This week, we were supposed to go to Zapatos to see a band on Saturday night, but it was overbooked and ended up being canceled. I had already been to see Blaggards at O'Bannon's on Friday night, so I can talk a bit about that, instead, but I did not take note of much since we were planning to attend a different event for the ethnography.
O'Bannon's was holding an event called St. Blaggards' Day, with Blaggards playing all night. I arrived around 11:00, to find that the bar wasn't very crowded. Most people were sitting or standing around the band. However, many of them were having conversations among themselves and the atmosphere was very tame. By midnight, there were a lot more people there and almost everyone had their attention focused on the band, with some mild dancing occurring. During breaks between songs, the crowd would yell out songs that they wanted to hear or go up to quietly ask the band to play desired songs. For the most part, the band obliged, even playing the Aggie War Hymn to which the audience sang along and sawed em off.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Book Reading #37: Coming of Age in Samoa
Reference Information
Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editor: Harper Perennial, 1928 (1971)
Chapter 13: Our Educational Problems in the Light of Samoan Contrasts
Summary
This chapter summarized all of the topics talked about in previous chapters, comparing the Samoan way of life with the American/English way of life. The author offered suggestions based on these comparisons to improve our way of life, including changing the attitude of keeping children away from birth and death and having larger household conglomerates.
Discussion
While the author made some interesting suggestions that would improve the educational system here, I feel that most people would never agree to them. Generally, people like the way of life and the traditions that come with it that they are currently in. That makes it difficult to make radical changes, such as suddenly letting children be privy to every bit of knowledge available.
Full Blog: Obedience to Authority
Reference Information
Title: Obedience to Authority
Author: Stanley Milgram
Publisher: 2009 Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Summary
Obedience to Authority discussed the shock experiments of Stanley Milgram, and the results of obedience being prevalent. The book thoroughly discussed each of the variations of the experiment and the results of the experiments, including some personal stories of those involved in the experiments. The author even suggested theories about obedience to authority that came about from the results of the experiments.
 |
| The basic premise of the experiment: A subject shocking a victim (actually an actor), at the orders of an experimenter (the authority figure). Source: psychcentral.com |
One of the variations of the experiment was variations of the closeness of the victim, including voice feedback, proximity, and touch-proximity. As the victim was brought closer, obedience increased. Other variations include moving the location of the experiment, giving a heart condition to the victim, changing the personnel and their personalities, altering the closeness of the authority figure, observing women as subjects, limiting contact of the victim, and allowing the subject to choose the level of shock. More experiments change the roles of those involved in it, such as having the learner demand to be shocked, an ordinary person giving orders, the subject as a bystander, the authority as victim, and contradicting authorities. Group effects were considered as well, running experiments with peers that tended to lead to the subject following the same action.
Hierarchical structures of obedience and authority were defined and thoroughly examined, including looking at the cybernetic view of an evolving organism moving from autonomous functioning to functioning within an organization. The factors of authority were also considered, including conditions that cause an individual to enter into an hierarchy of authority and the binding factors that keep them obeying the authority. Strain was also defined and how it factored into the experiment, including factors that generate strain and methods of reducing or eliminating it (such as disobedience). Aggression was also defined, in consideration for being an alternative cause of obedience, but it was ultimately disregarded for the overwhelming idea of authority.
Finally, the author considered criticisms of his experiment, including generalizing the data, having atypical participants in the experiment, and the participants not thinking the victim was actually being shocked. However, Milgram denied each of these, citing experimental results to refute the claims.
Discussion
I found this book to be very interesting. The chapter about Milgram's shock experiment in Opening Skinner's Box was the first that I had heard of this experiment, and I found it very thought-provoking and interesting from there. Because of that, I found it interesting to read about the experiments in more detail. In particular, I liked reading about the many variations of the experiment that occurred, and how each variation affected the results. The idea that the proximity of authority and the influence of peers affected participants' actions so much seems rather pivotal. I know that advertising and such often takes advantage of this, but I wonder how it could be applied in computer science terms? Maybe having "peers" that have already used a confusing piece of software could influence a non-user to also use and enjoy the software. Although that practice would probably just encourage sloppy design.
Book Reading #36: Obedience to Authority
Reference Information
Title: Obedience to Authority
Author: Stanley Milgram
Publisher: 2009 Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Chapter 9: Group Effects
Summary
This chapter discussed how having the subject within a group situation affected obedience. More experiments occurred with this variation, including having 2 peers rebel against the authority and different shock levels and having a peer administer the shocks. Generally, the actions of peers seemed to influence the subjects to follow the peers' actions.
Discussion
I thought this result was to be expected. Peer pressure tends to be fairly strong, so if the subject was among other "subjects", they would be more likely to follow the peers' actions since they would suggest the appropriate action to take for that particular social situation.
Chapter 10: Why Disobedience? An Analysis
Summary
This chapter analyzed the composition of obedience, describing it as an evolved feature necessary for survival. The cybernetic viewpoint was considered, whereby an evolving organism moves from autonomous functioning to a capacity for functioning within an organization. In addition, the hierarchical structure of authority was examined, including the need for an inhibitory mechanism to maintain social order. Finally, the agentic shift was described, whereby the autonomous agent is integrated into the hierarchy of authority.
Discussion
This chapter was really boring and difficult to get through, as it suggested models for describing obedience and authority in a purely theoretical way. Although I agree that the defined terms and theories did help to understand the basis of authority and obedience.
Chapter 11: The Process of Obedience: Applying the Analysis to the Experiment
Summary
This chapter discussed how the theories in the previous chapter related to the actual experiment, serving to analyze the results found in the experiments. Antecedent conditions were described, being the conditions under which a person will move from being an autonomous individual to the agentic state of being under someone else's authority (includes family, institutional settings, and rewards). Consequences and binding factors (what keeps a person in the state of obedience). The agentic state was better defined, as well.
Discussion
This chapter seemed a lot like the previous chapter, although I found the properties that lead a person to the agentic state and the factors that keep them there to be very interesting. In particular, the binding factors seemed to be a good explanation for why an individual would not disobey in the experiment, despite common belief.
Chapter 12: Strain and Disobedience
Summary
This chapter defined strain and how it links to obedience, including the factors within the experiment that generate strain (cries of pain from the victim, administering pain), and how such strain could be reduced or resolved (disobedience, avoidance, denial, subterfuge, physical conversion, dissent). Ultimately, disobedience completely resolves the strain created by the experiment.
Discussion
I found this discussion of strain within the experiment to be particularly interesting. I would not think that disobedience would completely remove strain, so I thought it was interesting that the author believed it would.
Chapter 13: An Alternative Theory: Is Aggression Key?
Summary
This chapter discussed the possibility of aggression being the cause of obedience instead of the need to obey an authority. The idea is that people would take advantage of the situation, seeing it as an opportunity to cause harm to another without breaking social contracts due to its contributions to science. Ultimately, the author proves that this is not case citing evidence from the experiments, including the fact that when given the choice of shocking strength, most people would use the lower levels.
Discussion
I agree that aggression should be considered as a cause of obedience, but it seems that, for the most part, it was not the case. Milgram presented many instances from the experiments where violence did not seem to be the cause of action, and they all seemed to be plausible.
Chapter 14: Problems of Method
Summary
This chapter discussed criticisms that the public had with the experiment, including the claims that the people that were studied were atypical, they didn't believe they were administering actual shocks, and that it is not possible to generalize from the lab to the real world. However, the author presented refuting arguments for each of these claims, using experimental evidence from both his experiment and others to prove they were false. Finally, the author compared the findings of his experiment to Nazi Germany.
Discussion
The criticisms listed were problems that I also thought of while reading about the experiment, but I agree that, after having read the results and the author's claims, the criticisms seem to be false.
Paper Reading #16: Performance Optimizations of Virtual Keyboards for Stroke-Based Text Entry on a Touch-Based Tabletop
Comments
Paola Garza
Zack Henkel
Reference Information
Title: Performance Optimizations of Virtual Keyboards for Stroke-Based Text Entry on a Touch-Based Tabletop
Author: Jochen Rick
When/Where: UIST 2010
Summary
This paper discussed finding an efficient keyboard solution for table-top touch devices. The solution suggested is shape writing, which is where the user strokes through all of the letters in the word on a virtual keyboard without ever lifting his finger. The problem is that table-top touch devices are used differently than a normal computer, with the user generally standing up, looking down at the surface. Physical keyboards are impractical, and the QWERTY keyboard layout is inefficient, since the hands cannot be rested on the surface to type. Because of this, stroke-based virtual keyboards are a viable alternative.
The author discussed different keyboard layouts, and then conducted a user study to examine how people would complete stroke sequences. From this, a mathematical model was created using Fitts's Law. Then, adjustments were made to existing keyboard layouts in order to evaluate the usage of each. This study showed that a layout optimized for one purpose might be very problematic when applied to a different purpose. From the data retrieved by evaluating each keyboard layout, a new and improved layout was designed using a simulated annealing process with hill climbing.
All in all, it was determined that getting people to adopt a new keyboard layout is difficult, since it requires a learning process, whereas most people are already familiar with the QWERTY layout. However, with the introduction of new technologies, such as interactive tabletops, there is an opportunity to introduce a new keyboard layout or even new typing methods to improve performance and have a better chance of being widely accepted.
Discussion
This paper was rather difficult to get through, since it was mostly mathematical evaluations of designs that are difficult to conceptualize if you have not seen them before. However, I believe that there were some very good points raised. For instance, while there are many keyboard layouts that improve upon the QWERTY layout, most people have become accustomed to using it and are therefore unwilling to switch to a new system. However, with new technologies, new methods can be introduced without requiring a large learning curve. Therefore, I like the paper's suggestion that we develop new typing methods for new technologies. I believe this should be kept in mind when designing new devices.
Paola Garza
Zack Henkel
Reference Information
Title: Performance Optimizations of Virtual Keyboards for Stroke-Based Text Entry on a Touch-Based Tabletop
Author: Jochen Rick
When/Where: UIST 2010
Summary
This paper discussed finding an efficient keyboard solution for table-top touch devices. The solution suggested is shape writing, which is where the user strokes through all of the letters in the word on a virtual keyboard without ever lifting his finger. The problem is that table-top touch devices are used differently than a normal computer, with the user generally standing up, looking down at the surface. Physical keyboards are impractical, and the QWERTY keyboard layout is inefficient, since the hands cannot be rested on the surface to type. Because of this, stroke-based virtual keyboards are a viable alternative.
 |
| Various keyboard layouts. Source: Paper |
All in all, it was determined that getting people to adopt a new keyboard layout is difficult, since it requires a learning process, whereas most people are already familiar with the QWERTY layout. However, with the introduction of new technologies, such as interactive tabletops, there is an opportunity to introduce a new keyboard layout or even new typing methods to improve performance and have a better chance of being widely accepted.
Discussion
This paper was rather difficult to get through, since it was mostly mathematical evaluations of designs that are difficult to conceptualize if you have not seen them before. However, I believe that there were some very good points raised. For instance, while there are many keyboard layouts that improve upon the QWERTY layout, most people have become accustomed to using it and are therefore unwilling to switch to a new system. However, with new technologies, new methods can be introduced without requiring a large learning curve. Therefore, I like the paper's suggestion that we develop new typing methods for new technologies. I believe this should be kept in mind when designing new devices.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Book Reading #35: Coming of Age in Samoa
Reference Information
Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editor: Harper Perennial, 1928 (1971)
Chapter 12: Maturity and Old Age
Summary
This chapter discussed how maturity affects an individual in society, including how their role changes as they age. Obtaining titles is generally important to the men, and happens all throughout life; however, the author states that a woman's greatest accomplishment is her first born child. It is the woman's responsibility to teach the younger people of the household common activities, and for the old aged people, there is no longer any regard for taboos.
Discussion
I found it interesting that at an old age, people are allowed to disregard the taboos they have been following since they were children. In addition, I found it amusing that the author noted that there is no conflict between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law like in our culture, but it is just a relationship of respect for authority.
Book Reading #34: Obedience to Authority
Reference Information
Title: Obedience to Authority
Author: Stanley Milgram
Publisher: 2009 Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Chapter 1: The Dilemma of Obedience
Summary
This chapter discussed the term obedience and the system of authority, where obedience is defined as the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. The shock experiment is described, along with factors that bind people to authority.
Discussion
This chapter provided a good introduction to the topic, although the description of the shock experiment was already known to me due to Opening Skinner's Box. I like that the term obedience was defined.
Chapter 2: Method of Inquiry
Summary
This chapter discussed the methods of the shock experiment. To achieve simplicity for studying obedience, he described the need to have a situation where one person orders another person to perform an action and to note when obedience occurs or doesn't occur. The method of obtaining participants was described, including the need to not use undergraduates due to the possibility of leaking information. The methods of obtaining personel and a location were discussed, along with the actual procedure and evaluation methods, in detail.
Discussion
I find it interesting that Milgrim so carefully thought out each aspect of this experiment, including each part of the procedure, the personalities of those playing along in the experiment, and how to let the participant know what had actually happened. I especially like that undergrads weren't used just for their convenience, but that others were sought out due to the experiment's needs.
Chapter 3: Expected Behavior
Summary
This chapter discussed the need for a prior hypothesis in order to have a baseline of what people expect the results of the experiment to be. An audience was told of the experiment, then asked to make predictions about the results and to describe how both they, and others, would act in such a situation. They explained that most people would not continue shocking very far, since their reactions were from sources of empathy and justice, as opposed to insight into the situation itself.
Discussion
I thought it was very interesting that they thought to receive feedback on what others thought the results would be, instead of just using the researchers' opinions for the baseline hypothesis. I believe that this would lead to much more reliable predictions, or at least a better impression of what society believes would occur in such a situation.
Chapter 4: Closeness of the Victim
Summary
This chapter discussed variations of the closeness of the victim, and how that affected results of the experiment. This included voice feedback, proximity, and touch-proximity. As the victim was brought closer, obedience decreased. Still, the results differed from those that were expected, including the level of tension created by the experiment.
Discussion
I think it's rather strange that the experimenters had not predicted a high level of tension that would result from this experiment. They were tricking people into thinking they were shocking someone to death by order of someone with a higher authority, of course there would be tension!
Chapter 5: Individuals Confront Authority
Summary
This chapter focused on the individuals who took part in the study, since each person's experience was unique to them. Because of this, the researchers relied heavily on participants' own comments and assertions about the experiment to determine behavior. Specific individuals and there reactions were discussed.
Discussion
I found it rather disturbing that one of the participants started laughing uncontrollably as he followed orders and shocked the victim. But in general, I liked getting to read about the way different people experienced the experiment. It made it more personal and more about the reactions than just reading general, numerical results.
Chapter 6: Further Variations and Controls
Summary
This chapter discussed further variations that were used for experiments, including moving the location of the experiment, giving a heart condition to the victim, changing personnel, altering the closeness of the authority, observing women as subjects, limiting contact of the victim, and allowing the subject to choose the level of shock.
Discussion
The fact that they conducted a separate experiment just to observe the reactions of women was interesting, especially since there was not much of a difference in results. In particular, I found it interesting that the proximity of the authority figure seemed to alter the results the most.
Chapter 7: Individuals Confront Authority II
Summary
This chapter discussed the experiences and results of individuals for the second set of experiments. Most of the individuals were women, and the results were once again very different and pertained to personal thoughts and experiences related to the experiment.
Discussion
Once again, I liked getting to read about individual experiences. I find it interesting that every person has their own justification about why they did what they did, and that most of them seem to make sense.
Chapter 8: Role Permutations
Summary
This chapter discussed the elements of position, status, and action, and how varying each leads to different results. More experiment variations were discussed, these involving changes in the roles of the people taking part in the experiment. These included the learner demanding to be shocked, an ordinary person giving orders, the subject as a bystander, the authority as a victim, contradictory authorities, and one authority as a victim with another leading the experiment.
Discussion
I found the level of acting and manipulating necessary to achieve some of these experiments rather astounding, and I wonder how that itself may have affected the results. However, I also found it interesting that the authority seemed to be the dominating factor in behavior, and that with multiple authorities, the subject would listen to the one that seemed to have the most power.
Title: Obedience to Authority
Author: Stanley Milgram
Publisher: 2009 Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Chapter 1: The Dilemma of Obedience
Summary
This chapter discussed the term obedience and the system of authority, where obedience is defined as the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose. The shock experiment is described, along with factors that bind people to authority.
Discussion
This chapter provided a good introduction to the topic, although the description of the shock experiment was already known to me due to Opening Skinner's Box. I like that the term obedience was defined.
Chapter 2: Method of Inquiry
Summary
This chapter discussed the methods of the shock experiment. To achieve simplicity for studying obedience, he described the need to have a situation where one person orders another person to perform an action and to note when obedience occurs or doesn't occur. The method of obtaining participants was described, including the need to not use undergraduates due to the possibility of leaking information. The methods of obtaining personel and a location were discussed, along with the actual procedure and evaluation methods, in detail.
Discussion
I find it interesting that Milgrim so carefully thought out each aspect of this experiment, including each part of the procedure, the personalities of those playing along in the experiment, and how to let the participant know what had actually happened. I especially like that undergrads weren't used just for their convenience, but that others were sought out due to the experiment's needs.
Chapter 3: Expected Behavior
Summary
This chapter discussed the need for a prior hypothesis in order to have a baseline of what people expect the results of the experiment to be. An audience was told of the experiment, then asked to make predictions about the results and to describe how both they, and others, would act in such a situation. They explained that most people would not continue shocking very far, since their reactions were from sources of empathy and justice, as opposed to insight into the situation itself.
Discussion
I thought it was very interesting that they thought to receive feedback on what others thought the results would be, instead of just using the researchers' opinions for the baseline hypothesis. I believe that this would lead to much more reliable predictions, or at least a better impression of what society believes would occur in such a situation.
Chapter 4: Closeness of the Victim
Summary
This chapter discussed variations of the closeness of the victim, and how that affected results of the experiment. This included voice feedback, proximity, and touch-proximity. As the victim was brought closer, obedience decreased. Still, the results differed from those that were expected, including the level of tension created by the experiment.
Discussion
I think it's rather strange that the experimenters had not predicted a high level of tension that would result from this experiment. They were tricking people into thinking they were shocking someone to death by order of someone with a higher authority, of course there would be tension!
Chapter 5: Individuals Confront Authority
Summary
This chapter focused on the individuals who took part in the study, since each person's experience was unique to them. Because of this, the researchers relied heavily on participants' own comments and assertions about the experiment to determine behavior. Specific individuals and there reactions were discussed.
Discussion
I found it rather disturbing that one of the participants started laughing uncontrollably as he followed orders and shocked the victim. But in general, I liked getting to read about the way different people experienced the experiment. It made it more personal and more about the reactions than just reading general, numerical results.
Chapter 6: Further Variations and Controls
Summary
This chapter discussed further variations that were used for experiments, including moving the location of the experiment, giving a heart condition to the victim, changing personnel, altering the closeness of the authority, observing women as subjects, limiting contact of the victim, and allowing the subject to choose the level of shock.
Discussion
The fact that they conducted a separate experiment just to observe the reactions of women was interesting, especially since there was not much of a difference in results. In particular, I found it interesting that the proximity of the authority figure seemed to alter the results the most.
Chapter 7: Individuals Confront Authority II
Summary
This chapter discussed the experiences and results of individuals for the second set of experiments. Most of the individuals were women, and the results were once again very different and pertained to personal thoughts and experiences related to the experiment.
Discussion
Once again, I liked getting to read about individual experiences. I find it interesting that every person has their own justification about why they did what they did, and that most of them seem to make sense.
Chapter 8: Role Permutations
Summary
This chapter discussed the elements of position, status, and action, and how varying each leads to different results. More experiment variations were discussed, these involving changes in the roles of the people taking part in the experiment. These included the learner demanding to be shocked, an ordinary person giving orders, the subject as a bystander, the authority as a victim, contradictory authorities, and one authority as a victim with another leading the experiment.
Discussion
I found the level of acting and manipulating necessary to achieve some of these experiments rather astounding, and I wonder how that itself may have affected the results. However, I also found it interesting that the authority seemed to be the dominating factor in behavior, and that with multiple authorities, the subject would listen to the one that seemed to have the most power.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)