Description

This engaging 2-hour social science experience invites students to step into the role of psychologists and investigate a powerful question: Do other people’s reactions influence our behavior? Through a live, real-world experiment, students explore how something as simple as praise can shape decision-making. Using a structured approach known as a controlled observation study, students begin to see how scientists systematically study human actions and responses.

Students participate in a shared experiment in which they invite passersby to complete a quick challenge, then respond with different types of feedback—either enthusiastic praise or neutral acknowledgment. By observing whether participants choose to engage again, students collect real data and compare outcomes, testing their own predictions about how encouragement affects motivation.

Building on this experience, students work in teams to design and carry out their own original social experiments using a simple structure: task, intervention, and observation. They explore new variables, gather and analyze results, and present their findings to the group. The session concludes with a reflective discussion about how context shapes behavior and whether results might differ in other environments—empowering students to think critically about human behavior and the hidden forces that influence it.

Ages: 12-16

Date: Wednesday, May 20th, 2026

Time: 9:00-11:00am

Location: To be determined

This adventure does not requiere any previous knowledge.

Learning adventures are currently offered only in English. Participants must be able to communicate (perfectly or imperfectly!) in that language.

The cost includes all adventure-related materials.

The adventure will take place when the minimum number of participants (6) are enrolled. If the mimum number is not reached, payment will be reimbursed.

Confirmation of the adventure will be made on Wednesday, May 13th, 2026.