Interpersonal Distance Study (Perry et al., 2015)
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Questions and Answers

What was the primary factor influencing preferred interpersonal distance among participants?

  • Type of approaching figure (correct)
  • Level of oxytocin administered
  • Participants' age
  • Duration of image presentation

    • In the high empathy group, what was the effect of oxytocin on preferred distance compared to placebo?

  • Increased discomfort
  • No significant change
  • Decreased preferred distance (correct)
  • Increased preferred distance

    • What was observed in the low empathy group after administering oxytocin?

  • No change in preferred distance
  • Decrease in preferred distance
  • Increase in preferred distance (correct)
  • Fear of closeness

    • What was the main outcome of Experiment 2 regarding treatment effect on preferred chair distance?

    <p>No significant effect of oxytocin or empathy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which condition saw a significant interaction between oxytocin and empathy?

    <p>Chairs condition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the four zones of interpersonal distance defined by Hall (1966)?

    <p>Intimate, personal, social, and public distance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does oxytocin influence interpersonal distance preferences?

    <p>It enhances attention to social cues, affecting distance perception</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is cognitive empathy?

    <p>Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a factor that affects interpersonal distance?

    <p>Professional success</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect can varying empathy levels have on interpersonal distance?

    <p>They can lead to vastly different interpretations of interpersonal distance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Under what conditions might oxytocin lead to hostility towards strangers?

    <p>In contexts where social cues are misinterpreted</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of oxytocin in social interactions?

    <p>To promote bonding and social connections</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main effect of oxytocin on interpersonal distance in individuals with high levels of empathy?

    <p>It decreases preferred interpersonal distance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) questionnaire in the study?

    <p>To assess the level of empathy among participants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How was the design of the study structured in terms of participant assignment?

    <p>Participants were assigned to one empathy level only.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect of social behavior does the social salience hypothesis particularly address?

    <p>The amplification of existing social cues.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was used to measure preferred interpersonal distance in the CID paradigm?

    <p>A computer simulation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the predicted effect of oxytocin on individuals with low levels of empathy?

    <p>It increases preferred interpersonal distances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which conditions were participants subjected to in the double-blind study design?

    <p>Neither the participants nor the experimenter knew the treatment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main hypothesis regarding oxytocin's effects across different social contexts?

    <p>It varies depending on the familiarity with the individual.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How long did participants wait for oxytocin levels to stabilize before the experiments?

    <p>45 minutes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the first experiment, what types of subjects did participants indicate their preferred distance from?

    <p>Strangers, authority figures, friends, and inanimate objects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following reflects a key finding regarding the relationship between the amygdala and personal space?

    <p>Heightened amygdala activity corresponds with increased need for personal space.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the sample size of the study conducted by Perry et al.?

    <p>54 participants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which potential application of the study's findings is mentioned?

    <p>Treating social disorders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What part of the computer animation was displayed before the stick figure entered the room?

    <p>The words representing the type of subject.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the purpose of administering either oxytocin or a placebo nasal spray to participants?

    <p>To evaluate its influence on preferred interpersonal distance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the dependent variable used in the first experiment?

    <p>Preferred distance from an approaching figure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How were the varying social conditions classified in the first experiment?

    <p>As three distinct protagonist types</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the significance of manipulating the distance between chairs in the second experiment?

    <p>To assess participants' preferences for intimate social interactions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the first experiment, what was used as a control condition for measuring non-social distance preferences?

    <p>Distance between the table and plant</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a higher percentage of remaining distance in the CID task indicate?

    <p>A greater need for personal space</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following factors was not considered an independent variable in the experiments?

    <p>Participant demographic information</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the chair conditions in the second experiment?

    <p>Assessed participants' relational proximity preferences</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can understanding individual differences in empathy aid mediators in conflict resolution?

    <p>By creating strategies that accommodate varying responses to social cues.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the researchers ensure that the treatments were effectively blinding both participants and researchers?

    <p>By employing a double-blind procedure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is suggested by the study regarding the interaction of oxytocin and empathy levels?

    <p>Oxytocin's effects vary depending on an individual's empathy levels and context.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary focus when comparing the mean preferred angle between chairs?

    <p>Dynamics of social interaction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best illustrates the interactionist perspective on the nature-nurture debate as described in the study?

    <p>Both biological factors and psychological traits interact to shape behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What reductionist element is present in the study’s framework?

    <p>The emphasis on a single hormone's role in specific behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could be inferred if a participant chose a room layout with chairs 20 cm apart?

    <p>A willingness to engage in close proximity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of empathy was used as an independent variable in the experiments?

    <p>High and low empathy levels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the study indicate that empathy may be influenced?

    <p>By both biological and environmental factors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a key observation recorded during the CID task?

    <p>Distance at which participants felt comfortable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the dynamic interaction between individual traits and situational variables suggest?

    <p>Both factors are necessary for understanding complex social behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what way could the findings of this study potentially assist in real-world applications?

    <p>Informing treatment approaches by recognizing empathy differences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ethical considerations are highlighted when using hormonal manipulation in research?

    <p>The possibility of long-term adverse effects on participants.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does oxytocin play in the context of interpersonal distance preferences?

    <p>It interacts variably based on the empathy levels of individuals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was one of the main findings of Experiment 1 regarding oxytocin's effects?

    <p>The effects of oxytocin on social behavior varied according to individual traits.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does random allocation of participants enhance the validity of a study?

    <p>It minimizes the effect of pre-existing differences between groups.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key reason for scheduling experimental sessions one week apart?

    <p>To enhance the internal validity by minimizing carryover effects.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the study's reliance on quantitative data enhance?

    <p>The consistency and repeatability of the findings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant weakness related to the generalizability of the study's findings?

    <p>Participants consisted solely of male undergraduate students.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of ecological validity is questioned in the study?

    <p>The computerized nature of the tasks used for assessment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ethical issue arises from the deception used in Experiment 2?

    <p>Potential psychological harm due to misleading expectations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could be a potential demand characteristic of the study?

    <p>The expected effects of oxytocin could influence behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How might the study's findings be applied in healthcare settings?

    <p>To tailor interventions based on an individual's empathy levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What effect can the homogeneity of the participant pool have on research results?

    <p>Limits the scope of applicability to other populations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What ethical guideline might be compromised in this research?

    <p>Providing a genuine alternative for course requirement fulfillment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What limitation is likely due to the hypothetical nature of intimacy in Experiment 2?

    <p>It reduces the emotional authenticity of the study's findings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important for a study to use standardized procedures?

    <p>To reduce subjective interpretation and bias in data collection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could be an implication of the study’s findings regarding oxytocin in socially anxious individuals?

    <p>They might experience decreased social interaction anxiety.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Interpersonal Distance Study (Perry et al., 2015)

    • Interpersonal Distance (Personal Space): The preferred physical space maintained between individuals, influenced by relationships, culture, and personal factors. Entering someone's personal space can trigger discomfort.
    • Hall's Zones: Intimate, personal, social, and public distance zones, each corresponding to different relationship levels (Hall, 1966).
    • Oxytocin (OT): A social hormone affecting social bonding, childbirth, and breastfeeding; generally promotes prosocial behavior but can also lead to envy, risk aversion, and hostility in certain circumstances. It intensifies social cues, potentially increasing or decreasing interpersonal distance depending on empathy and context.
    • Empathy: The capacity to understand and share feelings of others. Cognitive empathy involves recognizing emotions, while affective empathy involves feeling the same emotions. Empathy influences social interactions and interpretation of interpersonal distances.

    Perry et al. (2015) Study: Methodology

    • Aim: To explore the complex interplay of oxytocin, empathy, and social context in shaping interpersonal distance preferences. Specifically, if oxytocin impacts preferred distance, whether empathy impacts that effect, and understanding this in various social contexts (friends, strangers).
    • Hypothesis: Oxytocin decreases preferred distance for highly empathetic individuals but increases distance for less empathetic individuals, and these effects will vary based on specific social situations (stranger vs. friend).
    • Method: Two experiments (computerized tasks) with the same participants using a mixed-model design (within-subjects, different conditions for participants), double-blind, placebo-controlled.
    • Participants: 54 male undergraduate volunteers, age range 19-32, varied empathy levels (high vs. low), compensated with course credits. All participants had normal or corrected-to-normal vision and no history of psychiatric or neurological disorders
    • Experiment 1 (CID): Measured preferred distance from different figures (friend, stranger, authority figure, ball) using computer animation. Controlled for empathy level, treatment (oxytocin vs. placebo), and social interaction, using a repeated-measures design.
    • Experiment 2 (Choosing Rooms): Measured preferred distance and angle between chairs ("interpersonal distance") and table-plant ("non-social distance") in virtual rooms for anticipated conversations, using different chair distances and angles. Controlled for empathy, oxytocin, and varied distance between furniture items.
    • Independent Variables: Empathy level (between-subjects), treatment (oxytocin vs. placebo; within-subjects), social condition (e.g., stranger, friend; within-subjects).
    • Dependent Variables: Experiment 1: interpersonal distance preferences (percentage from central figure) ; Experiment 2: chair distance, chair angle

    Results (Summary)

    • Experiment 1: Oxytocin influenced preferred distance based on empathy; highs closer (more empathetic), lows further apart (less empathetic); significant effect on interpersonal distance more pronounced with the ball.
    • Experiment 2: Oxytocin and empathy interacted significantly only for the interpersonal distance variable (chair distance). This effect was NOT observed for non-social distance (table to plant). Highly empathetic people preferred closer chair distances with oxytocin, versus further with placebo, the opposite effect observable for the less empathetic group.
    • Overall: There were no significant main effects of either oxytocin or empathy on preferred distance alone. This suggests that the interaction between factors (context, empathy) is more important than any single factor. The social salience hypothesis is generally supported, emphasizing oxytocin's impact on social cues.

    Strengths & Weaknesses of the Study

    • Strengths: Double-blind, placebo-controlled design, random allocation, two sessions, replication in two experiments, objective measures; standardized procedures
    • Weaknesses: Low generalizability (male undergraduate students, specific university), low ecological validity (computerized tasks), hypothetical nature of intimacy context, potential demand characteristics, ethical concerns (deception, potential for harm), lack of informed consent; and limited control over potential confounding factors.

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    Description

    Explore the concept of interpersonal distance and its significance in social interactions. This quiz delves into Hall's Zones, the role of oxytocin in social bonding, and the impact of empathy on personal space. Test your understanding of how these factors influence our relationships and interactions.

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