Requesting People to perform in front of camera

Team Name: Split Ends
Done by:
Nur Liyana Binte Shafie DAC/FT
Malcom Goh Aik Liang DEEE/FT
Jayne Ang DCP/FT
Ong Li Ting DCP/FT
Ang Ying Lan DCP/FT
K Saraswathi DFST/FT
Ng Hui Min DFST/FT

Absent:
Lee Wen Jun DCHE/FT

Location: Foodcourt 2 and T1A
Time: 0845 to 0930

1. Abstract

Scenario:
In this experiment, we aim to investigate the social perceptions, reactions and thoughts on different people. Our target audience is students at Singapore Polytechnic. We will be acting as students from the school of media and communications, doing a project on funny actions. We will approach random students in SP and tell them about this project that we are doing and ask if they are willing to help us by showing us some funny actions and allowing us to video them down.

2. Aim of Research

The main aim of this experiment is to see how different students will react when we approach them to ask for help on this funny actions project and to investigate on what type of students will help and what type of students will not help.

3. Main Research Question

How a person will react when being approached?
There will be 4 kinds of people. Firstly, some students will just totally ignore us and walk away without saying anything. Secondly, some students will stop to listen to us and then give excuses to reject us even after much persuasion. Thirdly, some students will stop to listen to us and show some interest in helping but in the end still reject us. The last type of students are students who will stop to listen to us, show us interest in helping and help us willingly without showing discontentment.

4. Sub Research Questions

1) What made some of them to be willing or unwilling to help?
2) What are the factors (environment, people around/with subject, timing, etc) that contribute to the decision made?

5. Data Collection Methods

Interview, observation and video

6. Analysis (Describe how your data answer your 2 sub research questions)

6.1 Sub Research Question 1
What made some of them to be willing or unwilling to help?

They may be uncomfortable with doing the stupid actions and not in the mood, some felt that fellow students should help each other as if the person being approached put himself in the actors’ shoes, they would hope that people would help them too. Some of them are just afraid to make a fool of themselves. Lastly, some people are born introverts and are shy in nature, thus they do not have the courage to do funny actions for us even though they would very much want to help us.

6.2 Sub Research Question 2
What are the factors (environment, people around/with subject, timing, etc) that contribute to the decision made?

Firstly, it may be due to their own personality, whereby some may like to do such things and some may not like to do such things and find it uncomfortable. The timing at which the students are approached is also an area for concern, whereby some may be rushing for lessons at that point of time and may not have the time to spare us even though they are of interest to help us. Thirdly, the attitude of the people who are asking for help matters, as we are asking a favour from others. Thus, a friendly attitude towards the people we are asking for help from would enable them to feel more comfortable in helping us and would make us feel more approachable and more would be willing to help us. The situation in which the person being approached also matters. Some of them are in a group, thus they do not feel awkward. Though they felt weird doing weird and funny actions in the middle of nowhere, it was fun to be done with a group of friends.

7. Conclusion

It was rather difficult to choose subjects, although it was said to be chosen by random, and of different races and gender. Some ignored us when we approached them, and the “ambush” was a little difficult since we needed to be around to see the whole process and yet far apart to pretend to not be associated with one another.