Some people would rather get an electric shock than sit alone with their thoughts
Timothy D. Wilson et al. · Science, 2014
01The result
People sat alone in a plain room for 15 minutes, with no phone and no book. They could press a button to give themselves a mild shock. 12 of 18 men did it. So did 6 of 24 women.
02Why it's strange
Before that, they all felt the shock once. They said they would even pay money to avoid it. But 15 minutes with only their thoughts felt worse.
03Not just students
People from 18 to 77 years old felt the same. At home, about one in three people cheated with music or a phone.
04What it means
Most people do not enjoy thinking on command. The researchers say phones may not be the cause. We grab them because we always want something to do.
05Limitations
The shock group was small, only 42 people. Some scientists say just thinking was not that bad.
Original paper
- Wilson et al. (2014), Science, doi:10.1126/science.1250830
- doi.org/10.1126/science.1250830
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