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Specific Overt Behavior Summary

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27. Racing against your heart / Association of specific overt behavior pattern with blood and cardiovascular findings.
Friedman, M., & Rosenman, R.H. (1959).
In order to study the specific overt behavior patterns, Friedman and Rosenman developed a set of characteristics for a specific overt (observable) behavior pattern that they believed was related to increased levels of cholesterol and consequently to coronary heart disease(CHD). The researchers then developed a second set of overt behaviors, essentially the opposite of the first. Next they designed interviews to assess the history of CHD in participants’ parents, their own history of heart trouble, number of hours of work, sleep and exercise, smoking, alcohol and dietary habits. Friedman …show more content…

There are eight participants seated in a row. Each person is asked for an answer, but seven out of the eight participants are in on the experiment. Only one is unaware, and they are on the end. As they start from the far end, working their way down to the unknowing volunteer, each participant purposely picks the wrong answer, which makes you, at the end, pick the same wrong. 75% of the unknowing volunteers went along with the group’s incorrect answer. *This study is important because it shows we will doubt our own choice of the right answer just to go along and be in the same …show more content…

The main participant was ordered to send specific shocks labeled from slight shock all the way to severe shock to another person. The participants were men ranging from the ages of 20-50, some skilled/unskilled workers, business men and professionals. Each participant was known as the ‘teacher’ and a confederate was the ‘learner’ along with someone dressed in a grey lab coat looking official was the experimenter. The teacher asked the learner a series of questions and each time the learner got one wrong, the teacher was told to increase the voltage. Participants who went to the highest possible (deadly) voltage were known as obedient subjects. Those who stopped at any lower point were defiant subjects. 65% of participants maxed out the volts even when the learner begged them to stop. *This shows that many are willing to do anything that someone who has authority tells them to

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