AP11352

Science Summary

The article is based on a series of 11 studies which concluded that the participants " would rather give themselves electric shocks than sit and think" (article). Students and non-students from the universities of Virginia and Harvard were left in a room for 6-15 minutes to contemplate. One study gave the participant the option to shock him/herself. Many chose to apply the mild shock, leading to the controversial conclusion that being forced to think caused the experimentee to electrocute him/herself. . This leap in conclusion may be explained by a confusion between correlation and causation (Barrett's law 7). Choosing the electricity was the result of a third factor ( Mastering the World of Psychology p.20), natural curiosity. Another provocative claim was that thinking was "not enjoyable" (article). First of all, that conclusion is invalid because it is an opinion that "cannot be objectively proven" (Montgomery College definition). Whether or not something is enjoyable varies is up to the participant. Secondly, if the brain doesn't like sensory deprivation, why has meditation proven to have positive effects on the brain and body (Mastering the World of Psychology p.120)? Sitting in a room to think, would be informal meditation (concentration on a single tangible or intangible object). Others have also criticized this study. Chris Chamber (high profile scientist) was quoted "This is essentially a study showing that people don't like to be bored" (BBC News). Although the study had good intentions, there were many faults in the how the results were interpreted. The conclusions were exaggerated leaps, something the media is famous for doing. A more correct follow-up of this experiment is anticipated.

References: "Do People Choose Pain over Boredom?" //BBC News//. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2014. "Do We Really Hate Thinking so Much We'd Electrocute Ourselves Rather than Do It?" //Mind Hacks//. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 July 2014. "Fact/Opinion Exercises." //Fact/Opinion Exercises//. Montgomery College, 20 Apr. 2002. Web. 11 July 2014. Wilson, Timothy D. "Is It the Darkness Within? Some People Would Rather Shock Themselves with Electricity than Spend Time with Their Own Thoughts." //BPS Research Digest://. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 July 2014. Wood, Samuel E., Ellen R. Green. Wood, and Denise Roberts. Boyd. "Consciousness." //Mastering the World of Psychology//. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2004. N. pag. Print.

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