What Would You Do?

Couple Catherine Hill and Lou Caponi demonstrate the up-against-the-wall stance

To what degree does physical touch effect flirting? I found that physical touch is more of a key element to the mating ritual than most people realize. It makes the a lasting impression on a person for better or for worse, and its importance should not be overlooked.

Hill and Caponi sit close together and look into each other's eyes

First, how do you know if a man or woman likes you? Usually to figure this out, a person will look for signals. Sophomore Casey Osbourne says she knows a man likes her if he’s “touchy-feely” and tries to flirt with her a lot.

Junior Bryan O’Connor knows a woman likes him through her eye contact. “If she holds eye contact for more than five seconds, it’s a good indication.”

As our carnal nature dictates, these signals come in the physical form. An extended gaze into the other’s eyes, a brush along the arm or a stance that’s very close to the other’s body is good indications that one likes another.

In fact, I had a couple demonstrate 15 different ways a person can give off physical signals that they either like or don’t like the other. Some photographs include universal signals such as a full body hug vs. a side body hug, twirling hair vs. standing still and upright.

Hill demonstrates the against-the-wall stance, which makes her seem more agressive

But, even with these universal signals, people are still confused. When I surveyed men and women around Southeastern University’s campus, every single man said that he has been mislead by a woman who was too physical in her flirting. Interestingly enough, most women admit that they may have misled a man at some point, too.

The "just friends" side body hug

Psychology major Carey Wessel says that art of misleading is done by both men and women but is most commonly done by women. Sometimes, when a woman has no intention of forming a romantic relationship with a man, she still continues to give off these signals. This is because she likes the attention being given to her without the commitment of a relationship.

Caponi shows Hill he isn't interested using body language

“Also if a she is in a relationship than other men may stop pursuing her,” says Wessel. “And, that’s not good.” After awhile, a woman may start to form patterns in which she subtly leads someone on in order to make herself feel better. “More suitors equals more self-confidence in this case.”

Sometimes, though, women just don’t realize the effect they have on men. A woman may act the same way with a guy than she does with her girlfriends, but if she’s an extrovert, the signals can become very confusing to a man.

Caponi likes Hill so he lets her look at the watch on his hand for the time

Sophomore Jessica Mitchell calls this “unintentional flirting.”

“I’m a very friendly person, so it’s hard [not to lead a boy on] sometimes,” she says.

Of course, this does not describe all women or men. When both people want to pursue a relationship with each other, they still depend on physical communication rather than verbal communication to tell each other their feelings.

Caponi, once again, uses physical cues to show Hill he's not interested

“Maybe giving them a hug or touching their arm” Junior Maggie McKee says, can be helpful to crossing the friendship line.

Junior Colin Harris adds, “Definitely when she starts touching me a lot and when she starts hugging me.”

Caponi doesn't like Hill so he takes his watch off to show her the time

These physical actions indicate a mutual attraction between the couple and gradually transition them to the next step in their relationship. Which is, as Freshmen Jared Spears most obviously puts it, “the kiss!”

To those who are looking for that mutual attraction in the opposite sex and cannot find it, try thinking about the social cues you may are sending off to others. Are you physically turning a man or woman off? Are you obnoxious, rude, or cocky? Do you burp, snort when you laugh, or pick food out of your teeth with your fingernail?

Both men and women told me that these were some of their physical turn-offs in the opposite sex. Of course, you shouldn’t have to change characteristics about your personality, but attraction is called attraction for a reason. There must be something about you that draws others in rather than pushes them away.

The way Hill's standing says to Caponi that she does not like him

For the most part, though, the signals are not hard to read. A person will let you know if he or she is turned off by you. It’s all about body language. If you’re completely clueless try finding some clues in the photographs posted within this article.

Hill shows Caponi she likes him by playing with his hair

Physical touch It is powerful enough to communicate a message to the other person. At the same time, it has also been used to mislead many a fellow. So, be careful how you use it. For better or for worse, physical touch is here to stay.

Raw Footage of Physical Touch Interviews

Hill shows Caponi she's interested in him by touching his shoulder

Caponi awkwardly tries to reach for Hill and she shuts him down

Interviews with Nicholas Marquez and Jessica Davis

ProPelage, the miracle hair growth product that activates complete growth overnight! At least, that’s what the actors for the ProPelage informercial were told.

ABC’S “What Would You Do” does an experiment to see how far people would go to endorse a product they believed was fake or even harmful.

To strike doubt in their minds, the show hired an actor to be the “producer” of the commercial, and an actress to be a “participant” in the commercial. After the actors are prompted in a waiting room about the infomercial they’re about to make, the actress hired by “What Would You Do” proceeds to put some of the ProPelage onto her hair. Immediately she feels “burning sensations” on her scalp and chunks of fake hair fall to the ground.

At this, the other actors are alarmed at the faulty product, yet none leave the set. All continue with the infomercial. After all they are each getting $75 and a chance to be on T.V.

Part One

Part Two

Tyra Banks from The Tyra Show, is no stranger to social experiments. On her show, she’s done several experiments from impersonating a 500 pound woman to impersonating a homeless person. Unfortunately, I could not find any of those videos on Youtube, but I did find an experiment Tyra Banks did about strangers helping out their neighbor.

Tyra’s version of What Would You Do:

Part One

Part Two

Which line on the right matches the line on the left?

I’ve talked about Asch’s experiment with conformity earlier in this blog, but didn’t have a great visual aid to go along with the post. I found the experiment redone and posted on Youtube and thought I should post it.

Conformity

I th0ught it was interesting how the first subject initially gave the right answer, not minding that he was standing out. Eventually, though, subjects decide to go with the crowd.

Mind Game Studios presents: Social Experiment By Legos!

This is a fun and well-made video done by Mind Game Studios. The experiment is actually a really good one, and I would like to see it done by actual human beings sometime!

The high pitched music was a lot scarier and in-the-moment. It reminded me a lot pf “Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock. The low pitched music was a little more suspenseful, suggesting that something was about to happen, but hadn’t happened yet. Check it out for yourself and see what you think!

I would like to spotlight some homemade social experiments. One, by lancedirk13, was a little like my first “Good Samaritan” experiment.

Social Experiment

The first couple attempts were probably the best. The mall wasn’t extremely populated, but one could see there were just enough people for the experiment to work. He always had a pair of crutches, which made him look more helpless instead of just falling down.

I think the experiment could be improved if the camera was hidden a little better.

An advertisement is more likely to sell me a product if it is clever and funny. Therefore, I would like to introduce the “Don’t Judge Too Quickly” ads from Ameriquest Mortgage Company.

Hospital

Daughter or Prostitute?

Airplane Mishap

What does this have to do with social experiments? Well, socially we form misconceptions about people without having solid evidence to back up our judgments. If you were in public and saw the end result to one of these videos, you would probably come to the same conclusion the other people did.

Stanley Milgram

I would like to spotlight social scientist Stanley Milgram for his brilliant experiment that shows us how ordinary human beings can act in evil ways. A post about Milgram from Psychology Today does a fantastic job of explaining Milgram’s experiment, so I won’t try and butcher it.

I do want to discuss the effect of the experiment’s outcome, however. On a small scale Milgram proves how the Holocaust happened. How did a group of people become so cold towards other human beings? Many justified their actions by saying they were only following orders, which reflects Milgram’s theory.

Many social experiments featured on this blog are just fun pranks meant to entertain. But, there are those select and legitimate few that have broke ground in the world of sociology. Because of Milgram, we are enlightened about the weaknesses of our human nature and the need for someone stronger than humankind to counteract our tendencies. Just some thoughts…

As a soon to be bride myself, I would be devastated if my mother publicly humiliated me at a bridal store. As a daughter shops for wedding dress, her mother verbally bashes her calling her anorexic and ugly. The other shoppers in the store are mortified and try to interfere.

Then, the thin daughter switches with a plus size actress, and the mother continues to berate the daughter. Reactions are much more drastic. Of course, the mother and daughter are actresses and the whole scenario is a set-up by “What Would You Do.”

Once again, “What Would You Do,” sets up another fantastic experiment!

Momzilla