Graffiti and Tearing55: Designed by Norlander et al…
““Graffiti and Tearing55: Designed by Norlander et al. (1998) participants are given an illustration of "Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise" and are told to draw or doodle on it (hence the "graffiti” part.) Next, they are given an illustration of "Samson and the Lion" which, theoretically, is intended to provoke participants to exhibit aggressiveness. The participants are told to tear apart that image into little pieces. The number of graffitis and their content (if sexual or violent) and the bits and pieces from the second image are the dependent variable (i.e. the thing being measured,) and, allegedly, an indicator of aggression. The experiment can be adapted to study the influence of sex differences, alcohol consumed before the experiment, or any variable you can imagine (like having played video games before the experiment.)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Participants' drawings and tearing of images are used to measure aggression, potentially affected by variables like sex, alcohol, or video game play.
In simple terms: Study links art tasks to aggression levels.
Key Takeaway
Consider context when interpreting aggression data.
Themes
psychology
aggression
experimental methods
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
scientific
experimental
When to use this quote
- clinical assessments
- media influence research
Key Concepts
behavioral measurement
stimulus response
gender studies
Questions to Reflect On
- What ethical safeguards are needed?
- How reliable are such indirect aggression measures?
A Different Perspective
Results may be confounded by unrelated factors.