[Mithaldu]

The article says they exposed people to the shocks and other stimuli to get a response to the 5$ question. It doesn't say they took the people and gave them 15 minutes to play around with the thing. Curiosity is still very much in the game, especially when there's nothing else to do.

A much more meaningful way to do this experiment would've been to have people sit and receive regular shocks (not under their own control), and to sit with nothing else to do, provide an incentive for staying 15 minutes and see how quickly they give up.

And while i'm writing: The article also mentions they couldn't find people who enjoy the time alone, but didn't mention whether they asked people who habitually medidate.

[Aqueous]

One participant shocked themselves 190 times. I'd say I'd concede curiosity is the main factor the first one or two times.

[Estragon]

Yes, but the mean number of times was less than 1.5, with maximum 4 if you exclude that outlier. The vast majority of cases are perfectly compatible with curiosity, a scenario the paper ignored completely, and which could have been at least partially addressed simply by asking participants why they pressed the button.

This is an OK study, sexed up in a very cynical and ignorant way.

[x3c]

Isn't it also a false dilemma? I'd be lost in my thoughts and will shock myself just for the kick of it too, maybe as a curiosity or maybe in a masochistic way.

[sullyj3]

I'm really interested in what was going through that participant's mind.

[tgb]

The article does mention that they are going to investigate mediation later.