Most psychological studies require participants to take a few minutes to fill out a questionnaire. But there are experiments of a different kind. In them, unfortunate test subjects are humiliated, teased, uncomfortable and frightened. A few examples.
1. Smell dirty diapers
Thirteen intrepid mothers were asked to sniff a pair of dirty diapers, one worn by their child and the other worn by someone else. Not knowing which diaper was whose, the mothers nevertheless considered the smell of their child not so disgusting. From an evolutionary point of view, this is logical, as it makes it easier for the mother to take care of the baby. The mechanism of this phenomenon is not completely clear. We can talk about simple addiction, or perhaps the smell of secretions from close relatives is less disgusting to us because of the same intestinal microflora.
Подробнее: «My baby doesn’t smell as bad as yours: The plasticity of disgust»,
2. Experience an orgasm inside the tomograph
The study involved 11 men and 11 women (each participant came with their partner). The subjects lay inside the positron emission tomograph, and the partners brought them to orgasm. The purpose of the study is to study the differences in the activation of the pituitary gland in men and women at the climax. It turned out that in women during orgasm (but not its imitation), the blood flow in the pituitary gland increases, while in men this reaction was not found. Perhaps this is due to the fact that women at the time of orgasm release a large amount of the hormones oxytocin and prolactin, and this process is controlled by the pituitary gland.
Подробнее: «Female orgasm but not male ejaculation activates the pituitary. A PET-neuro-imaging study»,
3. Looking at pictures of delicious food when you’re really hungry.
A group of women (half of whom were obese) fasted for 17 hours, and then, under the supervision of psychologists, the ladies were asked to look at photographs of donuts and chocolate. At the same time, scientists tracked the movements of their eyes and took an electroencephalogram. EEG data from hungry obese women showed that they focused less on food than women with normal weight. Scientists believe that they tried to suppress their interest in food so that they would not eat too much later. Interestingly, this is exactly what happened: in the next part of the study, the subjects were asked to taste snacks, and overweight women ate significantly more.
Подробнее: «Differences in attention to food and food intake between overweight/obese and normal-weight females under conditions of hunger and satiety»,
Read more:
- Experiments set by nature
4. Answer the test questions with a full bladder
Participants were given five glasses of water (about 700 ml) to drink, and after 45 minutes they were asked to answer the questions of a psychological test, in which the choice was either a small amount of money immediately, or a large amount, but later. Participants who were itching to go to the toilet showed more self-control than those in the control group, who were given only a few sips of water to drink. The researchers concluded from this that conscious control of the bladder enhances self-control in other areas as well. This dubious experiment was later awarded the “Ig Nobel Prize.”
Подробнее: Inhibitory Spillover: Increased Urination Urgency Facilitates Impulse Control in Unrelated Domains,
5. Swallow a balloon
To investigate pain, scientists use moderately hot/cold objects or mild electric shocks. In this case, pain inside the body was investigated, and for this, the subjects swallowed (or injected into their noses) balloons, and then the researchers inflated them. The neurotic participants were found to have an increase in parasympathetic nervous system activity (increased heart rate), while in the less neurotic participants it decreased. Perhaps the fact is that in neurotics, pain often causes a “freeze” reaction.
Подробнее: «Exploring relationships for visceral and somatic pain with autonomic control and personality»,