Study A
π©βπ(undergraduates)
β are invited for a study about suicide
β are presents pair of ππ(suicide notes):
(one had been composed by a random individual. The other by a person who had subsequently taken his own life)
Goal: distinguish between the genuine and the fake π.
β were divided into two groups. High score group on average discerned no more effectively than low score group.
π©βπ(high score group) is told that they discovered the real π 24/25 times
π©βπ(low score group) is told that they discovered the real π 10/25 times.
(as is often the case with psychological studiesβthe scores were fictitious.)
Midway through the study,
π©βπ¬(researchers) β π©βπ(both groups): βIt was all deception. The point of the experiment was to gauge your responses to thinking you right and wrong. Now, estimate how many π you had actually categorized correctly, and how many you thought an average student would get right
At this point, something curious happened.
π©βπ(high score group) scores showed βWe have done quite well, significantly better than the average student. (even though, theyβd just been told, they had zero grounds for believing this)
Conversely:
π©βπ(low score group) scores showed βWe have done done significantly worse than the averageβ (a conclusion that was equally unfounded)
Study B
π©βπ(a new set of students) are recruited for a related study:
β are handed π(packets of information) about a pair of firefighters, π©βπ(Frank) and π©βπ(George)
π included the menβs responses on what the researchers called the Risky-Conservative Choice Test.
π(packet A) π©βπ(Frank): is a successful firefighter who, on the test, almost always went with the safest option.
π(packet B) π©βπ(Frank) also chose the safest option, but he was a lousy firefighter whoβd been put βon reportβ by his supervisors several times.
Midway through the study,
π©βπ are informed that they have been mislead been misled, and that the information theyβd received was entirely fictitious.
β are asked to describe their own beliefs. What sort of attitude toward risk did they think a successful π©βπ would have?
π©βπ(whoβd received the π(version A)) thought that he would avoid it.
β (whoβd received the π(version B)) thought heβd embrace it.
Conclusion
Impressions, once formed, are remarkably perseverant.
(this were studies made in Standford in 1970s. Thousands of subsequent experiments have confirmed (and elaborated on) this finding. became famous.)