Saturday, 07 November 2009
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UVA Child Psychology Experiment
Today, we went to the University of Virginia's Child Psychology Department to do a quick computer test for an experiment they are conducting with autistic children.
The test consisted of alternating screens of nine pictures-- eight of different kinds of frogs and one of a snake. The boys were asked to identify the snake on each screen. Then the pictures would shuffle changing their location on the screen and the type of snake shown.
Nathan decided he didn't want to do it after a couple of screeens. Peter was able to complete the experiment but every three screens was rewarded with being able to open and close the door to the room (he was very stressed by the new location and opened and closed doors repeatedly when we got there).
Peter got a few screens wrong and instead of a snake picked a frog. But I noticed that he was trying to do the screens really fast and some of the frog colors (particularly red) resembled the pictures of the snakes with the same colors if you just glanced at the photo. It was funny because when he touched the screen and picked the wrong picture he would pause and look at the screen again (which had moved on and shuffled the pictures) as if he realized he was wrong. I think most of the time he knew when he had picked the wrong photo but it was always after the fact.
UVA told me that the purpose of the experiment was to see if children with autism could identify threatening or scary objects as easily as neurotypical children. It was interesting to see that Peter could identify the snakes but it seemed he did this almost as much by color as by shape.
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Would you participate in a University Study?
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About the Author
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- From: copingwithautism
- About Me: Laura Echevarria Until June 30, 2004, Laura Echevarria was the Director of Media Relations and a spokesperson for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) for seven years. She is currently teaching high school English, Speech and Biology for a private school. Ms. Echevarria holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communications. Prior to studying speech, she was a biology major who intended to go to medical school. In addition, she holds an undeclared major in Bible. She is currently completing her second book (the first is unpublished) and has written for Touchstone magazine, Human Life Review and other publications. She has been a frequent contributor to the opinion pages of The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Ms. Echevarria is also the first opinion columnist for LifeNews.com, the internet pro-life news source that reaches over 250,000 people each week through internet, radio and e-mail.
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Comments (8)
I think I would. Social experiments fascinate me. :D
It's a requirement for my psych classes, so yes.
Also, like Sirius_Fan_Girl said, they fascinate me. XD
Wahoowa! To be honest, I only clicked on this because I go to UVa... haha.
But that's a really interesting study. I figure I'd like to participate in one before I graduate!
@Naga_Petang@xanga - haha that's the same reason i clicked! two of my friends go there and play for their god-awful football team. i felt terrible about the loss yesterday to miami. they all knew it was coming, too, and now all they do is blame themselves. at least the two kids i know. it's so sad :/ but i have a feeling they will destroy vt on thanksgiving! i'm definitely watching that one.
as far as the question and the post, i think i would participate in one, depending on who was conducting it (ex. i wouldn't trust the community college but i'd probably trust somewhere like u.va) and what i was required to do for it.
I would participate in a study, but would definitely read the fine print first. It also depends on what the desired outcome is, and how intrusive the research process is. I'd have to think about it...
i would.. ppl doing studies really need participants and as big of a population as they can gather
I was in a study last week for my psychology class. Great experience, but I left the room crying because I skipped my bio lecture for a study that was actually studying something other than what they said they were going to study.