Ideas wanted for psychology experiments in class

Montag451 · 16th May 2012, 06:37 PM

I'm a TOK teacher and want to get the kids to run a few simple Psychology experiments in class.

I have decided to let some of them run Solomon Asch's experiment on conformity but need 2-3 other ideas.

The Stanford prison is out of the question as a like my job!

So non scarring suggestions if possible

Ray Brady · 16th May 2012, 07:26 PM

I like experiments that demonstrate the fallibility of eyewitness memory, or how memories can be implanted or altered. Perhaps your students could show the rest of the class a scene from an obscure movie at the beginning of the class, then see how their recollections of that scene change (or can be forced to change) throughout the semester.

MetalSeagull · 16th May 2012, 07:58 PM

I was at a baby shower recently that featured a "baby butt" cake. Everyone, including me, was reluctant to symbolically cannibalize a baby. I think it would be interesting to see if people would avoid a cannibal cake in favor of one with an inanimate decoration, but that would probably be too expensive for a classroom experiment.

So how about some other symbolically taboo items? I remember reading about most people's reluctance to wear a jacket they thought had belonged to a serial killer as opposed to just some random person's clothing. That would be cheap to mock up.

C_Felix · 16th May 2012, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by MetalSeagull

I was at a baby shower recently that featured a "baby butt" cake. Everyone, including me, was reluctant to symbolically cannibalize a baby. I think it would be interesting to see if people would avoid a cannibal cake in favor of one with an inanimate decoration, but that would probably be too expensive for a classroom experiment.

So how about some other symbolically taboo items? I remember reading about most people's reluctance to wear a jacket they thought had belonged to a serial killer as opposed to just some random person's clothing. That would be cheap to mock up.

What about a cake that looks like a serial killer's jacket?

bigred · 16th May 2012, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Montag451

I'm a TOK teacher

The Old Knowledge? Is this about Spock's brain?

Anyway I recall one where a few people would go to a mall or park and purposely sit closer to strangers than society's protocol would dictate is appropriate. Not do anything else, perhaps not even talk to them, just see what they would do - eg how long before they move, or do they look at you funny etc. Basically an experiment on that "private space" thing.

bpesta22 · 16th May 2012, 08:18 PM

The deese / roediger & McDermott false memory effect is very easy to demonstrate and kind of striking:

http://memory.wustl.edu/Pubs/1999_Stadler.pdf (see appendix and use the window or sleep list)

So too is the Stroop effect:

http://www.david.tam.name/SelfTests/StroopEffects.html

bpesta22 · 16th May 2012, 08:22 PM

This one's quite simple:

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instanc...x/20487285.jpg

The older version is the finished files:

http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/psychology/smart-test.html

Both illustrate that reading is so over-learned and automatic that we ignore meaningless (i.e., utterly predictable) words. The explanation here is similar to that for Stroop.

Oh, ignore the link to IQ in the finished files demo-- utter bs. I'd argue better readers do worse on this task...

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 08:23 PM

There's always Charpentier's Illusion. It fooled Randi and he said so.
www.skepticreport.com/sr/?p=194
Film cans are rare now, so use pill bottles about the same size.

bpesta22 · 16th May 2012, 08:23 PM

Oh, shy bladder!

Some social scientist hid in a bathroom stall and timed how long it took men to urinate from the sound of the un-zip to the sound of the stream. Took longer when other males were present, versus when the male was alone.

I have a shy bladder-- hope that's not tmi.

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 08:38 PM

Quite a few ethical problems with that pissy study.

But not with the Wason Card Selection Task, short version.

Imagine there are two cards on a table in front of you. Each has a number on the top and a letter on the bottom. Which card should you turn over to test the rule," All cards with a vowel on one side have an even number on the other"?
The cards show 1__ and 2__ (Check one)

bpesta22 · 16th May 2012, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by Jeff Corey

Quite a few ethical problems with that pissy study.

urine complete agreement with my thinking here.

Hi JC!

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 08:48 PM

Heya, Dawg, what's been happening with you?

bpesta22 · 16th May 2012, 08:57 PM

Living the dream, JC, living the dream.

MG1962 · 16th May 2012, 09:01 PM

What about the yawning experiment or checking your watch

truethat · 16th May 2012, 09:02 PM

The Milgram experiment. I don't know what TOK stands for so I'm not grasping the age.

The Milgram experiment uses electric shock though, "supposedly" so that could be traumatizing.

How old are the kids?

truethat · 16th May 2012, 09:05 PM

You know what probably would be an interesting experiment to do that's made up.

Have half of the students in the class turn in their cell phones and the other half not. Then allow the half of the kids to use their cell phones to exchange texts about the other students. The non cell phone students can only communicate verbally.

I would wager that the non cell phoned students would get so distracted by the fact that they didn't have phones and worried what the others were posting that they'd get angry and frustrated and complain it wasn't fair.

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by truethat

The Milgram experiment. I don't know what TOK stands for so I'm not grasping the age.

The Milgram experiment uses electric shock though, "supposedly" so that could be traumatizing.

How old are the kids?

The Milgram study, like Zimbardo's Prison Study, was not an experiment because there was no independent variable.
There were no shocks.
The study would not be approved by any Institutional Reseach Board in the US.

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by truethat

You know what probably would be an interesting experiment to do that's made up.

Have half of the students in the class turn in their cell phones and the other half not. Then allow the half of the kids to use their cell phones to exchange texts about the other students. The non cell phone students can only communicate verbally.

I would wager that the non cell phoned students would get so distracted by the fact that they didn't have phones and worried what the others were posting that they'd get angry and frustrated and complain it wasn't fair.

To do a psychology experiment, you first have to specify the behavior you are measuring.

truethat · 16th May 2012, 09:20 PM

The behavior I guess would be how used to cell phones people have gotten. It's one thing to take them away from everyone, but another to take them away from half the group and allow the group to use them in front of the other.

I would imagine that the non texting groups behavior (as I already stated) would be that they would become very distracted and not be able to focus on the task.

So let's say a simple task of having each group create a list of descriptive adjectives about the members of the other group.

Make it a 20 minute task. Would the non phone group be able to just ignore the texting across the room and focus to write them down.

I'm curious. Because I have a feeling they'd be so distracted that the others had their phones they wouldn't focus.

Also instead of just criticizing the ideas why not try to explain how to make them suitable for the study? The OP is looking for ideas, not starting a debate on what makes a great experiment.

Cassandrena · 16th May 2012, 09:26 PM

Not sure of the age group but the invisible gorilla experiment is always a fun one to show selective attention

linky to the video and explanation of the experiment: http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/g...xperiment.html

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 09:36 PM

Here's a demonstration of the difficulty people have with producing random sequences.
Announce you are going to test a form of ESP and want a volunteer who is open to the idea that it exists. Ask the volunteer to write down a series of heads (H) and tails(T) produced by the toss of an imaginary coin for 50 trials (tosses).
Then proceed by saying that you will try to guess what they wrote and record your right and wrong answers on the blackboard or whatever you have.
Your first guess is H. If correct, switch to T for your next guess, if incorrect, stick with H. Keep on doing that for all 50 trials. If you are right, switch, if wrong, stick.
You, in all probability, will be correct on significantly more than 25 trials.
Print out a table of outcomes for the Sign Test (quick google) for p=.5. n=50 before hand to talk about p, alpha and all that.

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by truethat

The behavior I guess would be how used to cell phones people have gotten. It's one thing to take them away from everyone, but another to take them away from half the group and allow the group to use them in front of the other.

I would imagine that the non texting groups behavior (as I already stated) would be that they would become very distracted and not be able to focus on the task.

So let's say a simple task of having each group create a list of descriptive adjectives about the members of the other group.

Make it a 20 minute task. Would the non phone group be able to just ignore the texting across the room and focus to write them down.

I'm curious. Because I have a feeling they'd be so distracted that the others had their phones they wouldn't focus.

Also instead of just criticizing the ideas why not try to explain how to make them suitable for the study? The OP is looking for ideas, not starting a debate on what makes a great experiment.

You could try to tell what behavior you want to measure and how you would go about measuring it.

Jeff Corey · 16th May 2012, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cassandrena

Not sure of the age group but the invisible gorilla experiment is always a fun one to show selective attention

linky to the video and explanation of the experiment: http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/g...xperiment.html

I really like that one and use it in my experimental psych course when I can use a "smart" classroom. Even if it is not technically an experiment.

An experiment happens when a scientist manipulates an independent variable and measures the effect, if any, on a dependent variable, while controlling for confouding variables that could be correlated with the independent variable.
In psychology, the dependent variable must be the reliable measurement of the behavior of a living organism. Cognitive psychologists don't measure cognitions. They measure behavior.
Independent variables are events controlled by the scientist. For example, gender and age are not independent variables and if used as such, merely produce correlations, which do not imply _________________.

16th May 2012, 06:37 PM	#1
Montag451 Critical Thinker Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Peru Posts: 372	Ideas wanted for psychology experiments in class I'm a TOK teacher and want to get the kids to run a few simple Psychology experiments in class. I have decided to let some of them run Solomon Asch's experiment on conformity but need 2-3 other ideas. The Stanford prison is out of the question as a like my job! So non scarring suggestions if possible

16th May 2012, 07:26 PM	#2
Ray Brady Muse Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 579	I like experiments that demonstrate the fallibility of eyewitness memory, or how memories can be implanted or altered. Perhaps your students could show the rest of the class a scene from an obscure movie at the beginning of the class, then see how their recollections of that scene change (or can be forced to change) throughout the semester.
Ray Brady Muse Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 579

16th May 2012, 08:03 PM	#4
C_Felix Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Right outside Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,040	Originally Posted by MetalSeagull I was at a baby shower recently that featured a "baby butt" cake. Everyone, including me, was reluctant to symbolically cannibalize a baby. I think it would be interesting to see if people would avoid a cannibal cake in favor of one with an inanimate decoration, but that would probably be too expensive for a classroom experiment. So how about some other symbolically taboo items? I remember reading about most people's reluctance to wear a jacket they thought had belonged to a serial killer as opposed to just some random person's clothing. That would be cheap to mock up. What about a cake that looks like a serial killer's jacket?
	__________________ No, his mind is not for rent To any god or government. Always hopeful, yet discontent, He knows changes aren't permanent, But change is.

16th May 2012, 08:18 PM	#6
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	The deese / roediger & McDermott false memory effect is very easy to demonstrate and kind of striking: http://memory.wustl.edu/Pubs/1999_Stadler.pdf (see appendix and use the window or sleep list) So too is the Stroop effect: http://www.david.tam.name/SelfTests/StroopEffects.html
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp.

16th May 2012, 08:22 PM	#7
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	This one's quite simple: http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instanc...x/20487285.jpg The older version is the finished files: http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/psychology/smart-test.html Both illustrate that reading is so over-learned and automatic that we ignore meaningless (i.e., utterly predictable) words. The explanation here is similar to that for Stroop. Oh, ignore the link to IQ in the finished files demo-- utter bs. I'd argue better readers do worse on this task...
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp. Last edited by bpesta22; 16th May 2012 at 08:25 PM.

16th May 2012, 07:58 PM	#3
MetalSeagull Critical Thinker Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: NC Posts: 367	I was at a baby shower recently that featured a "baby butt" cake. Everyone, including me, was reluctant to symbolically cannibalize a baby. I think it would be interesting to see if people would avoid a cannibal cake in favor of one with an inanimate decoration, but that would probably be too expensive for a classroom experiment. So how about some other symbolically taboo items? I remember reading about most people's reluctance to wear a jacket they thought had belonged to a serial killer as opposed to just some random person's clothing. That would be cheap to mock up.

16th May 2012, 08:09 PM	#5
bigred Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: USA Posts: 12,525	Originally Posted by Montag451 I'm a TOK teacher The Old Knowledge? Is this about Spock's brain? Anyway I recall one where a few people would go to a mall or park and purposely sit closer to strangers than society's protocol would dictate is appropriate. Not do anything else, perhaps not even talk to them, just see what they would do - eg how long before they move, or do they look at you funny etc. Basically an experiment on that "private space" thing.

16th May 2012, 08:23 PM	#8
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	There's always Charpentier's Illusion. It fooled Randi and he said so. www.skepticreport.com/sr/?p=194 Film cans are rare now, so use pill bottles about the same size.
	Last edited by Jeff Corey; 16th May 2012 at 08:35 PM.

16th May 2012, 08:38 PM	#10
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Quite a few ethical problems with that pissy study. But not with the Wason Card Selection Task, short version. Imagine there are two cards on a table in front of you. Each has a number on the top and a letter on the bottom. Which card should you turn over to test the rule," All cards with a vowel on one side have an even number on the other"? The cards show 1__ and 2__ (Check one)
	Last edited by Jeff Corey; 16th May 2012 at 08:46 PM.

16th May 2012, 08:42 PM	#11
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	Originally Posted by Jeff Corey Quite a few ethical problems with that pissy study. urine complete agreement with my thinking here. Hi JC!
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp.

16th May 2012, 08:48 PM	#12
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Heya, Dawg, what's been happening with you?

16th May 2012, 08:57 PM	#13
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	Living the dream, JC, living the dream.
bpesta22 Cereal Killer Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 4,648	__________________ Manifest thy bosoms or decamp.

16th May 2012, 09:01 PM	#14
MG1962 Guest Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Kansas (Australia) Posts: 14,750	What about the yawning experiment or checking your watch

16th May 2012, 09:02 PM	#15
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	The Milgram experiment. I don't know what TOK stands for so I'm not grasping the age. The Milgram experiment uses electric shock though, "supposedly" so that could be traumatizing. How old are the kids?
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	__________________ “Do not argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― Mark Twain

16th May 2012, 09:05 PM	#16
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	You know what probably would be an interesting experiment to do that's made up. Have half of the students in the class turn in their cell phones and the other half not. Then allow the half of the kids to use their cell phones to exchange texts about the other students. The non cell phone students can only communicate verbally. I would wager that the non cell phoned students would get so distracted by the fact that they didn't have phones and worried what the others were posting that they'd get angry and frustrated and complain it wasn't fair.
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	__________________ “Do not argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― Mark Twain

16th May 2012, 09:09 PM	#17
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Originally Posted by truethat The Milgram experiment. I don't know what TOK stands for so I'm not grasping the age. The Milgram experiment uses electric shock though, "supposedly" so that could be traumatizing. How old are the kids? The Milgram study, like Zimbardo's Prison Study, was not an experiment because there was no independent variable. There were no shocks. The study would not be approved by any Institutional Reseach Board in the US.

16th May 2012, 09:11 PM	#18
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Originally Posted by truethat You know what probably would be an interesting experiment to do that's made up. Have half of the students in the class turn in their cell phones and the other half not. Then allow the half of the kids to use their cell phones to exchange texts about the other students. The non cell phone students can only communicate verbally. I would wager that the non cell phoned students would get so distracted by the fact that they didn't have phones and worried what the others were posting that they'd get angry and frustrated and complain it wasn't fair. To do a psychology experiment, you first have to specify the behavior you are measuring.

16th May 2012, 09:20 PM	#19
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	The behavior I guess would be how used to cell phones people have gotten. It's one thing to take them away from everyone, but another to take them away from half the group and allow the group to use them in front of the other. I would imagine that the non texting groups behavior (as I already stated) would be that they would become very distracted and not be able to focus on the task. So let's say a simple task of having each group create a list of descriptive adjectives about the members of the other group. Make it a 20 minute task. Would the non phone group be able to just ignore the texting across the room and focus to write them down. I'm curious. Because I have a feeling they'd be so distracted that the others had their phones they wouldn't focus. Also instead of just criticizing the ideas why not try to explain how to make them suitable for the study? The OP is looking for ideas, not starting a debate on what makes a great experiment.
truethat Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8,622	__________________ “Do not argue with an idiot they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” ― Mark Twain Last edited by truethat; 16th May 2012 at 09:21 PM.

16th May 2012, 09:26 PM	#20
Cassandrena Student Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 39	Not sure of the age group but the invisible gorilla experiment is always a fun one to show selective attention linky to the video and explanation of the experiment: http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/g...xperiment.html
Cassandrena Student Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 39

16th May 2012, 09:36 PM	#21
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Here's a demonstration of the difficulty people have with producing random sequences. Announce you are going to test a form of ESP and want a volunteer who is open to the idea that it exists. Ask the volunteer to write down a series of heads (H) and tails(T) produced by the toss of an imaginary coin for 50 trials (tosses). Then proceed by saying that you will try to guess what they wrote and record your right and wrong answers on the blackboard or whatever you have. Your first guess is H. If correct, switch to T for your next guess, if incorrect, stick with H. Keep on doing that for all 50 trials. If you are right, switch, if wrong, stick. You, in all probability, will be correct on significantly more than 25 trials. Print out a table of outcomes for the Sign Test (quick google) for p=.5. n=50 before hand to talk about p, alpha and all that.

16th May 2012, 09:38 PM	#22
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Originally Posted by truethat The behavior I guess would be how used to cell phones people have gotten. It's one thing to take them away from everyone, but another to take them away from half the group and allow the group to use them in front of the other. I would imagine that the non texting groups behavior (as I already stated) would be that they would become very distracted and not be able to focus on the task. So let's say a simple task of having each group create a list of descriptive adjectives about the members of the other group. Make it a 20 minute task. Would the non phone group be able to just ignore the texting across the room and focus to write them down. I'm curious. Because I have a feeling they'd be so distracted that the others had their phones they wouldn't focus. Also instead of just criticizing the ideas why not try to explain how to make them suitable for the study? The OP is looking for ideas, not starting a debate on what makes a great experiment. You could try to tell what behavior you want to measure and how you would go about measuring it.

16th May 2012, 09:43 PM	#23
Jeff Corey New York Skeptic Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 13,794	Originally Posted by Cassandrena Not sure of the age group but the invisible gorilla experiment is always a fun one to show selective attention linky to the video and explanation of the experiment: http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/g...xperiment.html I really like that one and use it in my experimental psych course when I can use a "smart" classroom. Even if it is not technically an experiment. An experiment happens when a scientist manipulates an independent variable and measures the effect, if any, on a dependent variable, while controlling for confouding variables that could be correlated with the independent variable. In psychology, the dependent variable must be the reliable measurement of the behavior of a living organism. Cognitive psychologists don't measure cognitions. They measure behavior. Independent variables are events controlled by the scientist. For example, gender and age are not independent variables and if used as such, merely produce correlations, which do not imply _________________.
	Last edited by Jeff Corey; 16th May 2012 at 10:19 PM.