Posted on 06/30/2005 9:03:29 PM PDT by neverdem
A new study uses advanced brain-scanning technology to cast light on a topic that psychologists have puzzled over for more than half a century: social conformity.
The study was based on a famous series of laboratory experiments from the 1950's by a social psychologist, Dr. Solomon Asch.
In those early studies, the subjects were shown two cards. On the first was a vertical line. On the second were three lines, one of them the same length as that on the first card.
Then the subjects were asked to say which two lines were alike, something that most 5-year-olds could answer correctly.
But Dr. Asch added a twist. Seven other people, in cahoots with the researchers, also examined the lines and gave their answers before the subjects did. And sometimes these confederates intentionally gave the wrong answer.
Dr. Asch was astonished at what happened next. After thinking hard, three out of four subjects agreed with the incorrect answers given by the confederates at least once. And one in four conformed 50 percent of the time.
Dr. Asch, who died in 1996, always wondered about the findings. Did the people who gave in to group do so knowing that their answers was wrong? Or did the social pressure actually change their perceptions?
The new study tried to find an answer by using functional M.R.I. scanners that can peer into the working brain, a technology not available to Dr. Asch.
The researchers found that social conformity showed up in the brain as activity in regions that are entirely devoted to perception. But independence of judgment - standing up for one's beliefs - showed up as activity in brain areas involved in emotion, the study found, suggesting that there is a cost for going against the group.
"We like to think that seeing is..."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
It takes temperment, or practice, or both, to just say "no." I was liberated in the last half of the first grade, when I finally had the courage to just do it differently from the smart girls (at that stage, the girls dominated the top rated reading group and everything else in class), and just do it my way. It as so liberating. I never looked back.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
October 30, 2002
US Sniper Case Seen as a Barrier to a Confession
ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 29 -- State and federal investigators said today that John Muhammad had been talking to them for more than an hour on the day of his arrest in the sniper shootings, explaining the roots of his anger, when the United States attorney for Maryland told them to deliver him to Baltimore to face federal weapons charges and forcing them to end their interrogation.
-- as (falsely) reported in the NYT by JAYSON BLAIR
"""After thinking hard, three out of four subjects agreed with the incorrect answers..."""
Not that different from subjects who participate on political forums, is it?
CLONES THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE!!
"using functional M.R.I. scanners"
As opposed to using "non-functional" scanners?
The first thing that comes to my mind is the situation during jury deliberation. That one person who goes against the other 11 jurors gets worn down to agree with the others.
Functional MRI is more advanced that standard MRI. It allows radiologists to see which parts of the brain are actively consuming sugar (functioning, I guess) while doing some specific tasks.
This will allow scientists to tell which specific parts of the brain are designed to do which specific tasks.
Good catch!
Stupid sheeple are easily influenced.
Why is this so startling?
Scanning as the new psychology is frightening, not because it tells us a great deal but because it tells us almost nothing.
The democrats and MSM already know this and take full advantage. Every Republican SHOULD know it, and not let the dems lies and distortions go unchallenged in the main stream media.
Very interesting!
The left been use this for a long time
Everybody for this, If your not for this your a ______,
Everybody doing it.....
There's a number of these posts right here on FR from this group
I agree with everything all of you have posted.
A film was made of this experiment - I saw it many years ago. The looks on some of the kids faces who weren't in on the experiment were priceless. It was an important reminder of how easy it is to influence groups -- and how easy it is to be influenced.
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