The mistake we all make and the simple experiment that reveals it | Hacker News Reader

The mistake we all make and the simple experiment that reveals it

theguardian.com

13 pointscentury195 comments

For how people behave in a situational context, I would suggest having a look at the Stanford Prison Experiment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment

When grad students start beating each other, and starting a riot during a psych experiment, it should tell you something about how humans are influenced by their environment and the context of their own relationship to the particular environment.

The problem with this, and why I try willingly refuse to believe much of it, even knowing it is a solid science is that all these are circumstances outside our control. It is a chilling proposition that you are not really that much responsible for you success. It can become a crutch to explain your failure. Both cases, I don't like.So I read, understand and then try to forget.

Can't you learn something about your own behaviour from this? About how others interpret your behaviour. Or even change your behaviour, by not being shy to react to something you should even though others are around.

I seen a great example where people were filling in forms in a room with actors(unknown to them) and the room started to fill with smoke. Most people did nothing as the actors also did nothing, until they couldn't see their forms because of smoke.

It's good to know why we behave this way.

>It can become a crutch to explain your failure.

Thinking you "have to succeed" means you are already conditioned in a certain way. Life is not a race.

Oh boy, what I'm about to say could be throwing gasoline onto a barbecue (I've seen that done!) but I'll say it anyway.

The USA has historically been a country of individualists and has emphasized personal responsibility and individual actions over "harmony with others". At least in theory, in practice it doesn't always work that way.

E.g. a few years ago there was a tragic murder-suicide by a football player. IMO it probably had a lot to do with CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), which an autopsy showed signs of[0]. But announcer Bob Costas was quick to attack the gun culture. He said[1]

   If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun,
   he and Kasandra Perkins would both
   be alive today

To which many people posted rebuttals such as:[2]

   Hey Bob!
   This spoon is making me FAT!

And there it is. How much of people's behavior should they be responsible for, and how much of it is because of society in general? I don't think this debate will end anytime soon.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronic_traumatic_encephalopat...

[1] http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2012/12/04/how-bob-cost...

[2] http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt201/L_Bo1994/costascont...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com