1

SONA Critical Review Assessment For PS1010 workshop assignment Wojciech Jaros School Of Psychology

Author Note Wojciech Jaros, School Of Psychology, University Of Aberdeen. Course: PS1010, Student ID: 51228421 E-mail: w.jaros.12@aberdeen.ac.uk

2 Details of Participation Title of experiment Name of the researcher Place of experiment Date and time Forming impressions of other people Chloe De Schryver William Guild Building, S17 23 October 2012, 15:40 16:15

Summary of Experimental Procedure The hypothesis tested in the study was predicting that memory for individual traits will be affected by membership of a group in a way that individuals shearing multiple physical characteristics will be memorised as sharing more traits than those that do not share any characteristics. The independent variables were aliens individuals randomly assigned different attributes (i.e., shape, colour and movement). The dependant variable was shared trait attributions. Before experiment begun questionare was presented to determine emotional and mental state of participant. All instructions of how to proceed throughout experiment were given on screen, they were clear and did not suggest anything that could influence performance. On the beginning of experiment series of aliens (seen set) were presented in learning phase. Those aliens were of different shape, colour and movement vector. Each of them was attributed three personality traits. After watching seen set of aliens short break was given and two cycles began that both were displaying alien (with different combination of shape, colour and movement vector) with three personality traits. Computer program was creating that set of aliens basing on answers of previous study subjects(that information however was not given until after the experiment has ended). In last phase all combinations of aliens were presented (variations of three colours, three shapes and three movement vectors) and full set of personality traits available in

3 experiment, also those that were not used in any previously seen set of aliens, with instruction to choose three of those traits that best describe displayed alien. Stored experiment data was anonymous and there was right to withdraw data after participation has taken place. Critical Assessment of the Study Overall my experience of taking part in experiment was pleasant and engaging. Consent form was provided and I was not given any instructions or description that would influence my performance. Only after experiment has ended I was explained everything by Chloe and was really surprised to understand what was tested. In my logical and pattern seeking mind I was desperately trying to find correlation between combination of colour, shape and movement vector with personality traits (e.g., oval is strong, blue is happy, oval blue however is logical but blue and oval with straight movement is angry) however range of data presented was too much to process even for my mathematical mind and that convinces me that design was very good as it forced me to rely on memory and those aspects of memorising that experiment was testing. Best in this experiment is simple and effective design. Aliens were just shapes of different colour all containing the same set of eyes and lips. This made it very easy not to drift off in mind with fantasy and prevented shifting focus to irrelevant information. The design of experiment presented exactly the needed information and nothing that would distract me. At first I thought I can find one negative aspect that I would have change in procedure. I thought that extra instruction should be provided on start to try to memorise aliens and traits and not to look for patterns. We all look for patterns naturally of course, but some of us more than others and for individuals like myself, who believe in possibility of describing whole word by mathematical equations and functions, it could impair memorising process that is important part of learning phase on very beginning of experiment. However after reading suggested article and

4 rethinking this idea I came to conclusion that such instruction could have damaging effect on results. Searching patterns between aliens and personality traits is the important part of memorising process that experiment was designed to study. So no, I cannot think of anything that could be improved in this experiment. I was thinking of different tests to conduct that experiment and whatever idea I came up with I was coming to conclusion that it is too complicated and introduces uncertainty of results due to new information included in visual stimuli that could influence memory processes in way I could not predict due to my lack of knowledge on the subject or lack of many hours spent on it research. There was suggested article to read by Hamilton and Gifford (1976) that positively tested existence of correlation between cognitively based information-processing mechanisms and stereotypic judgements. Article helped me to understand more about experiment I took part in as well as gave me some thought about importance of conducting experiments in that subject from social point of view. Broader understanding of this mechanisms and transferring that understanding to common knowledge in society would help to resolve many hurtful situations caused by stereotypical judging. Overall I think experiment was conducted in best way possible. It was simple and effective in design, not misleading or suggestive in instructions given and was a step toward understanding of mechanisms which understanding one day will improve quality of life for individuals in society. Reference Hamilton, D., & Gifford, R. (1976). Illusory correlation in interpersonal perception: A cognitive basis of stereotypic judgements. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 12, 392-407.