Taylor's University Lakeside Campus FNBE 02/14 Social Psychology Social Experiment

1. !
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ASSIGNMENT 3: RESEARCH REPORT!
GROUP MEMBERS: SHERLYN ANG TSE YUN ( 0317977 )!
LOH WEI SHUEN ( 0317896 )!
LIM JIE QI ( 0318313 )!
ONG CHIA HONG ( 0318458 )!
SYED ASWAD AL JAFFREE BIN SYED SOBRI ( 0318625 )!
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GROUP/ SESSION: MONDAY 4 -7 PM!
COURSE: FOUNDATION IN NATURAL & BUILD ENVIRONMENT!
SUBJECT: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY ( PSYC0103 ) !
LECTURER: T. SHANKAR!
SUBMISSION DATE: 8TH DECEMBER 2014
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2. TABLE OF CONTENT!
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TITLE PAGE
1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1
2. INTRODUCTION 2
3. METHOD!
- Apparatus/ Materials!
- Procedure
3 - 4
4. DISCUSSION 5 - 6
5. REFERENCES 7
6. APPENDIX 8 - 9

3. !
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT!
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First and foremost, we would like to thank our lecturer, Mr Shankar for his
valuable guidance and advice throughout this assignment. He inspired us
greatly to work in this assignment. His willingness to motivate us contributed
tremendously to our assignment. We also would like to thank the participants
involved in this assignment for their cooperation and understandings.

4. !
INTRODUCTION!
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In a group of five, we were required to conduct a social psychology conceptual
video clip and required to do a presentation. Group conceptual topics are based on
integrating theory to the practical. We are encouraged to use materials and theories
from various topics taught and discussed in class. !
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The objective of this project are to allow students to implement the concepts and
theories learned in class to practical environments and to let students to be able to
conduct a simple social psychology experiment. Furthermore, enhance teamwork
ability and leadership within a group of students. This project also allow students to
apply critical thinking in application of real world experiences.!
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As for our group, we carried out various social experiments that related to five
concepts which are stereotype, mere exposure effect, fear-based appeals,
bystander effect and bias.

5. !
METHOD!
(a) Apparatus/ Materials!
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Laptop: Slides that we prepared which include pictures of different races
of local and international students were showed to participants in order
to let them see clearly and make choices from the pictures shown.!
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Camera: A DSLR camera is used to record video and the experiments
that we have carried out.!
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Smartphone: We used smartphone to record the participants’ voice as a
more accurate and reliable method of documentation.!
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Wallet and papers: Both of the items were accidentally dropped to carry
out social experiment which is to test the participants whether they are
willing to help out.!
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6. (b) Procedures!
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1. Confirming five concepts!
A meeting was conducted to discuss the concepts that will be used in our
conceptual video. After discussion, the concepts we had chosen were mere
exposure effect, fear-based appeals, bystander effect, bias and stereotype.!
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2. Planning social experiments!
After figuring out the concepts that will be used in our video, each of us came
out with some ideas on the experiments. For mere exposure effect and fear-based
appeals concept, we will ask smokers for their opinions towards
picture-based warning labels on cigarette packs. As for bystander effect, our
group member, Aswad will pretend that he drop his wallet and the other group
member, Chia Hong will act as a thief who steals Aswad’s wallet. The
purpose of this social experiment is to test the willingness of passerby to lend
a hand. Furthermore, for bias and stereotype, we will again ask paticipants’
opinion on which group of students they are more likely to group with in a
group assignment based on different races of local and international students.!
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3. Shooting conceptual video!
We shot the video all around campus. The video shooting has taken place at
Syopz Mall, in front of library, beside The Grand Hall and classroom of Block
E.!
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4. Writing a report!
One of our group member wrote a report based on the format given by
lecturer.!
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7. DISCUSSION!
We have included five concepts in this conceptual video which comprise of
concepts of mere exposure effect, fear-based appeals, bystander effect, bias
and stereotype.!
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1. Mere Exposure Effect is a psychological phenomenon whereby people
feel a preference for people or things simply because they are familiar.
Also known as the exposure effect and the familiarity principle. This
concept was demonstrated in our video where most of the smokers felt
much better towards picture-based warning labels on the cigarette packs
compared to last few years. They found it scary at first but after some time
they got used to it.!
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2. Fear-based Appeals in advertising is a message that is designed to
scare the intended audience by describing a serious threat to them. The
advertising tactic is to motivate the intended audience to engage or not
engage in certain behaviour based upon a fear. For instance, health
messages on cigarette packages deliver important information directly to
smokers. The message is repeated and reinforced every time a smoker
reaches for a cigarette. Smokers believe these messages more and
remember them better than they do public education campaigns.!
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3. Bystander Effect occurs when the presence of others hinders an
individual from intervening in an emergency situation. When there is an
emergency, the more bystanders there are, the less likely it is that any of
them will actually help. Pluralistic ignorance is where they assume nothing
is wrong because nobody else looks concerned. In the video, we have
carried out experiments based on this concept. One of the experiments
was that we have ester the willingness of passer-by to help out whey they
witness someone steals another person’s wallet. The result was the
passer-by didn't actually help out, instead they only point and stare at the
situation.!

8. 4. Bias is an inclination of temperament or outlook to present or hold a
partial perspective, often accompanied by a refused to even consider the
possible merits of alternative points of view. People may be biased toward
or against an individual, a race, a religion, a social class, a political party,
or a species. Biased means one-sided, lacking a neutral viewpoint, not
having an open mind. Bias can come in many forms and is often
considered to be synonymous with prejudice or bigotry. We have used
this concept in our video, we ask participants’ for their opinions whether
they are more likely to group with local or international students for a
group assignment. The results were however, varied depending on the
individual. !
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5. Stereotype is a thought that can be adopted about specific types of
individuals or certain ways of doing things. These thoughts or beliefs may
or may not accurately reflect reality. By stereotyping we infer that a person
has a whole range of characteristics and abilities that we assume all
members of that group have. Stereotypes lead to social categorisation,
which is one of the reasons for prejudice attitudes which leads to in-groups
and out-groups. For instance, we investigate stereotypes by
preparing pictures of different group and races of local and international
students in order to let participants to choose which are the students they
would be more willing to group with in a group assignment.!
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9. !
REFERENCES!
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Fournier, G. (2010). Mere Exposure Effect. Retrieved from December 6,
2014, from Psych Central: http://psychcentral.com/encyclopedia/2009/mere-exposure-
effect/ !
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Grimsley, S. (2013). Fear Appeal in Advertising: Theory, Examples & Quiz.
Retrieved from December 6, 2014, from Education Portal: http://education-portal.
com/academy/lesson/fear-appeal-in-advertising-theory-examples-quiz.
html#lesson!
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Latané and Darley (1970). Bystander Effect: Retrieved from December 6,
2014, from Changing Minds: http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/
bystander_effect.htm!
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McLeod, S.A. (2008). Stereotypes. Retrieved from December 6, 2014, from
Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/katz-braly.html

10. APPENDIX!
Our group member, Aswad is asking the participants for their opinions
on picture-based warning labels on the cigarette packs.
Bystander Effect- Altruistic model