Abstract of the day.
I thought I would share an abstract I ran across while trying to figure out what article I originally ordered a book from the stacks for. Why I didn't write the article down that I wanted I have no idea... ohh well.Human Ethology: The snack-bar security syndromeThis must have been an interesting study for Dr. Barash - I wonder if he put on the freshman 15 since he hung-out at the "Morris Hall snack bar"?
By David P. Barash
From State University College (SUC?!), Oneonta, N.Y.
Psychological Reports, 1972, 31, 577-578.
Summary.-- I studied the behavior of Homo sapiens in an eating-place and found indications of security-seeking behavior, perhaps suggesting an unconscious, species-preserving fear of predators. Solitary individuals showed a significant preference for wall tables over center tables while grouped individuals showed no such perference. "Looking-up" frequency was higher amongh solitary than grouped individuals and higher among patrons at center tables than at wall tables.
Here's one of my favorite lines from the text (all 1 page of it): "Thus, a wall table provides a solitary individual greater protection from a surprise attack." What exactly would a surprise attack look like in a college cafeteria? A pissed off lunch lady hurling mashed potatos across the room?
5 Comments:
I wonder how much grant money was involved for this study.
I too have applied for two grants.
1. To study why 7-11 coffee cups always leak.
2. An in-depth study on the Homeland Security Risk of my thongs.
Still awaiting the funds.
Heidi~
Tue Sep 19, 07:47:22 PM CDT
have you had problems with you thongs in the past?
Tue Sep 19, 09:03:16 PM CDT
Well I am just not sure how secure the borders are. You never can tell when someone might try to cross that line.
~smiles~
Tue Sep 19, 10:41:07 PM CDT
well thongs can be dangerous - though probably not in the homeland security kinda way...
Wed Sep 20, 03:18:28 PM CDT
Confounds:
a non-wall table has more room to sit around, thus being more likely to be chosen by a group
people in a group have to look at the people they are talking with, thus giving them less opportunity to look up
Thu Sep 21, 08:55:12 PM CDT
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