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The Power of Suggestion

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Summary

Areas of Science
Difficulty
 
Time Required
Long (2-4 weeks)
*Note: For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.

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Abstract

Can an authority figure make someone question their own memory? How reliable is eyewitness information? This project looks into these questions. You'll need a poster-sized image that includes many faces, and a volunteers to act as "eyewitnesses." The volunteers are tested individually. The instructions are that they have one minute to examine the poster, and then a fixed amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes) to write down brief, accurate descriptions of all the faces they can remember. They'll get points for each correct description. They will also be tested one day later, without seeing the poster again, to see how well they can retain the information after a time lapse. At the end of the first test session, the tester runs down their list, checking off correct descriptions, with the volunteer present. At some point during this process, the tester remarks, "Oh, you missed the . . ." and describes a face not in the poster. How many of the volunteers will include the non-existent face when they write their descriptions on the second day? (Gale, 2002)

Bibliography

Gale, S., 2002. "The Power of Suggestion," California State Science Fair Project Abstract [accessed February 1, 2006] http://cssf.usc.edu/History/2002/Projects/J1706.pdf.
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Global Connections

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.

Careers

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

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Guilty or not guilty? The fate of the accused in court lies with the evidence gathered at the crime scene. The job of the forensic science technician is to gather evidence and use scientific principles and techniques to make sense of it. It can be a grueling and graphic job, but very rewarding. If you like the idea of using science to help deliver justice, then you should investigate this career. Read more

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General citation information is provided here. Be sure to check the formatting, including capitalization, for the method you are using and update your citation, as needed.

MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "The Power of Suggestion." Science Buddies, 20 Nov. 2020, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Soc_p026/sociology/the-power-of-suggestion?class=AQW3PSVTiqPkRhZc-7bU67GZaEgsBqSILn16mB_T9CYx7__Y1QNFaq-qWbrfD2rThV135W4FiXlegvTcwp2R_dpb. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2020, November 20). The Power of Suggestion. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Soc_p026/sociology/the-power-of-suggestion?class=AQW3PSVTiqPkRhZc-7bU67GZaEgsBqSILn16mB_T9CYx7__Y1QNFaq-qWbrfD2rThV135W4FiXlegvTcwp2R_dpb


Last edit date: 2020-11-20
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