Psych Experiment - Breaking Social Norms

[HannaBelle]

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.

What if I only wear them at home?

 

[Andtototoo]

When I was in college, the deviant psychology class had that same requirement.

Some of the projects included:

-- wearing underwear on the outside of clothes
-- sitting too close to people on shared seats (like in pews at church)
-- taking a seat next to someone you don't know when there are many empty seats
-- starting to sing loudly (like in a restaurant lobby or our school cafeteria)

 

[bianca]

My daughter had to do this. She ordered one of those fake pregnancy bellies off the Internet ( not expensive) and went out for cocktails with girlfriends at the bar. Yikes!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Some I've seen (I work at a university):

Walking along and touching strangers - just a pat on the back or shoulder.

Two people dancing together on a street corner

Carrying a bucket full of water onto the subway (or presumably you could just walk down the street with it)

Offering cookies to people as they passed by


TP

 

[ZachnElli]

Last week at the mall there was a guy with his face painted/made up like a zombie. Dd and I both stared! Maybe that isn't as weird with Halloween next week.

 

[Soulsearching]

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

And ask them to give you some toilet paper, because your all out in your stall.

 

[FlyingDumbo]

I would not do anything that could put you in harms way, so do not touch people. I grew up in the city and I have cat like reflexes for throwing elbows. Just ask the guy at the mall who came up behind me and grabbed me by the shoulder to try to sell me a hair straightener.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Motorized cart jousting!



Very old, but still amusing:

http://www.angelfire.com/vamp/abeautifulhaze/kmart.html

 

[t_daniels]

In band camp,a group of us would get in the elevator...(not always at the same time. But we all did it.) And 'clean our personal space.' Wed act like we were windexing our little bubble....scrubbing it...squeegee cleaning it... The whole 9 yards.

 

[laura.anne]

I had to do an "experiment" for a communications class for a day where I didn't talk to ANYONE, and we couldn't explain to people the day before that we wouldn't be talking to them. You couldn't communicate in any way with anyone--no email, phone, etc. The hardest part was small talk, actually. I was living on campus at the time so I had to eat at the dining hall, and when the lady swiped my student ID, I couldn't say "thank you", and when she said "Have a good day" I couldn't say anything back. It was so awkward!

 

[Fjobe]

She told me I need to learn to share (I'm a bit of a germaphobe, so I don't share food).

That would be funny if you went inside a fast food restaurant and asked for a bite of food from random people.

I once had something odd happen to me as an 13 year old girl. There was a lady in the bathroom with 2 broken arms, and she asked me to button her pants for her. It seemed really weird, but I did it.

 

[RunningGirl]

And ask them to give you some toilet paper, because your all out in your stall.

Sorry but I can't spare a square.

 

[marlynnp]

how about random hand holding?

http://youtu.be/W27pfiRg5WQ

 

[goofyintoronto]

Sorry but I can't spare a square.

Seinfeld! LMAO! love that episode!

Sent from my Galaxy SII using DISBoards App

 

[indimom]

Wow !! A lot of great ideas on here. Some are really funny.
I have to agree with the poster who advised being careful. I did think of that. I don't want to do anything that might step over someone else's personal line in the sand. I had quite a few ideas that seemed full of pitfalls if the stranger took it the wrong way. I don't want to start something with a stranger, then have to explain that I was "using them" in an experiment.

This assignment sounds fun, but full of pitfalls, lol.

Thanks for all the great ideas, now to pick one..... hmmmmmm

 

[mhsjax]

This sounds like a lot of fun for some people, like my DD. I am afraid I would fail the class. I am too afraid of being embarrassed to do any of these things. I think the professor that came up with this is doing a great job, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Let us know how it turns outs.

 

[bethbuchall]

This sounds like a lot of fun for some people, like my DD. I am afraid I would fail the class. I am too afraid of being embarrassed to do any of these things. I think the professor that came up with this is doing a great job, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Let us know how it turns outs.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd definitely fail that assignment. It's not even just about being embarrassed. I feel like I'd be "toying" with other people. I know it's my own personal hang-ups, but I'd be too uncomfortable. I'm so glad that I never had to take a course like that.

Good luck! And have fun with it!

 

[indimom]

This sounds like a lot of fun for some people, like my DD. I am afraid I would fail the class. I am too afraid of being embarrassed to do any of these things. I think the professor that came up with this is doing a great job, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Let us know how it turns outs.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd definitely fail that assignment. It's not even just about being embarrassed. I feel like I'd be "toying" with other people. I know it's my own personal hang-ups, but I'd be too uncomfortable. I'm so glad that I never had to take a course like that.

Good luck! And have fun with it!

That's part of the reason I'm leaning toward the "offering assistance" or "doing nice deeds" suggestion. At least that's not embarassing.
The ONLY way I will consider the toilet paper one is if I'm incognito in the city. Not a chance I'd do that in my little town.
I'm going to try my best. This isn't my strong suit either. I'll definitely let you know how it goes!

 

[cornflake]

I was thinking the same thing. I'd definitely fail that assignment. It's not even just about being embarrassed. I feel like I'd be "toying" with other people. I know it's my own personal hang-ups, but I'd be too uncomfortable. I'm so glad that I never had to take a course like that.

Good luck! And have fun with it!

You are - I mean not you you but experimenters - 'toying' with people, so to speak. It's the nature of the beast.

Most psychological experiments don't let the subject in on the actual intent.

The Milgram "Obedience" experiment is probably the most famous for deception like that.

I used to volunteer if I saw flyers on campus. It's fun, imo, to try to figure out what the real point is. I remember one in which we watched these extended scenes of courtroom testimony and answered a bunch of questions. I was fairly convinced the experiment was trying to figure out something about the response to male vs. female attys, but it was actually about specific clothing colours or skirt lengths - the men were foils.

I can see how it'd bother people to do, though I think it's fun to subvert people's expectations, personally.

OP - how about staring at people in situations one wouldn't? Like sit across from people in the cafeteria and STARE at them while they eat or go in a communal dressing room and look closely and obviously at people.

Too bad you don't have public transit - reaching over and filling in someone else's newspaper crossword is good too.

 

[cornflake]

That's part of the reason I'm leaning toward the "offering assistance" or "doing nice deeds" suggestion. At least that's not embarassing.
The ONLY way I will consider the toilet paper one is if I'm incognito in the city. Not a chance I'd do that in my little town.
I'm going to try my best. This isn't my strong suit either. I'll definitely let you know how it goes!

I'd maybe check with your professor before you commit to those - maybe it's me but I don't see how either one is breaking a social norm.

They're not as common as people would like, but it's not violating any social norm to do a nice deed or offer to assist someone - or ask for toilet paper really.