Experiments

Throughout history, psychology has carried out a great number of experiments which have changed science forever. In this section, you’ll find out more about the most well-known experiments, as well as the current experiments which offer some interesting results.

The Missing Child Experiment

ExperimentsThe Missing Child Experiment

The missing child experiment demonstrated the perception problems we all have, as well as our refusal to admit them. As a matter of fact, this experiment has been repeated hundreds of…

The Pit of Despair - Monkey Business

ExperimentsThe Pit of Despair - Monkey Business

The pit of despair was the climax of a unique experiment with monkeys. Harry Harlow conducted it in the 1950s.…

The Loftus and Palmer Study on the Value of Speech

ExperimentsThe Loftus and Palmer Study on the Value of Speech

The Loftus and Palmer study is one of the most interesting experiments ever conducted in psychology. It was conducted in…

Gregg Braden: Experiments and the Power of Intention

ExperimentsGregg Braden: Experiments and the Power of Intention

Gregg Braden is a puzzling scholar because he creates ideas that don't coincide with traditional science. Several of his concepts…

The Harvard Experiment that Led to the Unabomber

ExperimentsThe Harvard Experiment that Led to the Unabomber

Although he participated in a Harvard experiment and is extremely smart, Ted Kaczynski is now serving time in a maximum-security…

Your Brain Deceives You: Persinger's Experiment

ExperimentsYour Brain Deceives You: Persinger's Experiment

Persinger's experiment shows that your brain can deceive you. On more than one occasion, you probably trusted your senses and…

Transhumanism: Looking to Improve Human Capacities

ExperimentsTranshumanism: Looking to Improve Human Capacities

Even though the transhumanist movement seems like a utopia, it's safe to say that it isn't. In case you didn't…

The Fascinating Washoe Project

ExperimentsThe Fascinating Washoe Project

The Washoe Project is both fascinating and moving. It involves a female chimpanzee named Washoe, considered the first non-human animal…

The "Branded in Memory" Experiment

ExperimentsThe "Branded in Memory" Experiment

The "Branded in Memory" experiment revealed that human memory isn't just a place for data storage. The human brain isn't…

Understanding and Belief: The Gilbert Experiment

ExperimentsUnderstanding and Belief: The Gilbert Experiment

The Gilbert experiment was conducted to try to resolve a centuries-long debate. The debate began in the 16th century between…

James Vicary and Subliminal Advertising

ExperimentsJames Vicary and Subliminal Advertising

During the 50s, everyone talked about mind control and brainwashing. At the end of the decade, James Vicary conducted his…

The Fascinating History of Kingsley Hall, Anti-Psychiatry Headquarters

ExperimentsThe Fascinating History of Kingsley Hall, Anti-Psychiatry Headquarters

Kingsley Hall is the name of a building where doctors performed some of the most impressive psychiatric experiments of the…

Wegner's Theory of Dream Rebound: The Effect of Thought Suppression

ExperimentsWegner's Theory of Dream Rebound: The Effect of Thought Suppression

In the 80s, Harvard University conducted an experiment to try and discover the effects of thought suppression. American social psychologist…

Delayed Gratification and Impulse Control

ExperimentsDelayed Gratification and Impulse Control

In 1960, Walter Mischel, a psychologist at Stanford University, conducted a simple experiment with children. He tested their ability to…

Quattrone and Tversky's Experiment on Self-Deception

ExperimentsQuattrone and Tversky's Experiment on Self-Deception

If someone were to ask you, you'd probably say you never get involved in lies and deception. Most of us…

The Atir-Rosenzweig-Dunning Effect

ExperimentsThe Atir-Rosenzweig-Dunning Effect

Researchers Stav Atir, Emily Rosenzweig, and David Dunning defined the Atir-Rosenzweig-Dunning effect through studies they conducted. This curious phenomenon is…

Villa 21: A Successful Anti-Psychiatry Experiment

ExperimentsVilla 21: A Successful Anti-Psychiatry Experiment

In the 1960s, David Cooper conducted an anti-psychiatry experiment called Villa 21. Although the results were encouraging, for some strange…

Optography: The Macabre 19th-Century Science

ExperimentsOptography: The Macabre 19th-Century Science

The 19th century was one of the most interesting periods of contemporary history. Social movements, industrialization, increased school attendance, and…

Sensory Deprivation and its Frightening Effects

ExperimentsSensory Deprivation and its Frightening Effects

The first studies on sensory deprivation date back to the 1950s. It's possible, however, that there were secret studies even…

The Sex Raft: An Odd Experiment

CultureThe Sex Raft: An Odd Experiment

Santiago Genovés was a Spanish man who immigrated to Mexico when he was 15 to flee from the Spanish Civil…

The Rat Park Experiment

ExperimentsThe Rat Park Experiment

The famous Rat Park experiment offered some fascinating insights into the nature of addiction. Rats are often used for "psychological experiments" due to their genetic similarity to humans. Ninety-five percent…