Role playing as a source of self-observation and behavior change.

Abstract

This study was a demonstration of effects consistent with Bern's self-perception theory. Role playing was used as the vehicle through which self-perception occurred. It was hypothesized that within a perceived-choice paradigm, role playing an "upset" reaction (role play ing-upset) to electric shocks would lead to subsequent decreases in pain and tolerance thresholds, whereas role playing a "calm" reaction (role playing-calm) would lead to subsequent increases. Forty-five subjects underwent three series of electric shocks designed to measure pain and tolerance thresholds. Following the first shock series (pretest) and prior to the third series (posttest), subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (a) role playing-upset; (6) role playingcalm; or (c) no role playing (control) during the second shock series. The dependent pretest-posttest change measures revealed significant group differences relative to controls for the role-playing groups in directions supporting the hypotheses. A physiological measure suggested that the findings were not due to attention to internal information. Additionally, several correlations consistently indicated that the degree of manipulation during the second series was significantly associated with the pretest-posttest changes. Results were discussed in terms of self-perception theory and clinical applications. 1 This study is based upon a master's thesis submitted by the first author to the Psychology Department at the University of Oregon. The second author was the advisor for the thesis. Thanks are due to the other thesis committee members: R. Dawes, E. Lichtenstein, and J. LoPiccolo. Thanks are also extended to James Aaron, who was the second experimenter, and to Tracey Hasslein and Vickie Saeto, who were the observers.2 Requests for reprints should be sent to Steven

New Perspectives on Emotional Contagion: A Review of Classic and Recent Research on Facial Mimicry and Contagion

“…They then try to find out what effect this has on the subjects' emotional responses. Generally, subjects report that a film was funnier or shocks were more painful when they exaggerated their amusement or pain than when they muted their facial reactions (Kopel & Arkowitz, 1974;Kraut, 1982;Lanzetta, Biernat, & Kleck, 1982;Lanzetta, Cartwright-Smith, & Kleck, 1976;Zuckerman, Klorman, Larrance, & Speigel, 1981). Others try to "trick" participants into adopting a given emotional expression (Duclos et al, 1989;Kellerman, Lewis, & Laird, 1989;Laird, 1974;Laird, 1984;Laird, Wagener, Halal, & Szegda, 1982;Larsen, Kasimatis, & Frey, 1992;Strack, Martin, & Stepper, 1988).…”

The Proteus Effect

“…In fact, it has been shown that even deliberately role-played behavior can subsequently serve as a source for self-perception. Kopel and Arkowitz (1974) asked participants to role-play either being calm or upset in a series of electric shocks. In a subsequent set of shocks, participants were then asked to rate how painful the shocks were.…”

The Anomalous Foundations of Dream Telling: Objective Solipsism and the Problem of Meaning

“…97-110), and experiencing themselves as cultural objects no less than any other kinds of things-in-reality (Mead 1934;Bem 1972). More specifically, the role of external social practices in ''internal experience'' has been established for pain (Kotarba 1983;Zborowski 1969), physiological arousal (Bem 1972;Becker 1953;Kopel and Arkowitz 1974;Schachter and Singer 1962), and subjectivity generally (Garfinkel 1967, pp. 79-94;cf.…”