Studied by 7 people
Lab Experiment
Independent Measures
P’s arrive at lab, told the experiment was for vision.
They were lied to! (Deception)
P’s injected with epinephrine, told about different side effects
Epi-Informed told actual side effects, Epi-Misinformed told wrong side effects, Epi-Ignorant told there would be no side effects.
Placebo group told nothing, injected with a saline solution.
At this point, the P either went into the euphoric or anger conditions.
EUPHORIC:
Stooge arrives! Doctor tells P and Stooge to help themselves to the items in the room.
P makes icebreaker comments, plays with items.
ANGER:
Doctor told P and Stooge to complete a questionnaire.
Stooge attempted to create an angry environment through irate/annoyed comments.
The questionnaire became increasingly more personal as it progressed, and the Stooge became more angry.
After they finished, the doctor returned.
Took P’s pulses, gave one last questionnaire (the self report).
Experimenters came at the end and debriefed P’s.
EUPHORIC:
Epi-Misinformed was the happiest of all conditions.
Second happiest was Epi-Ignorant. Informed felt the least happy.
This makes sense!! The misinformed and ignorant felt the happiest because they didn’t have an explanation as to why they were physiologically aroused (increased heart rate etc.).
ANGER:
Ignorant was the angriest. Second angriest was the Placebo. The least angry were the Informed.
The Informed group actually reported feeling the angriest.
Self fulfilling prophecy: They were “told” they were angry by the questionnaire, so they felt the angriest.
EUPHORIC:
Epi-Informed, Epi-Misinformed, Epi-Ignorant, Placebo
ANGER:
Epi-Informed, Epi-Ignorant, Placebo
(7 conditions total)
EUPHORIC:
Stooge made icebreaker comments, suggested the P play with the items in the room with them.
Items = Paper, rubber bands, pencils, folders, hula hoops.
ANGER:
Stooge made angry comments like:
“It’s unfair for them to give you shots”
“This really irritates me”
“The hell with it”
“I’m not wasting any more time.”
