心理学与生活-第120节

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insomnia；　or　you　may　have　bee　sensitized　to　the　normally　effortless　process　of　inhaling　oxygen　and　
exhaling　carbon　dioxide　when　you　had　asthma；　worked　at　high　altitudes；　or　lived　in　a　smog…filled　city。　

While　psychologists　do　study　the　consequences　of　natural　disturbance　of　normal　functions；　they　prefer　to　
discover　techniques　by　which　such　disturbances　can　be　experimentally　induced　under　controlled　
observational　conditions…and　then　reversed。　Thus；　the　individual’s　behavior　can　be　studied　before　the　
intervention；　while　the　disruption　is　occurring；　and　then　again　after　the　original　conditions　are　restored。　For　
example；　to　study　brain　functions；　physiologists　can　apply　small　amounts　of　electric　current　to　brain　sites　
and　record　temporary　alterations　in　functions　that　persist　only　as　long　as　the　stimulation　is　continued。　
Similarly；　it　has　been　shown；　by　delaying　auditory　feedback　with　special　apparatus；　how　much　we　depend　
on　receiving　immediate　auditory　feedback　for　talking　in　a　coherent；　integrated　fashion。　

Perhaps　the　most　important　sense　you　possess　is　one　you　take　most　for　granted　because　of　the　usually　
reliable　and　efficient　way　in　which　it　operates。　For　sighted　people；　vision　is　not　a　gift　but　a　given。　We　are　
rarely　aware　of　the　plex　set　of　visual　cues　we　depend　on　in　virtually　every　activity　we　carry　out。　

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Moreover；　reliance　on　visual　cues　makes　us　less　dependent　upon　the　cues　provided　by　our　other　senses。　
Finally；　with　vision　es　a　measure　of　independence–we　can　get　where　we　want；　when　we　want；　without　
help　from　others。　But　suppose　you　suddenly　lost　the　use　of　your　eyesight？　What　changes　would　occur？　
What　things　would　you　bee　aware　of　that　are　normally　irrelevant　or　not　consciously　attended　to？　How　
would　you　feel　about　having　to　depend　on　others　for　help　in　dressing　（or　selecting　your　wardrobe）；　reading；　
and　even　just　moving　about？　

METHOD　

Subjects：　You　will　serve　as　your　own　subject。　Ideally；　you　should　perform　this　research　with　a　partner　from　your　class　
or　a　close　friend。　It　would　increase　the　value　of　the　experience　for　you　to　serve　both　as　subject　and　as　guide　to　
another　person。　You　can　pare　notes　as　to　the　similarities　in　your　experiences　as　well　as　discover　differences。　
Apparatus：　Gauze　pads　and　bandage；　an　Ace　elastic　bandage；　sunglasses；　long　stick　or　cane；　and　a　tape　recorder；　if　
possible。　
Procedure：　The　research　task　presented　to　you　is　to　be　blind　for　a　day。　Blindfold　yourself　when　you　go　to　sleep　so　
you　will　awaken　without　the　use　of　your　sight　and　do　not　remove　the　blindfold　until　the　following　evening。　It　is　
advisable　to　put　gauze　pads　over　your　eyes；　then　gauze　bandage　or　some　similar　material　to　hold　the　pads　in　place；　
and　perhaps　an　Ace　elastic　bandage　on　top。　Sunglasses　might　help　you　look　less　conspicuous。　Be　sure　to　make　the　
necessary　arrangements　in　advance　for　how　you　will　carry　out　the　“normal”　day’s　activities。　Also；　do　not　take　any　
chances　in　crossing　streets　or　other　danger　spots　without　prearranged　assistance。　The　use　of　a　long　stick　（or　cane）　
will　be　necessary　to　detect　obstacles　in　your　path。　
If　you　cannot　set　aside　an　entire　day　for　this　research；　it　would　still　be　valuable　to　do　so　for　even　part　of　a　day；　during　
your　morning　or　afternoon　classes；　or　in　the　evening　from　dinner　until　bedtime。　

GUIDE　TO　ANALYSIS　

1。　How　do　you　imagine　you　will　react　to　this　experience　of　perceiving　your　world　without　being　able　
to　rely　on　your　visual　sense？　Before　you　begin；　think　about　those　aspects　of　the　situation　that　will　
be　difficult　or　easy　to　adjust　to。　In　what　areas　of　functioning　do　you　anticipate　the　experience　will　
have　its　biggest　impact　on　you？　Indicate　these　predictions　on　the　table　provided。　When　you　have　
pleted　the　exercise；　pare　your　actual　and　anticipated　experiences。　
2。　Keep　a　mental　record　of　your　thoughts　and　feelings　and　the　reactions　of　others　to　your　“handicap。”　
At　several　times　throughout　the　study；　write　out　your　experiences　（without　removing　your　blinders）；　
or　dictate　them　to　your　partner　or　into　a　portable　tape　recorder。　
3　。　While　doing　your　research；　also　note　the　following：　
。　Do　you　have　any　unexpected　difficulties　in　understanding　other　people　or　in　expressing　
your　thoughts　to　them？　
。　Does　your　food　taste　any　different？　
。　Is　it　difficult　to　eat？　
。　Do　right　angles　bee　important　to　you　as　navigation　signs？　Why？　Why　do　curved　
sidewalks　and　other　curves　pose　a　special　problem？　
。　How　do　you　utilize　and　integrate　sound；　touch；　smell；　and　other　sensory　feedback　to　
pensate　for　your　visual　loss？　
。　Are　you　more　or　less　sensitive　to　interpersonal　relations？　
。　What　have　you　learned　about　yourself　that　you　did　not　know　or　fully　appreciate　before？　
4。　When　it　is　all　over；　how　does　it　feel　to　know　you　have　the　power　to　regain　your　sight　at　will？　
Imagine　what　it　would　be　like　if　you　could　not　reverse　the　effect—if　you　were　blind　not　merely　for　a　
day！　Now　consider　whether　the　environment　you　operate　in　regularly　has　made　any　design　
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concessions　to　acmodate　students　who　are　blind　or　handicapped　in　some　other　way。　Can　you　
identify　specific　features　of　environmental　design　that　might　be　changed　to　make　the　life　space　more　
livable　for　those　who　cannot　rely　on　all　their　senses　or　normal　motor　ability？　Would　it　be　possible　
to　introduce　your　suggestions　for　such　change　to　the　administration　of　your　school　or　to　those　in　
charge　of　the　life…space　unit　in　which　you　conducted　your　personal　experiments？　

5。　pare　your　reactions　to　those　of　other　students　who　have　done　this　exercise。　What　is　the　value　of　
experiential　learning？　
6。　What　are　the　psychological　differences　between　being　without　sight　versus　being　without　hearing？　
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parison　of　Anticipated　&　Actual　Reactions　to　Being　Blind　for　a　
Day　

Anticipated　After　Experience　
Date：　Date：　
Time：　Time：　
Total　Blind　Time：　
1。　Most　difficult　motor　skill　or　
response　to　make　
2。　Sense　you　will　rely　on　most　
3。　How　long　it　will　take　to　adjust　
to　the　situation　to　function　
appropriately　
4。　What；　if　any；　will　be　the　
major　problem　or　difficulty　
in：　
a）　dressing　
b）　eating　
c）　attending　class　
d）　engaging　in　a　hobby　or　
favorite　recreation　
e）　social　relations　
5。　Sources　of　anxiety　
6。　Sources　of　gratification　

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REACTION　TIMES　CAN　BE　REVEALING　

OBJECTIVES　

1。　To　sensitize　students　to　the　needs　for　experimental　controls　that　help　minimize　experimenter　bias。　
2。　To　illustrate　that　without　proper　controls　an　experimental　procedure　can　yield　false　conclusions。　
3。　To　encourage　students　to　design　an　experiment　that　answers　the　question；　“Which　sex　has　the　
faster　reaction　time？”　
4。　To　generate　an　operational　definition　of　reaction　time　without　the　use　of　a　clock。　
5。　To　have　some　fun　while　demonstrating　some　important　principles　of　research　methodology。　
OVERVIEW　

The　“experiment”　is　the　most　powerful　analytical　tool　used　in　science。　Cause…effect　relationships　can　be　
established　only　using　well…controlled　experiments。　Psychologists　employ　this　tool　in　the　investigation　of　
virtually　all　aspects　of　behavior；　including　perception；　learning；　memory；　cognition；　motivation；　
physiological　processes；　sensory　processes；　social　behavior；　development；　and　therapeutic　procedures。　
While　the　specific　details　of　the　methodology　vary　within　each　of　these　areas　of　investigation；　the　logic　of　
experimentation　is　essentially　the　same。　

The　following　classroom　demonstration　and　discussion　should　help　elucidate　the　need　for；　and　logic　of；　
experimental　methods　in　the　study　of　behavior。　

GENERAL　INTRODUCTION　

You　（the　instructor）　are　to　role…play　as　seriously　as　you　can　a　biased…sexist　orientation　in　the　attempt　to　
confirm　“what　you　already　believe　is　true”；　namely；　that　members　of　your　sex　are　faster　reactors　than　those　
of　the　opposite　sex。　You　will　violate　a　series　of　experimental　controls　to　prove　your　point。　The　class　has　to　
catch　you　in　the　act。　

PROCEDURE　

Materials　

Reaction…time　device　constructed　from　light　cardboard　（see　template）。　

Instructions　

1。　Propose　a　hypothesis：　“Males　react　faster　than　females”　（if　you　are　male）；　or　“Females　react　faster　
than　males”　（if　you　are　female）。　This　will　usually　draw　protests　from　the　hypothesized　“slower”　
sex。　
2。　Define　reaction　time：　the　time　interval　between　stimulus　presentation　and　a　subject’s　reaction。　
Using　our　reaction　time　meter；　it　is　converted　into　centimeters　of　distance　between　the　signal　
“Drop”　and　the　subject’s　reaction　of　stopping　the　falling　reaction　time　meter。　
3　。　Select　a　student　of　the　sex　hypothesized　as　slower。　Ask　the　student　to　e　to　the　front　of　the　room　
and　stand　with　his　or　her　hand　about　even　with　the　tip　of　the　meter；　with　the　thumb　and　forefinger　
about　two　inches　apart。　Then；　without　explanation　or　warning；　drop　the　meter　between　the　
subject’s　fingers。　The　subject　will　probably　catch　it。　Record　the　reading；　measuring　from　the　top　of　
the　thumb。　Reaction　time　is　measured　in　centimeters　here　rather　than　in　seconds。　Give　only　one　
trial。　Write　the　subject’s　score　on　the　board。　
4。　Then；　ask　for　a　volunteer　of　the　opposit