What insights about human nature were revealed by a study of Halloween trick-or-treaters?
Subject: Human Nature - Candy Study
Event: Halloween
Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Most social science experiments are conducted in university laboratories, but one classic study from the 1970s was conducted in a suburban neighborhood.
The purpose of the study was to gain some insight into human nature, specifically the honesty of trick-or-treaters as they collected candy on Halloween night.
Each time a child came to the door, a research assistant greeted them, pointed out a candy bowl sitting on a table, and instructed the child to help themselves to a single piece of candy. The researcher then told the child that she had a chore to complete and left the room. Unbeknownst to the trick-or-treaters, another researcher was watching through a small peephole and recording which children followed directions and which children let greed overtake them. The results from eighteen different households on Halloween night revealed that 33.7% of children took more than a single piece of candy.
The researchers then added one new wrinkle to the experiment: a mirror. The mirror was strategically placed next to the candy bowl so that any child approaching the bowl would see his or her reflection. With the mirror present, candy theft was reduced to only 8.8 percent (1).
In another variation of the study, research assistants asked half the children their names before telling the kids to take one candy and then leaving them alone in the room. The other half of the kids were not asked their names. As you might guess, the kids who remained anonymous took more candy than those who volunteered their names.
One conclusion we might make from these studies is that if we want to influence people’s behavior, we should make them identifiable, helping them to both literally and figuratively reflect on what they are doing (2).
For another Halloween social science study involving trick-or-treaters, see Thinker’s Almanac - April 24
Recall, Retrieve, Recite, Ruminate, Reflect, Reason: How did the candy experiment illustrate the concept of deindividuation?
Challenge - Who Are You: Halloween is a great day to reflect on who we truly are. Whether or not we literally put on a mask, we are always dealing with issues of identity. Do some research on quotations about “identity.” When you find one that gives you true insight, write it down and explain why it is meaningful to you.
Sources:
1-Goldstein, Noah J., Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini. Yes: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive. New York: Free Press, 2008.
2-Waxman, Olivia B. “What Trick-or-Treating Teaches Us About Human Nature.” Time magazine 28 Oct. 2015.
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