心理学与生活-第135章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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。
384
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
385
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？
386
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
387
388
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。 Re
