PEOPLE YOU MEET IN EVERYDAY LIFE Research and Performance Art A New Wave Psychology Project St. Patrick's Day Kent, Ohio 1981 Allen Bukoff HYPOTHESIS People you met in everyday life are desperate to be entertained by deviant behavior. This should be evident in the frequency of overreactions to deviant behavior. PROCEDURE St. Patrick's Day 1981 Approach people I know one at a time as I go about my day in everyday life. Give them a folded handout (see below) and remain silent as they open it up and inspect it. When they finish inspection say "Are you ready for the performance?" Then I stick out my green food-colored tongue. Walk away and record time, place, who and reaction. Categorize reactions into overreaction (over), "appropriate" reaction (app), underreaction (under), or "contaminated" reaction (X). Very subjective. You'll have to trust me. HANDOUT Approximate size of original Xerox. Folded into fourths and sealed with a small piece of white tape. Half had "New Wave Psychology" and half had the "Fluxus West" logo printed on the outside fold. Tongue colored green with magic marker on original handouts. RESPONSE Time Place Who::Response Response Category 2:00pm Kent Hall -office Karen Robinson, black KSU secretary::big laugh over 2:04 Kent Hall -office Janet Jaffee, psychology grad student::"alright" app 2:06 Kent Hall -hallway Marney Gleason, psychology undergrad::nervous smile/laugh under 2:08 Kent Hall -clinic Jim Moe, psychology grad student::backfired because previous knowledge X 2:09 Kent Hall -my office Florrie Petrella, psychology grad student::suspicious & gave back under 2:18 Kent Hall -office Wendy Waugh, psychology grad student with small butt::laughed app 2:30 Kent Hall -hallway Ron-X, Claire Conlin's boyfriend::laughed, "I know why Kent Hall is roped off" app 2:45 Student Center -lobby Leftist political science grad student-X::big-big reaction over 2:48 Student Center -office Jill Rudd (!/?), communication grad student::made a big deal out of it over 2:55 Library -3rd floor Rosemary Moore, 1973 girlfriend::liked it a lot & shook head over 2:56 Library -3rd floor Randy Kuhlman, psychology grad student::he laughed app 3:05 Taylor Hall -classroom M.-Daniel Jacoubovitch, journalism prof::loud prolonged outburst over (!) 3:15 Taylor Hall -hallway Sue Dolter, skinny 1980 girlfriend::was prepared for the tongue X 4:00 Kent Hall -office Dana Beezley, psychology grad student::laughed app 4:01 Kent Hall -my office Aaron Noonberg, psychology grad student::laughed & made a big deal about creativity over 4:20 Kent Hall -mail room to Diane Semon (psych grad) via Janet Jaffee's mail box:: ? X 4:23 Kent Hall -office Michael Goldstein, postdoctoral student in psychology::big laugh, laugh, laugh; "well done, Allen" over 4:40 KINKO'S -copy center Sue-X, woman worker at Kinko's::really liked it over 4:40 KINKO'S -copy center Sherrie-X, woman worker at Kinko's::prolonged outburst over 11:18pm Walter's Cafe -bar "Jane"-X, works at Jerry's Diner::made a big deal about keeping it over 11:22 Walter's Cafe Michael Schroeder, English grad student::dud, just looked at me under (!) 11:30 Walter's Cafe Bonnie Hawk, a person from 1973-1975::liked it & tugged on my arm app CONCLUSIONS More people I ran into in everyday life on St. Patrick's Day (1981) overreacted than under reacted to this handout and performance. People in everyday life are desperate for a little deviancy. The original report Other Research by FLUXUS Midwest Ask a Fluxus Question (March 19, 1998) Fluxus Marketing Research (March 26, 1998) Opening Doors and Drawers (June 3, 1999) © 2006 Allen Bukoff