A Popular Post on the Internet States That Hugs "Transfer

question 65

Multiple Choice

A popular post on the Internet states that hugs "transfer energy" between participants,giving them an "emotional lift." Which of the following is a scientific approach to evaluating the claim of "energy transfer" during hugs? The hypothesis for the experiment would be as follows: if one person hugs another,the person receiving the hug will have more measurable energy after the hug.

• A) First, develop a method of physically measuring the amount of energy available in a human being. Divide hundreds of subjects randomly into two groups, huggers and nonhuggers. The available energy in the individuals of each group would be measured, the individuals would then hug (or not), and then the energy levels are measured again. The experimenter should not know which group is the hugging or nonhugging group to avoid expectation bias. The experiment should be repeated numerous times before analyzing the data.
• B) The researcher would need some people willing to hug someone else and fill out a survey stating how they felt before and after the hug. This should be repeated several times.
• C) The researcher would need some people willing to keep a daily log of how they feel during the day, how many hugs they get, and which days they feel the best at the end of the day.
• D) The researcher would need some people willing to complete a scientifically developed life history hugging survey. Through the survey, participants will document their own life histories of hugs (average number of hugs per day and how long they lasted) and emotional well-being. Once the survey is completed, the researcher will collate and evaluate the evidence. He or she should repeat this with a few different groups of people.

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Definitions:

Several Decades

A period of many years, often used to describe a long time frame in history or a person’s life.

Grey Matter

Brain tissue that contains most of the brain's neuronal cell bodies and is involved in muscle control, sensory perception, and decision making.

Dendrites

The branched extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.

Big Brain

This term colloquially refers to having high intelligence or great cognitive abilities, although it's not a formal psychological or neurological term.