Human Behavior Science Experiments (65 results)

Have you ever needed to remember a long list of words, such as a shopping list or the state capitals? Even if a list can be full of interesting facts, it can still be hard to remember. But there are some memory techniques that can help a person to remember a list better. In this science activity, you’ll try out a technique called mnemonics and investigate whether using mnemonics can help you and your friends, or family members, remember lists of words. Read more

Graphical methods of data presentation are a key feature of scientific communication. This project will get you thinking about how to find the best way to communicate scientific information. Read more

Have you ever wondered if your preferences bias the choices you make? You make choices all the time, whether you are aware of them or not. Many different factors probably work together to affect the option you end up choosing. Which do you think are the most important? Everyone has personal preferences, and these may affect the choices we make. What about your favorite color? You may prefer one color over another for no good reason, other than the fact that you like it—or you may have… Read more

If someone tells you to remember a phone number or address, it can feel like an easy task at first. You repeat the numbers to yourself, either aloud or in your mind. But after just a few seconds, you may find yourself starting to doubt your own memory. Was it 5-7 or 7-5? Our minds are always seeking new and useful information, and as a result, it will try to ‘throw away’ information that seems old or irrelevant, such as a random string of numbers or an address. However, there are… Read more

Have you ever wondered what makes you notice a certain person or object when you're rushing along in a crowd? Why do some things stand out whereas others melt into the background? In this activity you can explore the psychology of how things get noticed by studying how our brains help us perform a visual search. Specifically, you'll look at how changing the number and type of visual distractions affects a person's ability to find what they're looking for. Read more