Interesting Experiment

this is a summary of a real-life psychology experiment. I think it has some bearing on PA and stunt.

The experimenters set up a sort of target shoot experiment on a TV screen. The testees were supposed to keep a pointer inside a target on the screen. They had two dials to control the pointer position. After a short test period they were shown a rating on how well they did. The testers then met together and discussed the test and their scores and then answered a short questionnaire about what happened, how they felt, etc. The experiment was to find out how a sense of control affected the testees feelings. In actual fact the dials were programmed to actually deliver different amounts of control, from complete control by the tester to purely random results.

In the results, the testers with no control felt just as satisfied with their scores(even though they actually did nothing) as the testers who had complete control. The results show that thinking you have some control over a situation lets you accept what happens, even when the results are random.

Kind of like our political system!

Sounds like me flying combat.

LAST EDITED ON Feb-13-04 AT 03:48 PM (CDT)
 
Or like relationships with women.
I finally got to use that emoticon!

A. Nonny Moose

>The experiment was to find out how a sense of control affected the testees feelings. In actual fact the dials were programmed to actually deliver different amounts of control, from complete control by the tester to purely random result.

And they didn't even notice? C'mon...

The only plausible explanation I have is that current emphasis in our schools on "feeling good" and high self-esteem versus quantitative, gradeable results have been most successful. Alas.

And this has what to do with CL Stunt?

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>And this has what to do with CL Stunt?
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>Dan

Those of us who think we are exerting some control over keeping the thread selection on-topic are more satisfied than those of us who don't...

Cy.

when you go to a contest and win by 3 pts it makes you feel that your great performance did the trick. When you lose by 3 pts you realize that it was just the judging breaks and not your blown corners. Either way you come back for more!!!

Applies to combat too, Preston. The Psych boys have proven a few things. One is that intermittent, random rewards reinforce a behavior better than anything. That is a big reason gambling is so addictive and why so many folks get all wrapped up in competition. You win sometimes when you do it, but not all the time. A lot of times a really good flight does not win, but sometimes it does.