"Add this column of numbers. Fold the piece of paper into quarters. Cut it into three pieces. Throw them away. Repeat until told to stop."
How long do you think someone would do that in a psychology lab simply because the researcher said to before he left the room?
That was the question Martin Orne had as he began to wonder, "Do people act differently in a psychology lab than they do in real life?" He was studying Demand Characteristics: the cues in a lab environment that tell a participant how they are expected to act. In experimental research, if Demand Characteristics are high then External Validity is low.
What that means is, you can't say that people will do in real life what they did in the lab.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch (lab), Orne's people are still adding, folding, cutting, tossing, repeating. How long did they do it?
Six hours. Six hours! They added, folded, cut, and tossed for six hours, until Orne had to return and TELL them to stop! Why? They were in a psychology lab and that is what they were expected to do.
Would they do that in real life? Shake your head no. Of course, recent research shows that teens today spend an average of 7.5 hours per day using electronic devices (TV, computer, cell phone, etc.). And they're not even in a psychology lab!
January 25, 2010
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4 comments:
If I was the one in the lab I would probably do it about 5 times and then throw the paper in their face for making me look like I have large synaptic gaps. I can't imagine sitting in a lab for 6 hours doing something so boring. Do these people not have brains!
Sarah Raunikar
Ya I wouldn't have done it either. MAybe not even a couple of times. I don't like to waste my time. Time is precious and I never have enough. No one acts the same under a microscope. If you stare at people at a store they will act differently. Sad but I have done this. There was a time when I was bored. Boredom breeds creativity I guess.
I think after about the first time i would have to ask why am i doing this and stop i guess these people dont value their time like i do.
I bet everyone who commented would do what is asked a lot longer than they stated. Remember, these people were in a lab and were asked to do a simple task. I'm assuming he didn't tell them why. I don't see them as slow, I see them as dedicated and hard working haha. Seriously though, I would probably quite after 15 minutes.
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