| Author | Message | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1231 Registered: 10-2008 |
A group of researchers about to conduct an experiment reserves a small classroom at a university to do it in. At the last minute, one of them suggests that they need a bigger room. Although the basic experimental procedure hasn't changed, and they don't need any large equipment, he is technically correct. Why? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 612 Registered: 6-2009 |
Researchers are HAM? Has anything changed from the time they reserve the room and the time the new room is suggested? Relevant how many researchers? 1? 2? 3? 4 or more? Are the researchers affiliated with the university? relevant? Is the experiment scientific? in physics? chemistry? biology? sociology? psychology? product testing? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1234 Registered: 10-2008 |
Ohlala8 (Ohlala8) Researchers are HAM? Yes, sex irr. Has anything changed from the time they reserve the room and the time the new room is suggested? No. Relevant how many researchers? 1? 2? 3? 4 or more? Irr. Are the researchers affiliated with the university? relevant? Irr., but probably. Is the experiment scientific? Yes.in physics? chemistry? biology? sociology? This. psychology? And thisish. product testing? | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2166 Registered: 9-2009 |
Do they need different acoustics? More fresh air? A higher ceiling? More floor space? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 615 Registered: 6-2009 |
Do they need any equipment, aside from test subjects? Are there test subjects? If so, do they know in advance everything that will happen in the experiment? Do they know they're a part of the experiment? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1235 Registered: 10-2008 |
Galfisk (Galfisk) Do they need different acoustics? More fresh air? A higher ceiling? More floor space? This, no to rest. Ohlala8 (Ohlala8) Do they need any equipment, aside from test subjects? Very little. Are there test subjects? Yes. If so, do they know in advance everything that will happen in the experiment? Basically, but probably not details. Do they know they're a part of the experiment? Yes. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2169 Registered: 9-2009 |
Do they need space to fit enough people? To fit enough people in a certain way? So that they are not too close? To be able to separate different groups? Will the current room not fit an adequate sample size? | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 780 Registered: 5-2009 |
Is the "last minute" at a time when some test subjects already arrived? All of them? Did something relevant (except the scientists' thoughts, plans, feelings etc.) change between the reservation of the small room and the realisation they need a bigger one? Did they change their plans during that time? Did they get new information? Or just realise they made an unnecessary mistake? | ||
| Woodworm (Woodworm)
New member Username: Woodworm Post Number: 1744 Registered: 3-2006 |
Anything to do with the acoustics of the room? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1236 Registered: 10-2008 |
Galfisk (Galfisk) Do they need space to fit enough people? No. To fit enough people in a certain way? Yes! So that they are not too close? No. To be able to separate different groups? No. Will the current room not fit an adequate sample size? No, it will. Markobr (Markobr) Is the "last minute" at a time when some test subjects already arrived? All of them? He could have realized it before or after their arrival. Did something relevant (except the scientists' thoughts, plans, feelings etc.) change between the reservation of the small room and the realisation they need a bigger one? No. Did they change their plans during that time? No, though they would change them very slightly afterward. Did they get new information? Or just realise they made an unnecessary mistake? This. Woodworm (Woodworm) Anything to do with the acoustics of the room? Nope. Good round of questions. | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 792 Registered: 5-2009 |
Was the additional space needed so the distance between test subjects and scientists would be big enough? The subject's distance from each other? From walls? From furniture? Windows? From equipment? The scientists distance from each other? From walls? From furniture? From equipment? Windows? Is furniture relevant at all? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 1381 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are the subjects standing during the experiment? Sitting? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1241 Registered: 10-2008 |
Markobr (Markobr) Was the additional space needed so the distance between test subjects and scientists would be big enough? No. The subject's distance from each other? No. From walls? Not really. From furniture? Windows? From equipment? The scientists distance from each other? From walls? From furniture? From equipment? Windows? No to all, believe it or not! Is furniture relevant at all? A little. Balin (Balin) Are the subjects standing during the experiment? Sitting? This. | ||
| Galfisk (Galfisk)
New member Username: Galfisk Post Number: 2274 Registered: 9-2009 |
Are any of these relevant: ventilation? Heating? Lighting? Is the relevant distance needed: between objects? Between people? From objects to people? Will it be dangerous to perform the experiment in the small room? Or will the result be flawed? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 3121 Registered: 5-2003 |
Is the test psychological in nature? Physical? Medical? Are they trying to avoid (or induce) some particular reaction by their subjects? By the scientists? Someone else? Any deception involved? Any scrunds? (If so by the scientists or their subjects?) Will the subjects be interacting with each other? With the scientists? With someone else? Is the era or location of the experiment relevant? Will it be published? Repeated? Is there anything unethical about it? Length of time the experiment takes to run relevant? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1244 Registered: 10-2008 |
Galfisk (Galfisk) Are any of these relevant: ventilation? Heating? Lighting? No. Is the relevant distance needed: between objects? Between people? Yesish to both, "distance" may be misleading though. From objects to people? No. Will it be dangerous to perform the experiment in the small room? No. Or will the result be flawed? Yes, possibly! Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) Is the test psychological in nature? This. Physical? Medical? No. Are they trying to avoid (or induce) some particular reaction by their subjects? Somewhat. By the scientists? Someone else? No to rest. Any deception involved? No. Any scrunds? (If so by the scientists or their subjects?) No. Will the subjects be interacting with each other? No. With the scientists? Not much. With someone else? No. Is the era or location of the experiment relevant? No. Will it be published? Repeated? Possibly, irr. Is there anything unethical about it? I wouldn't say so, although it might cause some stress to participants. Length of time the experiment takes to run relevant? No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 1601 Registered: 4-2010 |
Number of test subjects relevant? Are the subjects HAM? HAF? HA-Mixed? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1247 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Number of test subjects relevant? Not exactly, assume 30-50. Are the subjects HAM? HAF? HA-Mixed? Yes, sex irr. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 1689 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is it an "isolation experiment" of some sort? Is the room completely empty? Are there tables in it? Chairs? A blackboard? Will the room be silent? | ||
| Danielm2168 (Danielm2168)
New member Username: Danielm2168 Post Number: 1 Registered: 7-2010 |
Are the test subjects all sitting facing the same direction? Or are some facing different directions, if so, facing each other? | ||
| Markobr (Markobr)
New member Username: Markobr Post Number: 814 Registered: 5-2009 |
Is the ability of test subjects to see something relevant? Hear something? Smell something? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1250 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is it an "isolation experiment" of some sort? No. Is the room completely empty? No. Are there tables in it? Yesish. Chairs? Yes. A blackboard? Irr. Will the room be silent? Yes. Danielm2168 (Danielm2168) Are the test subjects all sitting facing the same direction? If you mean during the experiment once it actually begins, no. Or are some facing different directions, Yes, they will be. Good question. if so, facing each other? Yesish. Markobr (Markobr) Is the ability of test subjects to see something relevant? Yope. Hear something? Smell something? No to rest. | ||
| Danielm2168 (Danielm2168)
New member Username: Danielm2168 Post Number: 19 Registered: 7-2010 |
are the test subjects sitting in one large circle? several small circles? would the experiment work of they were all sitting facing the same direction? random guess: do the researchers need a bigger room now that they realize it takes more room to make a circle of people rather than sitting in rows? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1252 Registered: 10-2008 |
Danielm2168 (Danielm2168) are the test subjects sitting in one large circle? Yes! several small circles? No. would the experiment work of they were all sitting facing the same direction? Noish. random guess: do the researchers need a bigger room now that they realize it takes more room to make a circle of people rather than sitting in rows? Yes! Well done! Now, why do they need a circle? | ||
| Danielm2168 (Danielm2168)
New member Username: Danielm2168 Post Number: 20 Registered: 7-2010 |
Are the researchers studying the effects of making adults play duck duck goose? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 799 Registered: 6-2009 |
Do the subjects all need to see each other? pass something around? talk to each other? touch each other? all see/hear/touch something in the middle of the circle? | ||
| Biograd (Biograd)
New member Username: Biograd Post Number: 879 Registered: 6-2008 |
I hope you're right Danielm2168, that would be funny. Is it important that each subject have someone both sitting to his "right" and his "left"? (that requires a circle, as far as I know) | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1256 Registered: 10-2008 |
Danielm2168 (Danielm2168) Are the researchers studying the effects of making adults play duck duck goose? No, but I'd love to know the results of that! Ohlala8 (Ohlala8) Do the subjects all need to see each other? Noish. pass something around? talk to each other? touch each other? all see/hear/touch something in the middle of the circle? No to rest. Biograd (Biograd) I hope you're right Danielm2168, that would be funny. I almost wish it was. Is it important that each subject have someone both sitting to his "right" and his "left"? (that requires a circle, as far as I know) Yes! | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 2121 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are there alternating genders in the circle? Is the test about whether a person will talk to the person sitting on his/her left or right? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1258 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are there alternating genders in the circle? Yes, that's one of several possibilities. Is the test about whether a person will talk to the person sitting on his/her left or right? No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 2207 Registered: 4-2010 |
Can the subjects see every other subject? Is there something in the center of the circle? Is a game being played? | ||
| Ohlala8 (Ohlala8)
New member Username: Ohlala8 Post Number: 830 Registered: 6-2009 |
Does each subject have to directly interact with the people on either side of him/her? One at a time? At the same time? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1261 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Can the subjects see every other subject? Irr. Is there something in the center of the circle? No. Is a game being played? No. Ohlala8 (Ohlala8) Does each subject have to directly interact with the people on either side of him/her? No. One at a time? At the same time? | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 2868 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are the subjects standing in a circle? Sitting? Are they interacting with the other subjects? With someone else? Something else? Do the scientists have an active role in the experiment? Or are they just observing? Do the subjects share a certain characteristic? Or are they randomly selected? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1264 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are the subjects standing in a circle? Sitting? This. Are they interacting with the other subjects? No. With someone else? Possibly a little, irr. Something else? Yes. Do the scientists have an active role in the experiment? No. Or are they just observing? Not exactly. Do the subjects share a certain characteristic? Yope; they are alternating in some characteristic, like gender. Or are they randomly selected? No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3364 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are the subjects touching each other? Relevant how they are sitting? Are they sitting on the floor? Cross-legged? In chairs? Are they interacting with something in the room? Is there anything other than the subjects in the room? Anything tangible? Are the subjects interacting with a tangible object? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1267 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are the subjects touching each other? No. Relevant how they are sitting? Not especially. re they sitting on the floor? Cross-legged? In chairs? Probably this. Are they interacting with something in the room? Yes, for svv of "interacting." Is there anything other than the subjects in the room? Yes. Anything tangible? Yes. Are the subjects interacting with a tangible object? Yes. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3377 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the tangible object a table? Chair? Blackboard? Does the object have writing on it? Are they interacting with the same object? Different ones? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1273 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the tangible object a table? Chair? Blackboard? No to all. Does the object have writing on it? Yes. Are they interacting with the same object? No. Different ones? Yesish. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3399 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is it a piece of paper? Is the specific writing important? Does each subject have the same writing? Different? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1277 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is it a piece of paper? Probably pieces, yes. Is the specific writing important? Not exactly, but the general idea of it is. Does each subject have the same writing? Yes. Different? No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3414 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the writing a sentence? Sentences? A list? Does the writing make a claim? About the subject reading it? About the other subjects? About the experiment itself? About the scientists conducting the experiment? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1285 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the writing a sentence? Sentences? This, And more. A list? Noish. Does the writing make a claim? Not really. About the subject reading it? No. About the other subjects? No. About the experiment itself? No. About the scientists conducting the experiment? No. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3521 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the writing a paragraph? An essay? A book? A pamphlet? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1289 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the writing a paragraph? It might contain paragraphs, but... An essay? A book? A pamphlet? No to all. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3582 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the writing coherent? Spelled correctly? Does it contain grammatical errors? Are the subjects being tested? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1292 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the writing coherent? Yes. Spelled correctly? Yes. Does it contain grammatical errors? No. Are the subjects being tested? Yes indeed. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3822 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the writing the test? Is it a general knowledge test? A lateral thinking test? A test on a specific subject? Specific subjects? Does the paper contain instructions? Were the subjects instructed before entering the room? Told anything before entering? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1297 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the writing the test? Yes. Is it a general knowledge test? Probably. A lateral thinking test? Probably not. A test on a specific subject? It could be, but many could work. Specific subjects? Ditto. Does the paper contain instructions? No. Were the subjects instructed before entering the room? Probably, nothing especially relevant. Told anything before entering? No, nothing else relevant. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3829 Registered: 4-2010 |
Do the subjects answer the questions? Method of answering relevant? If so, orally? Written? Is there a specific feature about the subjects that's important? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1301 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Do the subjects answer the questions? Yes. Method of answering relevant? No, but... If so, orally? Written? Probably this. Is there a specific feature about the subjects that's important? Yes, something like gender. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 3907 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are the test answers important to the experiment? The length of time it takes the subjects to complete the test? Are they all given the exact same test? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1304 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are the test answers important to the experiment? Yes. The length of time it takes the subjects to complete the test? Probably not. Are they all given the exact same test? Yes. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 4491 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are the questions personal? Is it important whether they answer the questions correctly? Truthfully? Quickly? Are the questions essay questions? Short-answer? Multiple choice? True/false? Yes/no? Questions of opinion? Of fact? | ||
| Biograd (Biograd)
New member Username: Biograd Post Number: 1034 Registered: 6-2008 |
Are they testing under what circumstances people tend to/are willing to cheat off each others' tests? maybe whether men are more likely to peek at women's answers than the reverse? Is the relevance of the circle that, if the subjects were sitting in a straight line instead, the people at the ends would only have one neighbor's paper to peek at, whereas those in the middle would have two, thus introducing bias? are "ends" relevant at all? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1307 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are the questions personal? No. Is it important whether they answer the questions correctly? Yes. Truthfully? Irr. Quickly? This might be involved as well, but correctness is the main concern. Are the questions essay questions? Short-answer? Multiple choice? This is most likely. True/false? Yes/no? Questions of opinion? Of fact? This. Biograd (Biograd) Are they testing under what circumstances people tend to/are willing to cheat off each others' tests? Nope. maybe whether men are more likely to peek at women's answers than the reverse? No, but interesting idea. Is the relevance of the circle that, if the subjects were sitting in a straight line instead, the people at the ends would only have one neighbor's paper to peek at, whereas those in the middle would have two, thus introducing bias? Yesish! are "ends" relevant at all? Yes, take out the cheating part and I think you've got it! | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 5597 Registered: 4-2010 |
Is the test to see if the people will ask their neighbor for help on the test? Which neighbor they will ask for help? Are the questions extremely hard? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1310 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Is the test to see if the people will ask their neighbor for help on the test? No. Which neighbor they will ask for help? Nope. Are the questions extremely hard? Not necessarily. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 5693 Registered: 4-2010 |
Relevant that in a circle, one can see everybody else in the circle? Are the desks facing inwards? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1313 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Relevant that in a circle, one can see everybody else in the circle? Not especially. Are the desks facing inwards? Irr. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 5713 Registered: 4-2010 |
Relevant in what order the people finish the tests? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1319 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Relevant in what order the people finish the tests? Nope. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 5784 Registered: 4-2010 |
Do the subjects remain silent throughout the experiment? Or do they converse with their neighbors? Relevant? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1323 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Do the subjects remain silent throughout the experiment? This. Or do they converse with their neighbors? Relevant? Only in that it's a testing situation. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 5915 Registered: 4-2010 |
Does the experiment involve the subject observing one's neighbors at all? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1326 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Does the experiment involve the subject observing one's neighbors at all? Hm...I'll say no. Though the fact that they notice their neighbors is involved. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 6175 Registered: 4-2010 |
Are any specific details of a subject's neighbors relevant? Are the subjects able to see the neighbors' test answers? | ||
| Orangeee (Orangeee)
New member Username: Orangeee Post Number: 9 Registered: 10-2010 |
Are they writing down what they think of their neighbours? | ||
| Nervous (Nervous)
New member Username: Nervous Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2010 |
Ok, check it out. The scientists where experimenting to see how many obese people would participate in an experiment. They correctly assumed how many would be there, and what equipment they needed. That's how they accounted for the space, but what they miscalculated was how fat the subjects where. ;) | ||
| Peter365 (Peter365)
Moderator Username: Peter365 Post Number: 7 Registered: 1-2011 |
Gourami. You know the drill.. if you want to rescue this from Limbo please answer the outstanding questions | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1329 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Are any specific details of a subject's neighbors relevant? No. Are the subjects able to see the neighbors' test answers? No. Orangeee (Orangeee) Are they writing down what they think of their neighbours? Nope. Nervous (Nervous) Ok, check it out. The scientists where experimenting to see how many obese people would participate in an experiment. They correctly assumed how many would be there, and what equipment they needed. That's how they accounted for the space, but what they miscalculated was how fat the subjects where. ;) An excellent solution! Unfortunately not the one I was thinking of. These two previous questions should help: Balin (Balin) Are there alternating genders in the circle? Yes, that's one of several possibilities. Is the relevance of the circle that, if the subjects were sitting in a straight line instead, the people at the ends would only have one neighbor's paper to peek at, whereas those in the middle would have two, thus introducing bias? Yesish! are "ends" relevant at all? Yes, take out the cheating part and I think you've got it! | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 11738 Registered: 4-2010 |
Will the subjects feel more confident if they have two people next to them? Less confident? More or less comfortable? More or less crammed? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1331 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) Will the subjects feel more confident if they have two people next to them? Less confident? The answers to these are unknown, but relevant-ish. More or less comfortable? More or less crammed? Irr to rest. | ||
| Biograd (Biograd)
New member Username: Biograd Post Number: 1487 Registered: 6-2008 |
Is the measured variable how many right answers the participants get? how much of the test they finish? how long it takes to complete the test? | ||
| Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo)
New member Username: Jenburdoo Post Number: 4614 Registered: 5-2003 |
Do the subjects have to know what the people next to them are doing? Appear to be doing? Would it still work if the person next to a subject was a confederate of the experimenter? Is the experiment on cheating? And welcome back, Gourami! We missed you... | ||
| Redwine (Redwine)
New member Username: Redwine Post Number: 353 Registered: 1-2011 |
Do the subjects sit in a circle during whole experiment? Or does their arrangement change during the experiment? Are there alternating genders in the circle during whole experiment? Or does the arrangement change during the experiment? Is the purpose of experiment to check the impact of who your neighbor is on th correctness of the answers? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1342 Registered: 10-2008 |
Biograd (Biograd) Is the measured variable how many right answers the participants get? Yes. how much of the test they finish? how long it takes to complete the test? No to rest. Jenburdoo (Jenburdoo) Do the subjects have to know what the people next to them are doing? No. Appear to be doing? No. Would it still work if the person next to a subject was a confederate of the experimenter? Yes, but there'd be no reason for it. Is the experiment on cheating? No, no cheating involved. And welcome back, Gourami! We missed you... Missed y'all too. Redwine (Redwine) Do the subjects sit in a circle during whole experiment? Yes. Or does their arrangement change during the experiment? No. Are there alternating genders in the circle during whole experiment? Yes. Or does the arrangement change during the experiment? No. Is the purpose of experiment to check the impact of who your neighbor is on the correctness of the answers? YES. | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 11775 Registered: 4-2010 |
So the subjects need to be in a circle so they all have the same number of neighbors? That way, each subject has two neighbors to impact their results (in a line, the ends would each only have one)? | ||
| Gourami (Gourami)
Moderator Username: Gourami Post Number: 1345 Registered: 10-2008 |
Balin (Balin) So the subjects need to be in a circle so they all have the same number of neighbors? That way, each subject has two neighbors to impact their results (in a line, the ends would each only have one)? Ding ding ding! ********************LONG OVERDUE SPOILER I based the puzzle on an experiment I read about people of different races, and whether minority children do worse on tests when surrounded by white children (several studies have shown, unfortunately, that they do). Of course, race in the experiment could be substituted for gender, height, etc. The design called for a control group of all one race, a control group of another, and one in which the two races alternate seats. Each group would take a difficult test, and the results would show whether either race, or both, feels a sort of intimidation when surrounded by "others" that affects their score. However, the floor layout of the experiment was: X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X Obviously, some participants are more surrounded by people of other races than others! Fortunately, in the puzzle, the researchers realize this and seat them instead in an alternating circle, so that each participant has someone of a different race on their left and their right. Since a ring of desks takes up more space than three little rows, they realized they needed a bigger room. Well done, Balin, and thank you for finishing it up! | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 11778 Registered: 4-2010 |
Wow - clever scientists! (And, clever puzzle!) I'd never heard of that experiment before - interesting. |
