The aim of this task was to find out whether gender affects the compliance levels in humans. Compliance is a form of conformity, when a person acts according to certain accepting standards. I will be observing peoples behaviours when crossing the road and will take note of those who cross with the lights at pedestrian crossings and those who cross independently. To ensure I get a fair set of results I will have to think about confounding variables, which may affect the findings. This is a natural environment experiment.
I have no control over people’s actions and since they will be unaware of my observations they will not feel intimidated or pressured into acting differently and doing the right thing. In the past, 1950’s – 1950’s, many researchers have conducted that there is no difference between males and females complying, although a few psychologists have found that women are more likely to comply. Research by Sistrunk and McDavid (1) indicated that women are more likely to comply if they do not have much knowledge about a specific event or topic, likewise with men. But otherwise both genders conform about equally.
Aims and Hypothesis- Experimental Hypothesis The aim of this task was to find out whether gender affects the compliance levels in humans. The experiment I performed was directional as there is a difference between the behaviour of males and females when crossing at pedestrian crossings. Method To observe males and females actions at pedestrian crossings and taking note of the results in the form of a Tally chart to be able to find out if men or women press the button, wait for the green man and cross the road appropriate, rather than crossing independently.
The participants in this experiment are ordinary people of all ages and both sexes, although there will be confounding variables which I will not include to keep my findings as fair as possible. The experiment was done at around 3pm on a Sunday. The pedestrian crossing that I used was outside Marks and Spencer’s along Worthing seafront. As the weather conditions were not desirable I observed from inside a car and using my data-collecting sheet I recorded the results.