Beware the conclusion. Psychological research is biased toward finding something new, exciting, provocative, and useful, a powerful new truth. Our minds and experience are already rich and extensive, so it is difficult to improve on nature. It can be done but it is difficult. So, take touted improvements with two, or even three, grains of salt. Take the recently gathered data on shock v. inaction.
The reports say that a team including Daniel Gilbert and Timothy Wilson, two academic psychologists with articles, reputation and popular books to their credit, conducted and gathered research saying that a good portion of men and a notable portion of women would rather give themselves electric shocks that sit alone in a room. Readers of this blog may remember a statement by the mathematical genius Blaise Pascal that all of man's troubles come from an inability to sit alone in a room. I have seen several psychological blogs mention the research and try to say what it means.
It might not mean much. For one thing, the "men" and "women" were college students, who do qualify as men and women but not of typical age and experience. People everywhere are noting the nearly biological connection these days between young people and their smartphones. You can imagine the tension and despair of a usually connected young person trying to sit alone and still for 15 minutes with nothing to do and nobody to text. If the only action permitted was giving oneself a static shock on the ankle, taking that action might help to pass the time. Who knows? Maybe it felt good. Shows the shockee is alive, at least.
The studies might mean that the American school system should add yet another subject and imperative to the already overcrowded curriculum, the subject of How Not to Be Bored or the related and more valuable subject, How to Meditate for 10 Valuable Minutes a Day.
As a general rule, any new research 'breakthough' may well be insufficiently tested to be dependable. By the time you are an adult human being, you know a great deal about yourself and about people in general, especially if you are married or have been married, and are a parent. So while it is part of the mission in some places to try to expand our knowledge and insight into people, important, powerful new truths are difficult to find. My advice is to beware of surprising conclusions in research on people. They may not be firm.
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Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
