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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:04:36
I have volunteered for 3 pscho researches at our college for extra credit in my Psch class. You have to be in a the beginning class to participate, we are know has lab rats, LOL.
Well anyways, I was doing this test yesterday that seemed to be about ADHD. There was a mirror on the wall in front of the computer that I was on answering questions. Well anyways the questions kept repeating and it seemed like they were testing me to see if when I got bored, and couldn't sit still.
Well what I am wondering is if I was being observed through the mirror(window) as I was taking the test. Do they have to tell me they are doing this?
The research I was in the day before, there was no mirror.
Well since I thought I was being observed, I acted probably different. LOL
On Monday, I am doing a research on something to do with eyesite. I find this research stuff interesting. They said that these are a part of major studies and are conducted by Phd.S that also teach at the college. So cool!
Posted by Estella on May 21, 2006, at 8:22:38
In reply to A weird thing about pscho research, posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:04:36
> Well what I am wondering is if I was being observed through the mirror(window) as I was taking the test. Do they have to tell me they are doing this?
er...don't they have to debrief you afterwards?
(tell you what they were really testing for etc)
?
Posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:53:22
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » happyflower, posted by Estella on May 21, 2006, at 8:22:38
They did debrief me but they didn't say anything about the mirror. Maybe they didn't use it, I am just wondering if they did. LOL I just have to know everything!
Posted by Estella on May 21, 2006, at 9:04:30
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » Estella, posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:53:22
> They did debrief me but they didn't say anything about the mirror. Maybe they didn't use it, I am just wondering if they did. LOL I just have to know everything!
lol. if they didn't mention it they may well not have used it. do you remember the debrief? do you think they would have needed to use it?
i did this psych experiment for extra credit (same as you are doing) and i had to do these puzzles and then estimate how long it took me to do it.
he was trying to test the hypothesis 'time flies when you are having fun' and he thought that a more complex puzzle would be more fun.
i didn't have the heart to tell him that... i wasn't having fun...
Posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 9:11:13
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » happyflower, posted by Estella on May 21, 2006, at 9:04:30
LOL that is funny, I think the same thing about hard puzzles.
It just seemed like they were trying to recreate an atmosphere where a person with ADHD, would react to it. So maybe watching me was part of research more than me anwering those crazy questions.
She didn't go into details about how they were doing the research, just what it was about. I love pschology!
Posted by wishingstar on May 21, 2006, at 9:38:39
In reply to A weird thing about pscho research, posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:04:36
That's odd that they didnt mention the mirror in the debrief. They said it was about attention span or something though? Or was that just your guess?
They would not have had to tell you if they were watching through the mirror, although if they had been, I'm sure it would have been mentioned afterwards. In psych research, deception is allowed as long as it can be proven to the ethics board (all research has to be approved first) that the deception is necessary for the experiment and not likely to cause harm to the participant. However... I cant think of a reason why they would have needed to watch you through a mirror, as it sounds like there was already someone in the room anyway.
Another possibiliy, which would be my guess.. sometimes in psych research, mirrors are used to increase self-awareness, especailly in research having to do with ethical/moral questions (like deciding who gets the better task, you or another person.. etc). Research on many different topics in the past has found that having a mirror there and being able to see onesself actually does change how people respond in some situations. However, it doesnt sound like the questions they asked you would have been changed by heightened self-awareness.. but maybe. That's my best guess.
Glad youre enjoying doing the experiments.. I'm actually a grad student in a psych sciences program (its basically psych research) and we run lots of experiments. It can be SO hard to get people to participate sometimes!
Posted by happyflower on May 22, 2006, at 15:45:12
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » happyflower, posted by wishingstar on May 21, 2006, at 9:38:39
OHG! I had to look at this fricken pc screen for over an hour looking at red and black circles and squares flashing at me and I had to deceide if I saw a frickin black circle on the screen over 1 million times at least. AAAUUUGGGHHH! I need a drink and I don't drink much at all. LOL Then only good thing was the $15. gift card to Barnes and Noble and the extra credit points. But I would NEVER do that one again even for a $50 card!
Posted by llrrrpp on May 22, 2006, at 16:44:17
In reply to Today's research totally sucked, posted by happyflower on May 22, 2006, at 15:45:12
I can't participate in any research studies anymore. I never pass the screening! I'm not "normal" or "typical" or whatever. Too bad! I used to get lunch money a few times a month!
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 23, 2006, at 8:32:23
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » Estella, posted by happyflower on May 21, 2006, at 8:53:22
> They did debrief me but they didn't say anything about the mirror. Maybe they didn't use it, I am just wondering if they did. LOL I just have to know everything!
If you go back to your initial consent, I bet you big bucks that you will also receive a written summary of the research, once it's completed. That's when you will learn about the mirror, if it was part of the experimental design. They couldn't tell you about the mirror, in case you told your buddy, etc. It would be a confound.
Lar (who consulted on many experimental designs over the years)
Posted by cecilia on May 26, 2006, at 2:05:38
In reply to Re: A weird thing about pscho research » happyflower, posted by Larry Hoover on May 23, 2006, at 8:32:23
It's been a very long time since I was in college, but I remember one research study I participated in. They supposedly had a child behind a screen and they were testing to see how people interacted depending on whether the child was a fast or slow learner Of course everyone knew via the rumor mill that there was no real child behind the screen-makes you wonder how valid any research really is. Cecilia
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