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I think the experiment works better when you do something subtle that goes against societal expectations, not when you do something attention-seeking or obvious.
We had a project just like this freshman year in psych 101.
My favorite one is to ride on an elevator, but face the back wall, not the front. Everyone in an elevator faces the front, the door. If you just turn around and face the back wall, it freaks people out.
The backwards thing can be used in lots of different arenas. Like waiting in line at the grocery store. Don't face front, face backwards. Don't play with your phone when doing this; just stand and look around.
Or get into line at the grocery store with 2 items, and let someone get ahead of you who has a huge cart full of groceries.
Wear two different shoes all day.
Wear gloves or mittens all day, in warm weather.
Say "Bless you" when people cough.
The eye contact thing that someone else mentioned is also good. Make eye contact with people, but when you get the impulse to look away after the normal amount of time, keep looking into their eyes longer.
In my psychology class we are breaking social norms for our final project (i am in 11th grade).I am going to list off my ideas, and I would like feedback and your suggestions.
My List:
-Dress up like an Al Qaeda, go to an ice cream shop and proclaim "this ice cream is the bomb!"
-Go trick or treating on thanksgiving in broad daylight
-Take stuff out of random people's carts in a store
-Use make-up to appear to have a pipe sticking out of my head, and walk around like that
-Eat a whole sample plate at a store
-Walk down an up escalator or walk up a down escalator
-walk into a random store/restaurant and act like I am the manager
-Drive into a drive through and try to give the drive through operator food as he is try's to give me mine
-Walk around in SLOW-MOTION.
What do you folks think? Can you give me some suggestions?
Some of these, like the Al Qaeda, manager, and taking things out of people's courts could get you in trouble. When I think of breaking social norms I think of things like wearing your pants and shirt backwards or inside out, yawning wide without covering your mouth, burping without saying 'excuse me' afterwards, wearing 2 different shoes, or going out in public with clearly unbrushed/messy hair. I like your escalator, drive-thru and slow-mo ideas, though. Fun assignment!!!
I think you should do this at an airport instead. It will allow you to really push the boundaries and perhaps save us the trouble of having to answer your questions again.
I know that was unduly mean but you also didn't think this idea was offensive
I would do it, but they don't serve ice cream at the airports
Some of these, like the Al Qaeda, manager, and taking things out of people's courts could get you in trouble. When I think of breaking social norms I think of things like wearing your pants and shirt backwards or inside out, yawning wide without covering your mouth, burping without saying 'excuse me' afterwards, wearing 2 different shoes, or going out in public with clearly unbrushed/messy hair. I like your escalator, drive-thru and slow-mo ideas, though. Fun assignment!!!
I agree.
Most of the ideas you listed just sound like vandalism or are very offensive, like the AL Qaeda thing.
The fact that you used the word "prank" later shows that your teacher has not done a good job of teaching you about social norms.
You aren't TRICKING people. You just want to do things that people aren't USED TO, such as:
Face the back wall in an elevator.
Pick your nose in public.
Walk through the drive thru.
Say goodbye when you answer the phone.
Most of the ideas you listed just sound like vandalism or are very offensive, like the AL Qaeda thing.
The fact that you used the word "prank" later shows that your teacher has not done a good job of teaching you about social norms.
You aren't TRICKING people. You just want to do things that people aren't USED TO, such as:
Face the back wall in an elevator.
Pick your nose in public.
Walk through the drive thru.
Say goodbye when you answer the phone.
Stuff like that.
Do NOT do the Al Qaeda idea.
Agreed on the Al Qaeda idea. Too many lives have been directly impacted by these butchers. Remember, they are not just terrorists and the enemies of ours, but are now deemed the apex of the World's wanted. This type of thing will get you on the news and really hated by those in your community. Maybe in trouble with the law.
I like some the stuff you mentioned. Get a BIG group to go trick or treating on Thanksgiving with Tupperware and ask for left overs. You might get a really good meal out of it!
I don't see how it is that terrible. The way I see it, I am making fun of them. The Al Qaeda are a pack of losers. It would kind of show that their antics are not scary, but they are a group of laughable people. I probably won't end up doing the Al Qaeda one anyways, I don't have the right materials for it, and I don't want to spend money on a costume I would never use afterwards.
Most of the ideas you listed just sound like vandalism or are very offensive, like the AL Qaeda thing.
The fact that you used the word "prank" later shows that your teacher has not done a good job of teaching you about social norms.
You aren't TRICKING people. You just want to do things that people aren't USED TO, such as:
Face the back wall in an elevator.
Pick your nose in public.
Walk through the drive thru.
Say goodbye when you answer the phone.
Stuff like that.
Do NOT do the Al Qaeda idea.
None of them have anything to do with vandalism.
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