Do people Beilieve Everything they read?

I am currently conducting a social experiment based on how much people believe what they read in the media, even with the knowledge that some of the information is false. I am very excited to see how my experiment will turn out in a couple of days...

Hypothesis:
It can be assumed, based on convincing false advertisements in the media, that people often believe everything they read, providing that it posses ample supporting evidence and/or examples. When informed that some information in a factual piece has been falsified, subjects will highlight the topics with less information backing them up, and assume them to be false. It can also be assumed that subjects will also accept questionable material as true, as long as there is enough supporting evidence, no matter how absurd the "fact" may seem.

Method:
To present a partially true document that is altered with some convincing false information. This Survey group will have as little as ten subjects and as many as twenty-five. Each subject will be given two highlighters; one colour will be for true information and the other will be for false information. If material is questionable, the subject will be asked to underline the information with which ever colour they feel it sways more towards(true/false).

In the end I intend to uncover just how gullable people are; and also bring awareness to the many website pages that appear to be factual but are really teaching students and teachers the wrong material or a one sides opinion as opposed to the actual facts.

I expect to have a lot of fun with this experiment and really convince people of things that are very untrue.

Here is the factual sample of what the experimental piece may be:

New Breed of Roach in N.Y.C.

Like an episode from the popular television series, CSI: NY, two high school seniors sought to identify hundreds of specimens that they had collected throughout Manhattan. Their goal? To identify the species by analyzing at a small portion of their DNA using a technique known as "DNA barcoding." As a method for quickly identifying species, DNA barcoding has become increasingly more accepted within the previous six year. The two investigators made a number surprising discoveries using DNA barcoding, including mislabeled food items, and -- most astonishing of all -- the discovery of a species of cockroach that is new to science. The insect, which looks like the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, a widespread pest in NYC and other large cities, turned out to have a different "DNA barcode" from that species.
"It's genetically distinct from all the other cockroaches in the database," said investigator Brenda Tan. Ms. Tan, a senior at Manhattan's Trinity School, who worked on the project, along with fellow classmate Matt Cost. Professor Stoeckle, a medical doctor who conducts genomic and DNA barcoding research at Rockefeller University, supervised Ms. Tan and Mr. Cost. "[Closely-related] species don't differ [by] more than one percent, [while] this cockroach is four percent different," agreed Professor Mark Stoeckle. "This suggests it is a new species of cockroach."
To conduct this study, Ms. Tan and Mr. Cost collected a total of 217 specimens between November 2008 and March 2009. They rummaged around in supermarkets, streets and in New York apartments, including that of Professor Stoeckle, where they found the new cockroach species.
"The superintendent of the apartment building was surprised when we wanted to save rather than squash the cockroach," remarked Ms. Tan.
After the specimens were collected, they were photographed and labeled before their DNA was isolated and sequenced by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History.

Milgram's Behavioral Study of Obedience

Stanley Milgram (August 15, 1933 – December 20, 1984) was an American social psychologist most notable for his controversial study known as the "Behavioral study of Obedience."

In his study Milgram used a decoy actor on one side of a wall, who was supposedly hooked up to a machine designed to dispense a series of shocks ranging from mild to lethal dosages.

On the other side of the wall there was a volunteer experimenter. This person was designated to read a series of words through a microphone leading to the other side of the wall. The individual supposedly hooked up to the machine was told to repeat what ever the experimenter read to them; the list of words increasing in length as the process went on. With each incorrect repetition of words that person would receive a shock, increasing in voltage with each wrong answer.

The experimenter was able to hear banging on the walls and the shrieks of their victims as the voltage raised to horribly painful volumes. Yet still the experimenter was bound to a signed contract that stated they must continue the experiment all the way to the end. These volunteers were told by the doctor that this experiment was being used to train the brain to increase memory capacity. However the real experiment was to see just how far people would go when given strict instructions from authority. Milgram wanted to see how powerful the conscience was when influenced by higher authority.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Milgram [May24 2010]) In this experiment, 37 out of 40 participants administered the full range of shocks up to 450 volts, the highest obedience rate Milgram found in his whole series. In this variation, the actual subject did not pull the shock lever; instead he only conveyed information to the experimenter, who pulled the lever. Thus, according to Milgram, the subject shifts responsibility to another person and does not blame themself for what happens. This resembles real-life incidents in which people see themselves as merely cogs in a machine, just "doing their job," allowing them to avoid responsibility for the consequences of their actions. The shocks themselves were fake, the participant who took the place as the 'learner' in the experiment was in fact a paid actor who would simulate the effects of the shock depending on the voltage. Milgram became very notorious for this tactic, and his experiment was soon classed as highly unethical as it caused stress to the participants in the study.

This experiment was displayed again reicently in a France documentary, where this experiment was simulated as a game show. According to the documentary, we have certainly not evolved our personal ethics, as almost the exact same result was proven. In my opinion this is a very sad realization to discover about the human race.

Christine Forler

Horror Films
By Christine Forler

History

Horror is an ancient form of story telling. People have attempted to terrify each other with tales that trigger the less logical parts of our imaginations for as long as we’ve told stories. During the silent film era is where the first depictions of supernatural occurrences took place in script. A film by Georges Melies, in the late 1890s called "Le Manoir du Diable", is often considered the first ever horror film. Its meaning in English is "The House of the Devil".
It wasn’t until the early 1930's that horror films really became popularized. The break out of this genre resulted in famous classic productions like "Dracula" and "Frankenstein"; both produced in 1931. Following these two renowned films came "Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde"(1931) as well as "Mystery of the Wax Museum"(1933). Into the 1940s came "The Wolf Man"(1941) and many more sequels to Frankenstein, as well as The Body Snatcher(1945).
Horror films continued to develop over the years using the massive the growth of technology to aid in the genre’s ever growing popularity. Horror films have grown more and more terrifying, due to technology that can show us the best in camera angles, costumes, gore, graphics, jolts and spectacular settings.

Genre Conventions

Setting- The setting of a horror film begins with a neutral territory, where the characters are very unaware and have a sense of security. Throughout the movie characters are taken, chased and scared away from this safe environment into an environment completely foreign to them; often an empty or unpopulated area, where screams cannot be heard.
Stereotypical Characters-
villain/monster/antagonist -the pursuer
hero/victim/protagonist -the pursued
damsel in distress -the pursued
Horror film characters must always have their wits about them in order to escape from the evil villain who is surely out to kill them. The villain’s motive for killing often derives from revenge, childhood trauma, or mental disorders.
Stereotypes that happen too often-
a) The main character is continuously brave enough (or stupid enough) to follow every spooky noise, scream, or weird movement that they hear, then they act surprised when they're attacked by a psycho.
b) The killer is "killed" by the hero. But instead of making sure the killer is dead, the hero runs away, letting the killer come "back to life."
c) The car never works when they try to escape.
d) The attractive young woman always has half of her clothes ripped off, and she always dies first.(especially if she’s a cheerleader)
e) When being chased someone always falls down. (trips on a tree root)


Plot
-Often horror films begin calm and then something happens that brings them into the setting where the antagonist finds them and pursues them. This setting change could be caused by the protagonist moving, going on a road trip, being given a new job assignment, or visiting family/friends etc.
- There is always a major turning point in the movie where the protagonist has a revolution, stops running, and comes up with a clever way to fight back.
- In the end a lot of damage is done, many people are killed, yet the protagonist survives. The villain is assumed dead, how ever it isn’t certain.

Content

-violence
-gore
-fighting
-conflict
-terror (crying)
-unusual weapons
-severe injury
-death
-bittersweet victory

Top 10 "Must See" Horror Films

1. The Shining (1980)
2. Frankenstein (1931)
3. The Exorcist (1973)
4. Friday the Thirteenth (1980)
5. Night of the Dead (1968)
6. Holloween (1978)
7. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
8. The Wicker Man (1973)
9. The Hunting in Connecticut (2002)
10. Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Top Five Villain Actors in Horror
1. Nick Castle as Micheal Myers (Halloween)
2. Robert Englund as Freddy Kruger (Nightmare on Elm Street)
3. Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
4. Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
5. Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)

One fun fact

Over 160 actors have played Count Dracula in the movies, more than any other horror character.


Bibliography
Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horror_film,April 15 2010
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080901135211AAIFOME ,Canada: copyright 2010
http://www.horrorfilmhistory.com/ ,New York: copyright 2010

Crime as a Function in Society (How it Works)
Essay by Christine Forler

For years people have constantly disputed why we have crime in society, and how we can stop it. However the truth is that crime is needed in society, and further more there is no possible way to completely extinguish crime in the world without upsetting the fragile balance.
According to functionalism, crime is described as an important function in society, and without it there would be no equilibrium (balance); thus, world powers would become distorted.

Auguste Comte (sociologist) created and supported the theory that if one institution declines in importance, another will emerge to fill the void. This point can be proven with functionalist views, in the way that everything in society functions as organic unit, much like the human body. Every organ in the society must be functioning properly and in balance in order hold the whole system together. For instance, in the world of crime and justice, criminals case law enforcers to demonstrate the severity and power of the law; as others witness this power, they learn not to follow the same criminal actions of others. Furthermore, criminals not only set an example of what not to do, they set a standard of crime control for police in each city, town, province, and country. They give the police an idea of what kind of crime prevention or control is needed.

There will always be people willing to break the law, so there will always be people needed to uphold it. This means there will always be thousands of jobs guaranteed for upholding the law and protecting people from criminals. For example police officers, home security agencies, and insurance companies. Therefore, over all, it can be stated that a steady level of crime is needed to make a properly functioning society.

If we look at crime in society according to Sigmund Freud’s (psychology) theory of the id the ego and the super ego, we can gather that not only does crime create an equilibrium in society, but it also explains the broad variety of each individual human mind; and how some minds are conditioned to a life of crime.

Looking at Freud’s theory, we are all mentally meant to poses a strong super-ego (the social consciousness that thinks and worries about the "other"), Id (the unconscious drive for pleasure that is not concerned with consequences, and lives in the moment), and ego (the conscious mediator, balancing the Id and super-ego).

Freud’s theory of the Id, the ego, and the super-ego can be applied to a human’s personal reality, and what coping mechanisms can cause this reality to shift. For example, denying something is true in order to avoid the anxiety of the truth, may go on for too long until the individual is not able to differentiate between truth and lie. This shows the imbalance between the Id and the super ego, and how the drive to satisfy and protect one’s self is prevailing over what is good and moral. This imbalance creates a shift in the individual’s own reality. If more and more defence mechanisms are overused for an extended amount of time, the brain will do what ever it takes to save it’s self from insanity, though it can only be pushed so far. Just like anything, if a defence mechanism is used too strenuously, something in the brain will snap, causing a negative ripple effect on the individual’s sanity. This theory can prove that some individuals, depending on the strength of the mind, can be conditioned to snap and cause all kinds of negative consequences, such as crime. Over all this means that crime will always exist in society, as some humans are conditioned to become criminals.

From an anthropological view point it can be said that society (especially the media) is to blame for crime rates, and that in a way crime is socially acceptable. This can be proven by looking at various cultural groups and comparing them to each other, based on social "norms" and social expectations.

A very important point made by anthropologist Margret Mead is that our personalities are largely influenced by the society we live in. This observation was made by comparing American adolescence to those of Samoan (African country) culture. Mead concluded that American were raised to compete against each other, as life is a "constant battle" to the top. Americans are raised in a world that says respect is the most important tool you can poses, and with respect you can attain what ever you desire. However, American media and culture states that respect is gained through intimidation. Intimidation comes in the form of being bigger, stronger and smarter. Intimidation can also come in the form of a gun or weapon, for those who are not bigger, stronger, or smarter. For instance, take the case of Columbine; The outcasted students stood up to the jocks with guns, and for once had their "respect" and an authority over them.
Mead also concluded that Samoans were taught to co-operate in order to make the best of what little they had. The Samoan culture was aware that they needed each other in order to survive, which is something the Americans lost track of, as society has taught them to focus on themselves, and getting what they want out of life. This observation is very important in terms of crime in society, as it shows the motivation for crime is the idea of dominance and possessing the respect of others.

Overall, it can be stated that crime is needed in society, in order to maintain balance and social order. It can also be stated that with social and mental standards that exist today, there is no possible way to completely eliminate crime from the world, let alone one country. This means that there is no possible government or law enforcement that can be implicated to make all the worries of the world go away. Humans need to accept that crime will always be a part of society, just as there will always be authority to protect them from criminals.

Psychological and Sociological Impacts of Madia on Personal Perception

By: Christine Forler
This media image causes the viewer to focus all their attention on the way the celebrities appear; this is because of the eye-catching phrase "who’s Hot and who’s Not?" The viewer immediately searches for shocking images of celebrities looking unlike they do in photo chutes. Comparing themselves to negative images cause the viewer to feel better about their own body image; However, at the same time the viewer subconsciously gathers that if they do not look like the so called "Hot" image then they are most certainly "Not."
Psychologically, viewers are aware that they possess rationale that can interpret media and pick out the negative messages. Viewers are also aware that they should be cautiously aware of media adds that cause negative self esteem. But what happens when the subconscious is consistently bombarded with thousands of negative messages based on negative self image, every single day? The human mind can not maintain a constant state of alert, in order to interpret a constant flow of negative messages.
The impact of the media on our personal perception is gradual degradation. With every negative media message that a viewer buys into, their resistance weakens and the subconscious becomes trained to blindly seek and buy into these massages, without hesitation.
Karl Marx’s theory of class conflict can help explain why there is far more negative media than positive, or why negative media continues to grow and grow while knowledge to analyze falls by the wayside. Marx’s theory explains that the driving force behind society is the struggle for power and wealth. In terms of media’s influence, the power is in the constant bombardment of negative media adds and the wealth behind celebrities is what is able to influence the media’s content. So as long as there are powerful people to lead these negative messages, viewers will continue to buy into them.
Until there are more people in the media willing to send a positive message based on body image, the ratio between negative and positive media will always sway towards the negative. The rich and powerful will continue to sell useless products and rake in the profit; all the while plummeting you and your children’s self esteem deep into obscurity. Are we really that powerless?