Psych Experiment - Breaking Social Norms

[indimom]

I have to create and complete a psychology experiment. I have to break a social norm in public and record data about the reactions, etc.

We can do almost anything. I've considered invading personal space in lines (but I'd have to get in a LOT of lines and I don't have "that" much unlimited funds. ha ha). I thought about pushing a doll in a carriage and talking to it like it's real, but I live in a small town and know a LOT of people here. EEK!

I'm having a hard time coming up with something that will get a definite reaction that doesn't involve getting calls to the cops or too much embarrassment. I'm 39 and kind of an introvert.

My husband is willing to help, if necessary. My instructor is fine with our "having fun with" this assignment. It doesn't have to be completely serious.

Any suggestions or ideas??

 

[lizabu]

You should fart really loud and see what the reaction is. You can put a whoopee cushion under your arm so you don't have to actually fart on cue.

 

[cabanafrau]

One that I've heard discussed frequently is walking into an elevator and remaining facing the back wall.

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

Wear your underwear on the outside? Simply walk around in public carrying on a conversation with an "imaginary friend." Sit on a park bench for hours talking to yourself? Sit on a park bench for hours reading a book aloud to a doll? What about just walking back and forth in a cross walk? How about picking your nose in public? Talking loudly in a coffee shop? Talking loudly in a library (but explain it to the librarian first)? Taking up 4 or more parking spaces and sitting there in a chair to see what people say? Wearing cold weather clothing when it's hot and asking people why they aren't freezing (or the other way around)?

That's what I was able to come up with. Hope something strikes a chord for you.

Karen

 

[lovemygoofy]

Start conversations in elevators.
Try to sit with other people at coffee shops or restaurants.
Ask random people if they would talk about religion, politics or money.
Limit people's personal space
Talk loudly and rude(think ugly arguement) on the cell phone
Tuck your skirt into your pantyhose
Walk around with toilet paper taped to the bottom of your shoe.
Ask people if they would like some gum or candy.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Wear your underwear on the outside? Simply walk around in public carrying on a conversation with an "imaginary friend." Sit on a park bench for hours talking to yourself? Sit on a park bench for hours reading a book aloud to a doll? What about just walking back and forth in a cross walk? How about picking your nose in public? Talking loudly in a coffee shop? Talking loudly in a library (but explain it to the librarian first)? Taking up 4 or more parking spaces and sitting there in a chair to see what people say? Wearing cold weather clothing when it's hot and asking people why they aren't freezing (or the other way around)?

That's what I was able to come up with. Hope something strikes a chord for you.

Karen

OMG these are hilarious! lmao! Id have a lot of fun with this. Im tempted to do it just for the heck of it! lol.

Sent from my Galaxy SII using DISBoards App

 

[RunningGirl]

Talk to the person in the stall next to you in the restroom (bonus - they cannot see who you are!)

Do something unexpectedly kind - offer to help people get their groceries to the car, pump their gas, return their shopping cart.

Ask people how much they paid for something they're wearing.

 

[java]

One that I've heard discussed frequently is walking into an elevator and remaining facing the back wall.

I had to do that- they all got off the next floor!

Another I had to do was walk onto an almost empty subway car and ask one of the few seated if I could sit in their seat.

 

[canadianjovigirl]

I think the best one i particiapated in is the woman walking into and using a mens restroom in a large sporting arena (NHL rink) and not one man saying a thing...........

Then a man walks into a womans restroom and does not make it in 5 feet without a barrage of woman attacking him

No idea how he managed that half of the task as the line up to the womans restroom is always super long compared to the mens.

 

[Mel522]

You have to do something that will get a reaction to record. If you talk to yourself or an imaginary friend, people might comment on it, but not to you. It has to be something that could be normal. It seems unlikely that people would run around talking to themselves, or reading to a doll. I think most people would assume you had some sort of mental illness and wouldn't say anything.

Think of things that you do on a day to day basis that really have no logical reason why you do what you do. Like why don't we sit next to someone we don't know? Why do we wait in line? If it's survival of the fittest, why don't we just push are way to the front? Why do we hold the door if someone is entering a building right behind us? Why not take candy from a baby?

I think invading personal space is a great one. It can include sitting at a table with someone you don't know at a coffee shop, sitting right next to someone on an empty bus or in an empty theater, stand right next to someone waiting in line or in an elevator, and so on.

I also like the one about standing in an elevator facing the wall. I saw an experiment on it where a group of people stood facing the wall, and the other people on the elevator would turn and face the same direction too.

 

[Ceila]

Wear your underwear on the outside? Simply walk around in public carrying on a conversation with an "imaginary friend." Sit on a park bench for hours talking to yourself? Sit on a park bench for hours reading a book aloud to a doll? What about just walking back and forth in a cross walk? How about picking your nose in public? Talking loudly in a coffee shop? Talking loudly in a library (but explain it to the librarian first)? Taking up 4 or more parking spaces and sitting there in a chair to see what people say? Wearing cold weather clothing when it's hot and asking people why they aren't freezing (or the other way around)?

That's what I was able to come up with. Hope something strikes a chord for you.

Karen

I don't think that talking to yourself would work, since most people would assume that you are on a Bluetooth. And I wouldn't do anything that would adversely impact others (disrupting people studying in a library).

I would stick with things that people would find odd but aren't rude.

 

[indimom]

Thanks Everyone! There are some good ideas on here, keep em coming.

At this point, I "like" the nice one, offering to carry groceries, etc. I think you could get some good stats because I'm sure the responce will be different when you compare an 18yo guy to an 80 yo woman.

If I drive into the city, I'm tempted to do the toilet paper one. I wonder if a single soul would tell me or if they would all just snicker behind my back. DH could walk a few yards behind me and get the reactions, so it's doable.

I'd love to do the subway one, but we don't have public transportation, so that's out. I also don't have too many elevators around (and the couple we have are only two stories) so that's not really an option. Bummer.

Any other ideas??

 

[Mel522]

I just thought of something. Watch what litte kids do. They haven't learned the social norms yet, they just do what is natural to them. The other day my 4 year old niece walked up to someone and just started talking to them. She also doesn't really have an internal dialogue, she just says what she's thinking. She told my mom her hair is turning grey. She told me I need to learn to share (I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so I don't share food).

 

[MrsDuck]

Talk to the person in the stall next to you in the restroom (bonus - they cannot see who you are!)

Ooh, I love this one-- out of the norm but not super embarrassing for you!!

 

[indimom]

I have to leave for a class now, so I won't be back on here until I go to work tonight, but please keep the good ideas coming! Thanks a lot!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I like the toilet paper on the bottom of the shoe. Interesting to see how many people point it out. Or you could put spinach in your teeth and see if anyone informs you. If you have a cold you can go the bugger in your nose route, but most of us can't snot on demand!

You could go to the store and put large boxes of condoms in your cart. Throw in some KY Jelly and see if anyone comments. If you were a guy you could then ask where the dressing room is.

 

[jen1977]

I like the toilet paper on the bottom of the shoe. Interesting to see how many people point it out. Or you could put spinach in your teeth and see if anyone informs you. If you have a cold you can go the bugger in your nose route, but most of us can't snot on demand!

You could go to the store and put large boxes of condoms in your cart. Throw in some KY Jelly and see if anyone comments. If you were a guy you could then ask where the dressing room is.

I almost spit my drink when I read the last line, lol. I was at Wal Mart once, and this young guy was walking quickly looking over his shoulder (there was no one behind him), and kept saying "they're after me". It was kind of funny after we realized there was no one after him.

 

[pookybean]

how about dressing appropriately for a dinner. like wearing a gown and a tux at mcdonalds or applebees. or sweats to a fancy-er place (or maybe they wouldnt let you in if it was toooo fancy).

you and dh could record stares, snickers etc...or see if you heard any comments from people sitting around you.

that does sound like a fun experiment!

 

[nchulka]

I've been the "victim" of one of these assignments before. The girl pulled out a stick of deodorant in the middle of our sunday school class and put it on!! We were all staring at her like WHAT!! She told us it was for a college class also, again to see peoples reaction when you do something out of the ordinary.

 

[wishing4PA]

how about dressing appropriately for a dinner. like wearing a gown and a tux at mcdonalds or applebees. or sweats to a fancy-er place (or maybe they wouldnt let you in if it was toooo fancy).!

That's almost like what I was going to suggest!
My thought was: wear a nice dress or skirt-blouse combination and go running. You could still wear real running shoes so as not to hurt yourself.

Or ... wear Mickey Mouse ears (if you have them) around to "normal" places like restaurants, etc. Whatever you do normally, do wearing the ears. In case anyone reading the DIS is wondering, that isn't considered normal social behavior outside Disney parks.

Or wear a tutu as if it were normal clothing. Oops, never mind, might be too close to Halloween for that to carry any shock value.


Okay, one more idea, and why do all my ideas involve clothing?
Here it is. If you are doing this experiment for a class at a university/college, and the school has a rival, wear the rival school's colors, logo, etc. around your campus at least until you collect enough data.

Come to think of it, other than the first idea, it may be too close to Halloween for any of these to work.
But, you could try trick-or-treating (as an adult), or when kids come up to your house, as THEM for candy and don't give any. Na, that would be just mean.