 106 for males) - and several people gave themselves scores that would indicate a serious learning difficulty or mental problem, down in the 65-75 range. In fact, we only had two people give themselves a score of over 110, which would be a "high average" score.

We also found that self-rated IQ negatively correlated with optimism - so the more optimistic people were, the lower a score they gave themselves, the exact opposite of what you'd expect. People really can be strange.

[sparkyinbozo]

People really can be strange.

Yeah, they totally can. We did a similar experiment in undergrad regarding other-identified gender roles, actual gender, and self esteem...think telling a guy he has feminine traits or vice-versa.

Turns out, simply being told you have ANY gender's traits ups self-esteem a little, but (generally) being told your actual gender's ups it more. I'd have expected the opposite for the first part.


My interaction with psychology is limited to my observation that psychologists tend to be smoking hot. Even the males.

Thanks!

[mootoall]

Hmm, that IQ experiment sounds like it might be related to the Dunning-Krüger effect. Very similar, in fact.

[BiblioRook]

I didn't get to see the actual numbers, but apparently the 'sexy male' model got the most results.
It would probably be more interesting if the experiment was expanded or went into more details with the results. As it were we were simply counting the number of people passing by compared to how many of that number looked up. I'm kinda curious, considering we have both male and female variations for the different groups, how much gender played a role in imitation.
Such as if people had a stronger tendency to imitate models of their own gender or the other way around (which I would imagine would be the case with the 'sexy' models)

[scarletsorcerer]

Hmm, that IQ experiment sounds like it might be related to the Dunning-Krüger effect. Very similar, in fact.

I just googled the Dunning-Krüger effect, and it is sort of similar. The participants were all third year university students, and they did seem to follow the trend that the Dunning-Krüger effect would predict - that they are all (presumably) intelligent, but they all underrated themselves.

Damn, discussing it all now makes me wish I'd chosen to follow it up for my honours project. I had originally intended to do a similar study, but to take an actual measure of IQ (with a standardised IQ test) to compare with the self-rated measure of IQ.

[mootoall]

Yeah, I find the Dunning-Krüger (MUST USE UMLAUT!) effect fascinating, and I'm adding it as a secondary (might become primary) factor in my experiment as well. Have everyone guess in which percentile of altruistic giving they fall, and then compare it to where they actually fall. If the results are as I predict, then the Dunning-Krüger effect might be applicable to more than just "skilled" and "unskilled".

[scarletsorcerer]

That sounds really fascinating. You say that the Dunning-Krüger effect isn't currently your primary factor, what is?

[mootoall]

That sounds really fascinating. You say that the Dunning-Krüger effect isn't currently your primary factor, what is? Well, my primary goal is to identify the effect that the type of resource being given has on altruistic giving. I.E. Will people give more of a resource that has its value in use (food) than something that has its value in trade (money) or with no real value at all ("points"). The answer could also have some interesting evo psych applications.

[Nibleswick]

Up in Yellowstone it is very common for groups of people to be found on the side of the road point at some wildlife. this prompts others to stop and look. It's rather astonishing how many people you can get to stop and get of their cars by standing on the side of the road pointing at nothing. I love the expression on peoples faces when they realize they've been tricked.

[sparkyinbozo]

Up in Yellowstone it is very common for groups of people to be found on the side of the road point at some wildlife. this prompts others to stop and look. It's rather astonishing how many people you can get to stop and get of their cars by standing on the side of the road pointing at nothing. I love the expression on peoples faces when they realize they've been tricked.

You live near the park, too? What area are you at?

Also...I've totally done that before.

[H Birchgrove]

Today for one of my classes I got to participate in an experiments where you stand around in public staring upwards (at nothing) and see if anyone looks up too. We had 8 models, a male and female each for four categories: official looking, casual, sexy, and weird (I got to be 'weird', I wore a Zorro-ish costume :smallbiggrin:)

While great fun, it's probably rather tame compared to some other (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bYEeMb1g2U&) experiments along the same lines.

Has anyone else done something like this? Ether officially or just for fun? :smallsmile:

My dad had a friend waaaaay back who did something similar: He told my dad to do what he did, and then he pointed up to the air and looked interested. Soon, more and more people joined to look at the sky. When "enough" people did the same, my dad's friend took him and said "Lets go away gently". People didn't saw them going away and continued to point up and looking at the sky... for something. :smallbiggrin:

He also fooled an old woman that she needed to remove "old air" from car tires before filling them with new air, because old air is "dangerous". :smalltongue:

[Nibleswick]

You live near the park, too? What area are you at?

Also...I've totally done that before.

I'm actually from the Bear Lake area.

The thing that really sells it is when my mom or aunts to help out. Responsible middle aged women make anything more believable.:smallbiggrin:

[sparkyinbozo]

I'm actually from the Bear Lake area.

The thing that really sells it is when my mom or aunts to help out. Responsible middle aged women make anything more believable.:smallbiggrin:

Hahaha, nice. I live on the other side of the park, southwest MT.