tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451967208270832502.post2416674860178857676..comments2024-03-27T03:22:41.073-07:00Comments on Psych Your Mind: Would you eat the worm?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08931064542755278772noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451967208270832502.post-77853982017290656212011-10-05T14:06:45.960-07:002011-10-05T14:06:45.960-07:00These are all great questions. It's definitely...These are all great questions. It's definitely possible that some participants chose to eat the worm out of a sense of altruism or self-sacrifice. They might have reasoned that by eating the worm they were sparing another participant from having to do the same, assuming that the researchers needed to fill the various conditions. I also agree that a corollary to the bravery explanation is the desire to conquer one's fears and gain a sense of accomplishment. Although these reasons may be genuine and are certainly noble, it's interesting that participants only chose to eat the worm (whatever their reasons) when they were already expecting to, but did not choose to if they were first given the decision, suggesting that these reasons developed during the anticipatory waiting period, not before. <br /><br />It's also a good point, however, that participants may have spent the waiting time deliberating over whether they should even go through with the experiment, giving them an opportunity to think through the pros and cons. In other words, the phenomenon may not simply be about expecting and thus seeking to justify the inevitable. It's interesting, though, how events that we know are not inevitable can still sometimes feel that way, as may be the case for research participants who don't want to be make a scene or come across as disobedient.Julihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11680528427434926352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451967208270832502.post-29825868836494161382011-10-05T12:54:32.821-07:002011-10-05T12:54:32.821-07:00I would also offer a modification of the 'I...I would also offer a modification of the 'I'm brave' response. Not convincing oneself, but proving to oneself: to say, I have a chance to do something I normally wouldn't do, something that lets me take charge of my own emotions, fears, etc.<br /><br />People often do things they fear to give themselves a sense of accomplishment. Imagining myself in the scenario, I would have spent those minutes debating whether I could accept the challenge.Margaret K. Westfallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15920706327571834856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451967208270832502.post-17655451824726899902011-10-05T09:57:35.710-07:002011-10-05T09:57:35.710-07:00Great post!
My first reaction was that eating the...Great post!<br /><br />My first reaction was that eating the worm was a pro-social behavior. The participants were told that they weren't assigned to the right condition, which implies that other people would have to eat the worm. Perhaps some of the "I'm a brave person" reasoning is really, "I'm braver than most people, I can tough this out for the sake of OTHERS." <br /><br />I think some of Lerner's Belief in a Just World research looked at when people would be willing to take electric shocks in place of others.Dan Lenzenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15525988539587021596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6451967208270832502.post-22172965832202758662011-10-05T05:40:06.012-07:002011-10-05T05:40:06.012-07:00Interesting! Has the opposite been tested ? Will p...Interesting! Has the opposite been tested ? Will people who would have already eaten the worm perform the more neutral task as well ?BDNfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03928948578344551538noreply@blogger.com