Its Halloween season! Kids and adults everywhere in America and other parts of the world are busy preparing costumes, their homes and of course candies for the most awaited Halloween tradition: Trick or Treating. Scientists have spent years studying this tradition and how it is associated with human nature.
According to History.com, the Trick-or treating tradition is being celebrated for around 100 years. It originated from ancient practices such as pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, where the Celts would gather on a bonfire to give sacrifices or remember their dead ancestors; The Roman Feralia and Pomona festivals to honor the dead and gods and goddess of fruit and trees; and the Christians' celebration of All Saints Day.
In 1980, Trick or treating had spread to several parts of United Kingdom and in 1950 UNICEF had also participated in observing this custom by giving out little boxes and bags to children to bring with them as they go around Trick or Treating. Since Trick or treating is being passed and becoming more popular from year to year, scientists had conducted studies on Trick or treaters and found interesting facts about the human behavior.
A study on the early 70s was conducted by Arthur Beaman and Edward Diener, both phycology professors and Scott Fraser, a neurophysiology professor at the University of California-Los Angeles and participated by more than 1,300 kids in the greater Seattle area. The children were told to get only one candy before they enter a room and were left alone. Some kids were asked their names and others don't. The results show that children whose names weren't asked took more candies than those who weren't. From the simple experiment, the researchers proved how the surveillance cameras affect the human behavior. Fraser stated, "If you want to control behavior, you need to make people identifiable."
Another research was also instituted on kids on Halloween wherein kids take candies from a container with or without the presence of a mirror behind it. Researchers noticed that more children took extra candies on a container without a mirror than that with. Bonnie Klentz, Professor of Psychology at Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts while watching the kids during the experiment noted, "When the mirror was present, fewer kids took extra candy." She later added, "Kids who were 9 and older were more influenced by the mirror than younger kids. It's at a certain age when kids are able to reflect back and see themselves as an outsider would see them."
Experts also noted how kids perceive "free" candies could influence their decision making. Dan Ariely, a psychology and behavioral economics professor at Duke University conducted a study where he handed kids a few Hershey's Kisses. He inquired if the kids would agree on giving him one Hershey's Kiss to receive a small Snickers bar, or two for a big Snickers.
More children gave two to get a big Snickers bar. But later when they were asked to choose between a free small Snickers bar and a big one, but requires them to give up one Hershey's Kiss, most of the children took the free candy even if it's smaller. The study confirms how a lot of people make mistakes on decision making and unjustifiable reasons when the word "free" is encountered.
The conducted experiments on kids on Halloween had explained the behavior of children that could have significant effects on the choices they make and their success in the future.
