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Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

bostonglobe.com

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Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#51

Post by x3c »

Estragon wrote: post #43
Aqueous wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One participant shocked themselves 190 times. I'd say I'd concede curiosity is the main factor the first one or two times.

Yes, but the mean number of times was less than 1.5, with maximum 4 if you exclude that outlier. The vast majority of cases are perfectly compatible with curiosity, a scenario the paper ignored completely, and which could have been at least partially addressed simply by asking participants why they pressed the button. This is an OK study, sexed up in a very cynical and ignorant way.

Isn't it also a false dilemma? I'd be lost in my thoughts and will shock myself just for the kick of it too, maybe as a curiosity or maybe in a masochistic way.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#53

Post by lifeisstillgood »

encloser wrote: post #13

This seems like a poor study to gauge peoples' desire/aversion to thinking. You put me in a room with nothing but a button I'll probably press it out of curiosity. Put me in a garden with a enjoyable drink and I'll happily contemplate whatever comes to mind until I want to get a refill.

>> One person pressed the button 190 times

That cheered me up. God only knows what was wrong with their study but when someone shocks themselves 200 times just to throw off your excel macros I think you should at least reconsider your bedside manner.

Reminds me of nothing more than a very early episode of the Simpsons

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#54

Post by burntsushi »

tormeh wrote: post #42
thatjoist wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People can think anywhere. It's not often they're sat in a room with a little electric shock doodad. Humanities natural curiosity takes over.

You shock yourself 189 times, and you're still curious, so you shock yourself yet again? Unlikely.

That was a single outlier. The mean number of shocks was 1.5.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#55

Post by lifeisstillgood »

Well, how long have any of us tried to simply be alone with our thoughts? 15 mins is a long time - no music, books etc, quiet room. I think I would enjoy it, but I will happily admit that I might be wishing I had a book by 10th minute.

And personally I think meditating is doing something.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#56

Post by stan_rogers »

watwut wrote: post #12
userbinator wrote: post #4

This is sad and a bit disturbing because it suggests that average people seem to dislike thinking . I'm quite the opposite, and 15 minutes of pure thinking for me would pass by quite easily - I feel like I can't get enough time to think more carefully about all the ideas that I have for the things I do, or want to. Then again, I'm introverted and definitely not representative of the average population. (Of course, I'…

I read somewhere that they used device with 9V battery. We used to lick both 4.5V and 9V batteries as kids. I found 4.5V hit to be quite pleasant and I would repeat the "experiment" a lot. Licking 9V battery was less pleasant, but not really too uncomfortable. I did that multiple times too even through my room was full of toys. Their device could generate less pleasant feelings, sure. But I am kind of skeptical of bi…

I went from licking 9V batteries to charging a 4700μF capacitor with a 9V battery and discharging that through two audio output transformers used "backwards" (so 8Ω primary/1kΩ secondary) using a momentary SPDT switch. Felt just a bit different, that did.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#58

Post by notduncansmith »

Mithaldu wrote: post #29
The_Pherocity wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I absolutely would prefer pain to boredom. I'm not afraid of being alone with my thoughts, but I am terrified of boredom. With the shock, I can totally see myself locked in a room with the device and trying to see if I could condition myself to not react to the shock. As long as I had some sense of safety (they have a doctor and some paddles on hand) I would take days seeing how far I could push myself. And to be cle…

You should pick up a book on medidating, or maybe find some kind of mental hobby. For example designing programs in my head when i'm not at a computer, or reciting kanji shapes i'm learning along with their meanings and readings in my head, are productive uses of time that would otherwise be boring.

Typically I'm not without stimulus long enough to consciously work on development problems (when not at work), but when I do have that much time to myself it's glorious. +1 for quiet alone time.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#59

Post by notduncansmith »

6cxs2hd6 wrote: post #10
userbinator wrote: post #4

This is sad and a bit disturbing because it suggests that average people seem to dislike thinking . I'm quite the opposite, and 15 minutes of pure thinking for me would pass by quite easily - I feel like I can't get enough time to think more carefully about all the ideas that I have for the things I do, or want to. Then again, I'm introverted and definitely not representative of the average population. (Of course, I'…

Does this study have any bearing on "hammock-driven development" vs. the compulsion to start writing code (with or without TDD)?

Don't know why you're being downvoted, this actually came to my mind as well - I'm a big fan of HDD (thanks Rich!). I don't think this study has much bearing on it though; the study focused on "the average person", who arguably does not share the same propensity for deep thought as a developer who'd be attracted to HDD.

Re: Study participants typically did not enjoy spending 15 minutes by themselves

#60

Post by molbioguy »

metacorrector wrote: post #44
molbioguy wrote: post #5

I get the point that people may prefer external stimulation to internal thoughts. But I think the result of this study hinge on whether the electric shock was really all that unpleasant. For safety reasons, I'll assume the shock wasn't large enough to be harmful or create anything but a momentary sensation. People are curious, and it would seem a fairly safe environment. What's to stop them from simply experimenting…

the study hinges on whether the researchers who worked on it, designing it and completing many trials over time, writing it up and getting it published, on whether they thought of something that you just thought of? that the unpleasant shock had to be unpleasant? REALLY? you really think they missed that?

Just because it's published is no reason not to question the validity of the study. I've been in science long enough to know that flawed work can into important journals.

The Globe article's title and the original title of the HN post focused on the electrical shocks, implying that people would prefer doing something very painful rather than think silently. I can't read the article itself, but the Science Editor's summary included this:

In fact, many of the people studied, particularly the men, chose to give themselves a mild electric shock rather than be deprived of external sensory stimuli.

Doesn't sound terribly unpleasant. That changes a lot in terms of the headline's conclusion, at least for me.

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