Wacky Wonders Of Psychology~*~****

[LeenaLiberty]

Hey there.
I am a self-proclaimed lover of psychology, social psychology and anthropology
I thought It would be fun to discuss psychological ideas, principles, famous experiments, theories/ theorists, psychological inquiries, and so forth..

Have any?


Just to get the ball rolling...
We can go anywhere from here.



The Bystander Effect or Genovese Syndrome.

Say you witness someone getting mugged on a busy street. Are you more likely to help or intervene if there are more people around? This theory says no. The more people involved, the less likely someone is to help... aka "Diffusion of Responsibility"

"This is social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer any means of help in an emergency situation to the victim when other people are present. The probability of help has in the past been thought to be inversely related to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help."

This theory came about in 1964 When a woman name Kitty Genovese was murdered in a urban neighborhood. Several neighbors heard her cries, yet not one individual offered help or even called the police.... WTF?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect

 

[Bocefish]

The same thing happens to a lesser extent on MFC. Megaclit gave a great example in another thread about when models ask a simple question like "Is my sound working, can you hear me?" In the majority of rooms I've seen a model pose that question, there is dead silence for a while, although her audio is fine. I'm like wtf... are people afraid to answer or something? Amazingly enough, they have no problem whatsoever demanding her to "open bobs" or "show feet bb" for some reason. I always seem to be the first or second one to answer a model's question.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

The same thing happens to a lesser extent on MFC. Megaclit gave a great example in another thread about when models ask a simple question like "Is my sound working, can you hear me?" In the majority of rooms I've seen a model pose that question, there is dead silence for a while, although her audio is fine. I'm like wtf... are people afraid to answer or something? Amazingly enough, they have no problem whatsoever demanding her to "open bobs" or "show feet bb" for some reason. I always seem to be the first or second one to answer a model's question.

Interesting. I think the technological medium of MFC has something to do with it as well-in a situation like that. There is some anonymity online, so does that make one more likely or less likely to help? It is also a "virtual world" to some degree, so, what is the payoff for helping or not helping in this context? I would think that people would just be nice and tell her about the sound... pretty simple little thing... but there is a lot of "social loafing" on MFC....

I am sure there are many other variables involved, but something to ponder.

 

[Shaun__]

The same thing happens to a lesser extent on MFC. Megaclit gave a great example in another thread about when models ask a simple question like "Is my sound working, can you hear me?" In the majority of rooms I've seen a model pose that question, there is dead silence for a while, although her audio is fine. I'm like wtf... are people afraid to answer or something? Amazingly enough, they have no problem whatsoever demanding her to "open bobs" or "show feet bb" for some reason. I always seem to be the first or second one to answer a model's question.

I always tell the model if something is wrong. After all the whole reason I am in her room is to interact with her.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

I like how we applied this theory to MFC...

There is a lot of strange psychology shit going on..

one that comes to mind readily...
Is rejection... and theories of attachment (insecure: approach/avoid)


Last night I had a couple members get mad at me when I didn't answer their pm's in a promptly manner (in their opinion). They were real nice at first, then told me to F'off and called me a cunty name.

It was like a child, getting mad his mommy for not paying attention to him...

 

[GreatDane]

I like how we applied this theory to MFC...

There is a lot of strange psychology shit going on..

one that comes to mind readily...
Is rejection... and theories of attachment (insecure: approach/avoid)


Last night I had a couple members get mad at me when I didn't answer their pm's in a promptly manner (in their opinion). They were real nice at first, then told me to F'off and called me a cunty name.

It was like a child, getting mad his mommy for not paying attention to him...

You mean to say you ignored a PM out of the 30 to 50 that you have at the same time??? For shame
If someone that ever goes to MFC and can't get a model to answer a PM .... Just may need to look at it from the other side sometime, I have helped some get their profile set up and they had received at least 5 as soon as I logged in to adjust the profile.

 

[Diana Blake]

Weird bit of psychology I don't entirely understand about myself. My hair color messes with my personality. When the bright happy colors start to fade I seem to do the same. I seem to have less energy on cam and I move around a lot less. But last night with the bright as eff new color I was so bouncy I was starting to annoy myself.

 

[Just Me]

The Bystander Effect or Genovese Syndrome.

Say you witness someone getting mugged on a busy street. Are you more likely to help or intervene if there are more people around? This theory says no. The more people involved, the less likely someone is to help... aka "Diffusion of Responsibility"

"This is social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer any means of help in an emergency situation to the victim when other people are present. The probability of help has in the past been thought to be inversely related to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help."

This theory came about in 1964 When a woman name Kitty Genovese was murdered in a urban neighborhood. Several neighbors heard her cries, yet not one individual offered help or even called the police.... WTF?

I recently read SuperFreakonomics is which they dispute this, the full story is not what many of us have heard. Here is link to a blurb from another book about the subject http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2007/10/truth-behind-story-of-kitty-genovese.html and another article http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm?volumeID=21&editionID=164&ArticleID=1394

Maybe this will be my contribution, common myths and misperceptions on commonly believed theories. Or "Forget what you think you know".

 

[Evvie]

Wacky wonders of taste buds: I have discovered that parmesan cheese is fucking delicious on everything.

Wacky wonders of psychology: I used to read tarot cards, and by god is that a study of psychology if I've ever seen one.

Only a person who has no concept of psychology needs to "cold read" to get correct answers and predictions in tarot. The entire deck is set up so that every suit and card directly corresponds with incredibly common life experiences. All you need to do is have an understanding of psychology and sociology, and you can say whatever you want and get results. Combined with confirmation bias, belief perseverance, and irrational primacy effect, no matter what you say, the sitter will associate it with their lives and agree with you. Or if you make a prediction, they will see the situation in the way you have predicted.

So no matter how honest you are, no matter how deep your belief in spiritual answers or prediction, you are unfairly manipulating someone's life whenever you tell them something that purportedly comes from 'supernatural' sources. No matter how long I go on about tarot being false before I read for someone, I can still see their eyes light up and the cogs starting to turn when I start the read, so I really don't do it anymore unless it's something that can't be taken as advice, like past life readings, which are a ton of fun. (And if you know it's falsified and lie about it anyway, well then, you're a dick)

 

[LadyLuna]

No matter how long I go on about tarot being false before I read for someone, I can still see their eyes light up and the cogs starting to turn when I start the read, so I really don't do it anymore unless it's something that can't be taken as advice, like past life readings, which are a ton of fun. (And if you know it's falsified and lie about it anyway, well then, you're a dick)

For me, tarot reading has never been about knowing what a future is (I don't believe in an inflexible future), but trying to figure out the best course of action for my life. So all the cards really do is suggest a course of action, and I decide if I want to take it or not.

First tarot reading I have had done for me told me that the path I was following was really hard, but eventually I would reach my destination. But my life has always been really fucking hard. And right now, it appears that my partner and I have achieved a balance, the hard way.

 

[Evvie]

No matter how long I go on about tarot being false before I read for someone, I can still see their eyes light up and the cogs starting to turn when I start the read, so I really don't do it anymore unless it's something that can't be taken as advice, like past life readings, which are a ton of fun. (And if you know it's falsified and lie about it anyway, well then, you're a dick)

For me, tarot reading has never been about knowing what a future is (I don't believe in an inflexible future), but trying to figure out the best course of action for my life. So all the cards really do is suggest a course of action, and I decide if I want to take it or not.

First tarot reading I have had done for me told me that the path I was following was really hard, but eventually I would reach my destination. But my life has always been really fucking hard. And right now, it appears that my partner and I have achieved a balance, the hard way.

I agree that they are an excellent creative outlet, especially for brainstorming and things of that nature, but I doubt I'll ever agree that there is anything more than that.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

The Bystander Effect or Genovese Syndrome.

Say you witness someone getting mugged on a busy street. Are you more likely to help or intervene if there are more people around? This theory says no. The more people involved, the less likely someone is to help... aka "Diffusion of Responsibility"

"This is social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer any means of help in an emergency situation to the victim when other people are present. The probability of help has in the past been thought to be inversely related to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help."

This theory came about in 1964 When a woman name Kitty Genovese was murdered in a urban neighborhood. Several neighbors heard her cries, yet not one individual offered help or even called the police.... WTF?

I recently read SuperFreakonomics is which they dispute this, the full story is not what many of us have heard. Here is link to a blurb from another book about the subject http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2007/10/truth-behind-story-of-kitty-genovese.html and another article http://www.thepsychologist.org.uk/archive/archive_home.cfm?volumeID=21&editionID=164&ArticleID=1394

Maybe this will be my contribution, common myths and misperceptions on commonly believed theories. Or "Forget what you think you know".

Hey. Thanks for offering this view point...Alot of the theories of this nature can be myths.... there is a side of psychology that is indeed, full of bullshit....

As far as your post.... I have heard this, somewhere.-that there was some bogus'ness to the original study. I know there were also some questions about the methods used in further research by the founders of this theory....

I have heard of others replicating similar scenarios/experimental conditions to discover the phenom, which is hard to do (ethically) but yielded similar results. Perhaps this is one of those things we could take to the streets, and just see what happens.... (sans murder, of course)

But remember some time last year, a person was in a MVA, the car was on top of them, and a whole bunch of people helped and actually turned over a car, to free the individual?
Counter-intuitive to the theory, right ...

Anyhow, there is always exceptions to the rule...

Thanks for the debunk.... adds more to the conversation

 

[LeenaLiberty]

All you need to do is have an understanding of psychology and sociology, and you can say whatever you want and get results. Combined with confirmation bias, belief perseverance, and irrational primacy effect, no matter what you say, the sitter will associate it with their lives and agree with you. Or if you make a prediction, they will see the situation in the way you have predicted.

I agree with you... especially on the confirmation bias part.
I think tarot can be a good problem solving tool for some... gives them confirmation/redirection and sometimes just provides some kind of assurance.
I have an aunt who supposedly is a psychic (so she says) and she does a lot of readings for people. It seem to me like it is almost a kind of therapy session for some of these people. I see some similar dynamics.... If it helps some people, I am cool with it...whatever salts your pickle.
I just dont care for those who manipulate and exploit those who are looking for "something" or for those who let themselves be exploited by these kinds of things. Of course the people who get the readings have free will to do whatever they want....

And then there is the notion of free will, in and of itself, that comes into play when "predicting one's future..."-but I suppose that can go in the Philosophy section..

One a side note.... I went to a psychic once, who told me I was going to die the next day... really worked it up and said I need to beware, and someone was watching me at work, I need to take cover, blah blah blah... (I was young and impressionable at the time)
She was a total con artist... I always wondered why she had to say that though... instead of saying great and lovely things, like I was going to win the lottery or something or get a new cat...... I mean part of it is entertainment... freaking entertain me, don't scare the shit out of me....
Rather bizzare, and manipulative....

 

[LeenaLiberty]

Weird bit of psychology I don't entirely understand about myself. My hair color messes with my personality. When the bright happy colors start to fade I seem to do the same. I seem to have less energy on cam and I move around a lot less. But last night with the bright as eff new color I was so bouncy I was starting to annoy myself.

Perhaps you are just one who is more sensitive to color...

 

[camstory]

I went to a psychic once, who told me I was going to die the next day... really worked it up and said I need to beware, and someone was watching me at work, I need to take cover, blah blah blah... (I was young and impressionable at the time)
She was a total con artist... I always wondered why she had to say that though... instead of saying great and lovely things, like I was going to win the lottery or something or get a new cat......

I would guess that there was some pleasure she got, some need she had, to impact you as strongly as she could. Fear is a much more moving/impacting emotion when invoked than those of anticipated joy or pleasantness. Also fear is not so easily dismissed by reason.

 

[Evvie]

I went to a psychic once, who told me I was going to die the next day... really worked it up and said I need to beware, and someone was watching me at work, I need to take cover, blah blah blah... (I was young and impressionable at the time)
She was a total con artist... I always wondered why she had to say that though... instead of saying great and lovely things, like I was going to win the lottery or something or get a new cat......

I would guess that there was some pleasure she got, some need she had, to impact you as strongly as she could. Fear is a much more moving/impacting emotion when invoked than those of anticipated joy or pleasantness. Also fear is not so easily dismissed by reason.

My guess is:

"Wow! I'm going to find my dream cat AND wind the lotto! Thanks, psychic lady!"

"I'm going to die? Oh no! I need to come back tomorrow to see if everything is okay, and now that I'm insecure and fearful I've suddenly thought of a lot of other questions about low points in my life I need answered and/or explained."

It seem to me like it is almost a kind of therapy session for some of these people. I see some similar dynamics.... If it helps some people, I am cool with it...whatever salts your pickle.

I'm not about to argue against helping people. I think many of us appreciate the wisdom of an elder, too. But the problem with going to a psychic for therapy is that a psychic is not a therapist. There is a reason it takes more than a couple years of school to become a psychologist. In my own opinion probably very few psychics have malicious intent, but it still doesn't mean they can't give answers and advice that are harmful. I can think of a couple times when my own readings, out of the best of intentions, caused immediate harm, drama, and stress to the people around me (and this was with minimal advice, which has always been my policy.)

For example:

My old co-worker got death representing part of her mind. Given the rest of the spread, I suggested the card could mean that it was time to move on from something that just hasn't been working out. That week she dumped her boyfriend and started heavily pursuing our boss, much to his discomfort (he was not single) and to the hilarity and anxiety of most of the people around them.

I think in a lot of cases that advice sounds good. "If something hasn't been working out for years, despite your best attempts, maybe it's time to move on." But given that she thought it came from a divine source, she felt justified in her actions and did something that hurt herself and others.

(Also pickles are awesome and I will probably say that from now on)

 

[Evvie]

Weird bit of psychology I don't entirely understand about myself. My hair color messes with my personality. When the bright happy colors start to fade I seem to do the same. I seem to have less energy on cam and I move around a lot less. But last night with the bright as eff new color I was so bouncy I was starting to annoy myself.

As I am about to dye my hair "Manic Panic Amplified Atomic Turquoise", I will let you know my own results after a few weeks

 

[camstory]

I went to a psychic once, who told me I was going to die the next day... really worked it up and said I need to beware, and someone was watching me at work, I need to take cover, blah blah blah... (I was young and impressionable at the time)
She was a total con artist... I always wondered why she had to say that though... instead of saying great and lovely things, like I was going to win the lottery or something or get a new cat......

I would guess that there was some pleasure she got, some need she had, to impact you as strongly as she could. Fear is a much more moving/impacting emotion when invoked than those of anticipated joy or pleasantness. Also fear is not so easily dismissed by reason.

My guess is:

"Wow! I'm going to find my dream cat AND wind the lotto! Thanks, psychic lady!"

"I'm going to die? Oh no! I need to come back tomorrow to see if everything is okay, and now that I'm insecure and fearful I've suddenly thought of a lot of other questions about low points in my life I need answered and/or explained."

Makes sense to me. But why not put the death a week or two in the future? It seems it might still have the fear factor, but with out the failed prediction factor.

 

[Evvie]

Makes sense to me. But why not put the death a week or two in the future? It seems it might still have the fear factor, but with out the failed prediction factor.

With the psychic's help she narrowly avoids death the next day and probably narrowly misses it again in the near future. The prediction stands true.

 

[Diana Blake]

Weird bit of psychology I don't entirely understand about myself. My hair color messes with my personality. When the bright happy colors start to fade I seem to do the same. I seem to have less energy on cam and I move around a lot less. But last night with the bright as eff new color I was so bouncy I was starting to annoy myself.

As I am about to dye my hair "Manic Panic Amplified Atomic Turquoise", I will let you know my own results after a few weeks

I winced a little when I read "Manic Panic" as I haven't had a great experience with them. If it doesn't come out great don't base your experiences totally on that brand. They're one of the least permanent dyes on the market and it washes out pretty fast. I hope they work for you though! I normally suggest Special Effects but it looks like they've shut down production for the last couple of months and the people selling them are seriously running out. I had to Frankenstein my current color together because no one had the color I was after.

Noooooow, back on topic. I've always found it interesting how people can find meaning in meaningless things like tarot cards. I actually have a few sets of my own but when I draw cards I think of it more as meditation than any type of divination. The people that put too much stock in tarot cards always remind me of the people that hear a song on the radio at a low point in their life and suddenly think it's some sort of sign.

 

[inkydoo]

Noooooow, back on topic. I've always found it interesting how people can find meaning in meaningless things like tarot cards. I actually have a few sets of my own but when I draw cards I think of it more as meditation than any type of divination. The people that put too much stock in tarot cards always remind me of the people that hear a song on the radio at a low point in their life and suddenly think it's some sort of sign.

Yeah, evolutionary pressures reward the animals that notice real patterns and learn from them, but unless you go way over the top with it, identifying patterns where they don't actually exist and changing your behavior based on them has little downside (and in the case of hearing that uplifting song at a down moment actually has a positive impact). So even when some occurrence is pure coincidence, we tend to attach significance to it. And the more impactful the occurrence, the more significance we attach to it. Sometimes this actually serves us well, but even when it's coincidence, if there's not a negative consequence to our belief, it can continue without significant cost or downside.

So, for instance, when I was young (I think about 7 or 8), a very large limb from a tree in our front yard broke off in the middle of the night during a really bad storm. That tree limb crashed through the roof of our house and on through the ceiling directly above my sleeping self, stopping about three feet above me. My experience of the event was: a very loud clap of thunder waking me up, seeing lightning flash through the hole in the ceiling, running into my parents room to explain that there was a hole in the ceiling (which, as you might imagine was met with some skepticism until my Mom put her hand on my back to walk me back to bed and felt the debris), and then having my parents and several neighborhood adults freak out for the next hour as they realized what had happened and tried to at least patch the now leaking roof in the middle of the night. My own significant moment didn't really occur until I looked back in my bedroom and saw the tree limb, since until that point I just thought there was a hole in the house.

For years after that, I had a major fear of thunderstorms. Now, looking back, it's obvious that thunder and lightning don't always coincide with such life-threatening events, and certainly not in proportion to the fear I had of them, but the truth is that there wasn't (particularly as a child) much downside to my overly strong "belief" to the contrary. As such, it took me long time, and I had to have a lot of experiences to the contrary, before that fear abated.

 

[Mirra]

Yeah, evolutionary pressures reward the animals that notice real patterns and learn from them, but unless you go way over the top with it, identifying patterns where they don't actually exist and changing your behavior based on them has little downside (and in the case of hearing that uplifting song at a down moment actually has a positive impact). So even when some occurrence is pure coincidence, we tend to attach significance to it. And the more impactful the occurrence, the more significance we attach to it. Sometimes this actually serves us well, but even when it's coincidence, if there's not a negative consequence to our belief, it can continue without significant cost or downside.

You have no idea how much this makes me go off on this vehement rant that would probably offend a lot of people. I swear people are the most studied mystery in existence.

 

[inkydoo]

Yeah, evolutionary pressures reward the animals that notice real patterns and learn from them, but unless you go way over the top with it, identifying patterns where they don't actually exist and changing your behavior based on them has little downside (and in the case of hearing that uplifting song at a down moment actually has a positive impact). So even when some occurrence is pure coincidence, we tend to attach significance to it. And the more impactful the occurrence, the more significance we attach to it. Sometimes this actually serves us well, but even when it's coincidence, if there's not a negative consequence to our belief, it can continue without significant cost or downside.

You have no idea how much this makes me go off on this vehement rant that would probably offend a lot of people. I swear people are the most studied mystery in existence.

I'm sorry? or wait, maybe you're welcome? Aggh, now I'm struggling to figure out what your reply means

 

[Mirra]

It means I typed a rather seething reply about your quote... realized as I was finishing it how much off topic it would be an how much it had the potential to offend the right (or wrong?) type of people. Basically I find the people's perceptions of themselves and whatever psychological reasoning may be behind those perceptions quite mysterious and, quite often, agitating.

 

[Evvie]

Now, looking back, it's obvious that thunder and lightning don't always coincide with such life-threatening events, and certainly not in proportion to the fear I had of them, but the truth is that there wasn't (particularly as a child) much downside to my overly strong "belief" to the contrary. As such, it took me long time, and I had to have a lot of experiences to the contrary, before that fear abated.

When I was maybe 5 or 6 I was trying to roll the window down in the car and opened the door instead - on the freeway. Since then I have a very hard time leaning or resting any weight on car doors unless they are locked.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

Interesting documentary I thought I would share in regards to social commentary and psychology:
The Price of Pleasure: Pornography, Sexuality & Relationships (Video 2008)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1316606/

 

[LadyLuna]

When I was three a trusted person terrorized me in the bathtub with a fake squid. When I was four or five, a trusted person accidentally made my big toe bleed while cutting my toenails. When I was five, I was screamed at by a person I barely knew, the in the bathroom, with shitty underpants (yes, they were mine) waved in my face in such a way that they actually touched my lips once.

It took me 15 years (I was 20) to figure out I had a phobia of bathrooms that had been seriously affecting my life, and I'm still working on it in some situations (unexpected bugs in the shower tend to set it off.. to be fair, I usually don't find out it's a bug I'm touching until the bug is an inch in front of my eyeball, but the fear this brings makes me feel like a terrified 3-year-old, so I know it's not completely a reasonable level)

And I still can't kick the compulsion to pick at the dead skin on my lips, so I keep chapstick on hand at all times.

If that post was TMI, my apologies.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

Finally finished this book.
I would highly recommend it to all.

From sundials to digital watches, smoke signals to cell phones, the telegraph to text messaging, technology has eased many aspects of daily life. But, Mack Hicks wonders, at what price? In his provocative new book, he explores how the digital revolution has caused society to become increasingly reclusive. By robbing us of our ability to relate on a one-on-one basis, the IT movement affects not only the individual, but also the educational system, the work environment, and the social scene in profound ways. Hicks argues that the core problem is not the content of computer programs, but the actual process of computerization and mechanization, theorizing that it disrupts the balance of our primal “hunter” and “gatherer” personality types. Finally, he lays out a plan that shows how to retain the advantages of technology while taking crucial steps to reconnect with ourselves, our environment, and each other.

If anyone ends of reading this, let's chat about it.

I have some other recommendations if you are interested in this topic.

 

[LeenaLiberty]

After I posted that last one, I just got this...


Is it me or is this shit with technology getting out of control?
What is it doing to our cognitive abilities, our social abilities, our emotional abilities.... ?

The book above talks about this."We are no longer "hunters"..." With the advent of technology we will be the hunted.

also.....
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Your_Cel ... 0/Y/M.html
Your Cell Phone Makes You A Prisoner Of A Digital World Where Virtually Anyone Can Hack You And Track You
April 6, 2012

 

[Shaun__]

Is it me or is this shit with technology getting out of control?
What is it doing to our cognitive abilities, our social abilities, our emotional abilities.... ?

The book above talks about this."We are no longer "hunters"..." With the advent of technology we will be the hunted.

also.....
http://www.blacklistednews.com/Your_Cel ... 0/Y/M.html
Your Cell Phone Makes You A Prisoner Of A Digital World Where Virtually Anyone Can Hack You And Track You
April 6, 2012

Technology does not end the culling of the weak, it changes the definition of weak. Those who are unable to adapt will end up like this guy.

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