BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF BEING OBSERVED - REACTIONS TO A WIRELESS RADIO TRANSMITTER

16 PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS WERE OBSERVED UNDER 2 DIFFERENT OBSERVATION CONDITIONS IN 2 DIFFERENT INPATIENT WARD SUBSETTINGS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF THESE OBSERVATION CONDITIONS. RESULTS INDICATE: (1) THE AVERAGE EFFECTS OF WEARING AND BEING OBSERVED WITH A WIRELESS TRANSMITTER MICROPHONE WERE VERY SMALL; (2) THE DIFFERENCES THAT DID OCCUR SUGGESTED AN INCREASE IN PURPOSEFUL AND A DECREASE IN PURPOSELESS ACTIVITY WHILE WEARING THE TRANSMITTER; (3) THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT INDIVIDUAL S * OBSERVATION CONDITION INTERACTIONS, I.E., THAT DIFFERENT SS SHOWED SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT REACTIONS TO THE OBSERVATION CONDITIONS; AND (4) THERE WAS TENTATIVE EVIDENCE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOWED THE GREATEST CHANGE WITH THE OBSERVATION CONDITIONS TENDED TO HAVE LOWER K AND HIGHER PD, PA, SC, AND MA SCORES ON THE MMPI. (18 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1968 American Psychological Association.