Extra Credit: Coke vs. Pepsi Taste Test

--Original published at Site Title

A strength of this exercise was a double-blinded procedure where neither the participate nor the one giving the soda, as well as the information collector knew what type of soda was given in each cup. Another strong suit of this experiment was having the tester clean his or her palate with water after each sample.

A weaknesses or limitation of this experiment could have been the ability to smell the drink. Smelling incorporated another outside factor that could help students more easily identify soda type, as some said the two types had different smells. Another limitation was the experiment didn’t represent the population of students as a whole, instead it was tested upon those who were already soda drinkers.

Confounding variables in this experiment could be that students chosen were those who had a bias towards a specific soda type. Another could be the smell factor or the ability to identify color differences between the two drinks. The opinions of others in the hall questioning if their tester was positive of a choice or causing them to second guess themselves could have been a confounding variable as well.

The conclusion we came up with was that the difference between Coke and Pepsi could not be identified between individuals. This conclusion was valid for my group receiving 2 right answers out of 5 correct. The rest of our class had similar results, except for one group who correctly identified all the samples. We also had to consider that getting none right would also mean that you could differentiate correctly but that you just got the sodas mixed up.

One changes I would make to the experiment is opening to the whole class to participate. That way there is an equal chance for all students to participate and their is no systematic bias. Another change I would make would be limiting other factors like smell and sight so they can’t influence the decisions. Each member of the group not being able to talk to one another could help give better results as well. Increasing the size of participants would give better results for a whole population we are testing. Lastly, giving the tester more time in between drinks could help them to get the taste of the last soda out of there mouths.

Week 3 First Impression (Prompt 1)

--Original published at Kevin Psych Blog

I think that parenting should be done from a distance. Not in such a way that you don’t develop a bond with your children, of course that’s important. You should be a loving caretaker. What I mean is that too often parents tend to be very controlling and strict. This is fine up to a certain age, in my opinion, around 15 years old. Up to about that point it’s obviously important to keep a short leash on your children, you have to make sure they’re safe until they’re capable of being responsible for themselves. As soon as they hit that point, I would say it’s time to turn into more of a “guiding hand” for your children. I don’t see it as the responsibility of the parents to lord over their kids, they should be free to make their own good and bad decisions and learn from their experiences instead of being kept sheltered. I for one have had the luxury of not having very strict parents, they don’t mind me doing most things so long as I don’t get caught doing them. I believe that that’s about the perfect level of strictness, and I think I’ve turned out pretty decent so far. I see people who have incredibly strict parents who do not allow them any freedom and I see their childhoods being taken away from them, and I think that’s sick. Of course, if a kid is making a serious mistake that could lead to them ruining their lives, at that point it is the parents job to take a more direct role.

I also hate when I see parents who try to manipulate their children’s thoughts and ideas and force their own ideologies upon them, it serves to do nothing but create unthinking clones of previous generations and I don’t see how that can benefit society at all. New ideas need to be allowed to form and be spread for the world to improve and parents often try to feed their children the same mindset they have. Instead of doing that, I think we ought to take a similar approach to what I said above. If a child comes to you to talk about politics or religion, don’t shove your views down their throats. Have a discussion with them and challenge them, let them come to their own conclusions.

My point in all of this is that parenting should be about bringing up a unique individual with their own experiences and ideas that they can put to use in adult life. If you try to be overbearing then your child will struggle to be their own person and suffer as a result, be it economically or emotionally. Freedom is needed to thrive.

Parenting: Week 3 First Impression

--Original published at BillardnBlog

My first thought about this topic is that parenting can be a blend and balance of many different styles, including the three mentioned. In my own experience both my parents held my siblings and I to higher standards with most things from academics to manners. My parents would push us when they believed there is room for improvement, such as if we got a bad grade or struggling in a class. In doing this was positive pressure unlike the pressure that would make us extremely stressful. This gave us qualities of hard work to get the better grade and not settle for something less.

I think the terms tiger mom, jellyfish dad, and helicopter parents are harsh labels and at most times too specific to an individual parent. Parenting is commonly a combined effort and decisions are made together to deal with situations. All the terms of parenting can come with consequences of the kids. A too strict or tiger parent can cause their child to rebel against them. While a parent that is too easy-going or a jellyfish can have their child never taking responsibility or putting in hard work. Being a helicopter parent seems too excessive to a kid and then they don’t want to let their parents into details of their lives. A question I have is does a helicopter parents resemble them trying to live vicariously through their child? They become so in-tune to their lives and then want to perfect it. Also, does parenting vary between children? Some say that parents are more strict on their first child then a second or third. I think the best parenting comes with understanding your child’s interests and strengths, then help and guide them for the most success.

Extra Credit- Coke vs. Pepsi

--Original published at Lynsey Wissler's Blog

Lynsey Wissler – Coke vs Pepsi Experiment

What were the strengths of the research design?
- One strength of the research design was the fact that it was a single blind study. Another strength was that the soda analyst was in a different room.
What were the limitations of the research design?
- There were some limitations. Thes limitations included previous biases that the soda drinker had about the soda. Going into the experiment she was able to tell the difference between the two sodas and was expecting to tell them apart which limited the variability of the results.
What potential confounding variables were present in the study?
- There were several potential confounding variables, one of those being the drinkers bias towards the soda. Another variable was perhaps the clear cups; the drinker could possibly tell the color difference of the sodas. Another variable would be the conversations in the hallway could’ve influenced her decisions.
Was the conclusion we drew valid? Why or why not?
- The conclusion that we drew was no, people can not tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. For my group specifically, I would say that that conclusion is not valid. Our group had 5/5 of the results correct, therefore saying that you can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. However, when looking at the class data as a whole it is clear that you typically can not tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi. This is so clear because most of the people in the class received a 3/5 or a 2/5 for accuracy.
What are 5 specific changes you would make to the research design to improve the study?
- 5 specific changes that I would make to this study are as follows
  - 1. Non-transparent cups
  - 2. Each taster in a separate room
  - 3. No communication between the server, taster, and the flipper
  - 4. Longer time between drinks
  - 5. Less information to the taster before drinking the soda

Research Design Extra Credit

--Original published at Site Title

What were the strengths of the research design?

The research design allowed us to prove that it is difficult to differentiate between Coke and Pepsi.

2. What were the limitations of the research design?

Some people had previous bias toward a certain soda. The tasters could have been influenced by others in the room. There was also no controlled variable between the tests.

3. What potential confounding variables were present in the study?

A confounding variable in this study is previous experience with the sodas.

4. Was the conclusion we drew valid? Why or why not?

The conclusion we drew was valid because the majority of tasters were unable to differentiate between the sodas.

5. What are 5 specific changes you would make to the research design to improve the study?

I would put each taster in a separate room. I would have the tasters wait a longer period of time before the next trial. I would also have a control, such as water, in between trials. I would make sure the tasters had multiple previous experiences with both sodas before beginning. I would have more than five trials.

Week 3 First Impression

--Original published at Site Title

The topic of parenting and parenting styles is one that I find very interesting to talk about. I believe that I was raised differently than most of my friends and peers. My parents are very old school due to the fact that they also raised my older brothers who are 8 and 13 years older than me. We were all raised the same way for the most part but it was more difficult for my parents when they got to me. Since technology is a very prevalent thing in our society, my mom and dad had to adapt and try their best to stick to their normal plan for me. But they were hesitant and skeptical about many things and because of this I believe that I wasn’t given as much freedom as many of my friends. I had many restrictions and at the time I was very mad at them and thought that none of that was fair. Looking back on it though, I now see what they were trying to do for me.

But that doesn’t mean that I agree and would raise my own kids the same way. I think that having too many restrictions and rules will lead a child to be more secretive and rebel. A parent being more relaxed and giving their child more freedom would lead to a more trusting relationship between them. Of course the parent will have to be strict and put their foot down when the situation calls for it but they should trust their child to make the right decisions when they give them that freedom. I also think that parents should let their child think for themselves and accept them even if they don’t grow up with the same beliefs as them. As long as the child has morals and is a respectful young adult then the parent has been successful in raising them.

Research Design Critique – Bonus Blog Prompt

Hand writing on a notebook

In class on Friday we conducted a Coke vs. Pepsi taste test experiment. The research question was “Can people tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi?” Based on the data we collected in class, we determined the answer to the question was no because 3 of the 4 people only got 2-3 guesses correct out of 5 trials. For this bonus blog post, critique the design of the experiment as we conducted it in class. The bonus post will be worth up to 2 extra credit points depending on the quality of your answers (make sure to use the terminology from the chapter whenever possible) and must be posted by the beginning of class on Monday 9/11 with the tag “Bonus Posts” to earn credit. You must use answer the following questions as part of your critique:

What were the strengths of the research design?
What were the limitations of the research design?
What potential confounding variables were present in the study?
Was the conclusion we drew valid? Why or why not?
What are 5 specific changes you would make to the research design to improve the study?

Header image: CC by Flickr user Caitlinator

Week 3 First Impression

--Original published at Em

This post is very interesting to me because growing up I had always heard of people saying “ugh my parents are so strict.” My parents were always more of the relaxed type no curfew, more of the just let me know whats going on. Of course this was great for free time. Then the minute my mom said no to me or set a rule without giving me a reasonable answer I did not understand . We always had discussions about rules and I felt I was heard. I think they didn’t really give me much advice on life or big decisions it was kind of you’ll get it. Which of course I did, even if it was a stressful circumstance. Since then I decided I would be a very strict parent until I rethought it. I would check grades, set curfews, sent kids to summer camps the whole nine yards. The system relaxed parenting left no structure.

Now in retrospect I think it was fine. I do know how to do important adult things. I learned a lot from those experiences. Now as to the strict parent idea I believe there should be a balance. If a parent is too strict the child may rebel. A parent needs to be a resource a child can use to learn from and support them. They need to know that you expect them not to do illegal activities but if they are intoxicated and need a ride they can call you. The balance needs to raise a independent child that has support if needed.

Week 3 First Impression Prompts: Development

Hand writing on a notebook

Regardless of which prompt you choose, please use the tag “Development” on your post. Here are the prompts for this week:

Option 1

Tiger moms, jellyfish dads, and helicopter parents. These terms all refer to various parenting styles and each has been both promoted as an ideal and criticized as “the problem with kids these days.” We will discuss parenting this week, but I’m curious what you think is the “best” way to parent. By “best” I mean most likely to produce children who grow up to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society. Write your post about the ideal way parents should raise their kids.

Option 2

While most developmental psychologists have focused on how we grow and change from birth to early adulthood, Erik Erikson was one of the first psychologists to put forth a theory of development that covered the entire lifespan. He divided the lifespan into 8 stages and in each stage he posited the primary challenge a person had to overcome for each stage. I want you to create your own 8-stage lifespan development theory (make sure to identify the age range for each stage) and identify what you think the main psychological challenge is for each stage. We’ll see how similar your ideas are to Erikson’s.

I look forward to seeing what you write!

Header image: CC by Flickr user Caitlinator

Week 2 First Impression Post

--Original published at Caitlin's corner

Something that has always made me think about human nature and our behavior is; why do people mimic each other when in conversation? Sometimes it can be as subtle as crossing both of your arms to as big as scratching your head after they do or adjusting eyewear after them. This can be tricky to catch because, for the most part, it is a subconscious behavior, so the person might not be aware they are mimicking another.

Research Question: Why do humans mirror other’s actions during conversation?

Hypothesis: Humans mirror others behavior and actions in conversation because when humans were still evolving and adapting, they created a subconscious mimicking mechanism as a way to either protect themselves or to show other’s they were safe.

Research Procedure:

First I would just ask about 20 students to volunteer to just have a conversation with another person (probably a psych student)
The students will talk while the researcher slowly mimics half of their behavior, tone, body language, etc. until almost every action is mimicked and with the other half do nothing while talking.
1. note: the volunteer should not be aware the other person’s role (mimicking). They are simply two people having a conversation, don’t want them to be self-conscious of their body language and actions. You want it to be natural.
Hopefully, after 15-20 minutes of talking, the volunteer will be copying the behavior of the researcher, since they have subconsciously been mimicked the whole time.
Ask each volunteer to rate how connected they feel with the interviewer. Hopefully the mimicked conversations will feel more connected than the ones without mimicking.

Use this as a comparison of natural behavior and mimicking with some priming/help from the researcher.

Have two volunteers sit down and start talking, you can give them starter questions to talk about various topics (start with lighter stuff then lead to serious/darker questions)
Observe the partner conversations of about 5-10 pairings and then compare their behaviors of during the conversations with that of the original conversation between the interviewer and the volunteer.

You will be able to see when the most people mimicked each other (during beginning, middle, end, more serious, lighter topics, etc.)

If someone repeats your bodily actions in a subtle way, it is most likely they are no harm to you and can relate to your feelings and emotions in that time frame. If two people do or act the same, then they can assume that person is not a threat or danger since they are like-minded to some capacity. This can still be seen today in a different capacity, not in a evolutionary way. During infancy, an infant will mimic the facial expressions or verbal cues given by their primary caregiver(s). Babies begin to mimic the individuals around them to establish deep connections and to start working their fine/gross motor skills, and in particular, their bodily functions and basic movements (i.e. waving, clapping, hug, kiss, etc.). This ability to mimic another person’s actions allows the infant to establish a sense of empathy and thus begin to understand basic emotions such as happiness, fright, discomfort, and compassion. The infant continues to establish connections with other individual’s emotions and subsequently mirror their movements as well.

Mirroring can is defined as the behavior in which one person subconsciously imitates the gesture, speech pattern, or attitudes of another person. Mirroring most often occurs in social situations, particularly in the company of close friends or family. The concept often affects other individuals’ notions about the individual that is exhibiting mirroring behaviors, which can lead to the individual building rapport with others. Too much mirroring should be considered dangerous and the individual needs checked for behavioral or a cognitive function problem.

Mirroring is the subconscious replication of another person’s nonverbal signals. This concept takes place in everyday interactions, and often goes unnoticed by both the person enacting the mirroring behaviors as well as the individual who is being mirrored. The activation of mirror neurons takes place within the individual who begins to mirror another’s movements, and allows them a greater connection and understanding with the individual who they are mirroring, as well as allowing the individual who is being mirrored to feel a stronger connection with the other individual. Mirroring is distinct from conscious imitation under the premise that while the latter is a conscious, typically overt effort to copy another person, mirroring is subconsciously done during the act and often goes unnoticed.

Mirroring can establish rapport with the individual who is being mirrored, as the similarities in nonverbal gestures allow the individual to feel more connected with the person exhibiting the mirrored behavior. As the two individuals in the situation display similar nonverbal gestures, they may believe that they share similar attitudes and ideas as well. Mirror neurons react to and cause these movements, allowing the individuals to feel a greater sense of engagement and belonging within the situation.