FORMALITY OF SIGNATURE AS AN INDEX OF SUBJECT MOTIVATION IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT

In: Social behavior and personality: an international journal, Band 3, Heft 1, S. 1-4

Abstract

The psychological experiment has been characterized by Orne as a formal role situation which subjects take seriously. Increased seriousness may be reflected in many behaviors, even in the way in which one signs one's name. Initial signup names and signatures within the experiment
proper were available for two group rating experiments. Analyses showed that 22% of all subjects used different versions of their signature for the two occasions. Of this sample of changers 88% used a signature in the experiment that was more formal than their signup signature.
These data were interpreted as in line with Orne's theorizing.