A study of Gender responses to Frustration Faith

A study of Gender responses to Frustration Faith Templeton

Question q. Do males and females react differently to the same amount of frustration?

Background information q. Frustration is when you feel angry or annoyed because you cannot complete a task. q. To frustrate someone means to keep them from achieving success. q. One specific way to get frustrated is by external factors. These are things that can get you frustrated, however you have no control over these factors therefore you just have to sit back and let it go. q. An example of this is if you wished to go to work a specific day however that day, you get sick and cannot go to work. This could be an example of external factors because you could not control whether or not you got sick a specific day.

Background information q This type of frustration will be in my experiment. q. Electromagnets are essentially wire wrapped around a piece of metal or nail. q. This however is not the full electromagnet; you need electricity in the equation as well. q. Electricity from a battery connected to the wire is used for electricity in this case. q. This creates a magnetic field around the coiled wire, magnetizing the metal as if it were a permanent magnet. q. Electromagnets are useful because you can turn the magnet on and off by completing or interrupting the circuit, respectively.

Hypothesis q. When males and females are exposed to the same frustrating task they will respond differently; males will become more aggressively frustrated while females will be more passively frustrated.

Materials q. Wood, 10 inches (in. ) x 2. 5 in. x ¾ in. thick q. Wood, 16 in. x 2 in. x 6 in. q. Wood, 20 in. x 1 in. x 6 in. q. Paper (1 piece) q. Pencil q. Ruler, in feet q. Scissors q. Scotch® tape (1 roll)

Materials q. Hammer q. Nails, iron, 6 inches (in. ) long. (16) q. Power drill q. Set of drill bits ranging from 1/16 of an inch to ½ inch q. Extra piece of scrap wood q. Wire, solid core 22 -gauge insulated, 300 -volt, 100 feet (ft. ) Wire strippers q. Rosin core solder

Materials q. Soldering iron q. Electrical tape q. Trifold project display board (1) q. Duct tape (1 roll) q. Batteries, D-cell alkaline (16) q. Battery holders, D size. (16) q. Double pole double throw (DPDT) toggle switch (2)

Materials q 90 degree angle bracket (2) q. Philips head screw driver q. Screws, ¾ in (36) q. Screws, 2 in (6) q. Tacks (10) q. Printer q. Table q. Chairs (2) q. Paper clips, 50 each of three different colors

Materials q. Digital countdown timer (2) q. Digital camera q. Video camera recorder with tripod q. Metronome q. Volunteers for testing

Procedure: Grid 1. Preparing the Electromagnet With the pencil, ruler, and paper draw out a rectangle that is the same size as the piece of wood, 10 in. x 2. 5 in. Within the rectangle, draw a diagram of the grid; two rows of eight equally spaced nails each. The grid should be about an inch in from the sides of the paper. Carefully cut out the paper grid. 2. Lay the grid on top of the piece of wood and tape it down. The paper grid will act as a guide. Put on your safety goggles. Using the hammer and one nail, hammer a shallow hole at each of the sixteen grid locations. Do not hammer the nail in all the way. Remove the nail. The purpose of the hole is the help locate the correct positions for drilling.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet 3. Remove the paper. With your safety goggles Grid still on, drill all the way through the block of wood at each indentation. Before you drill, be sure to put the scrap piece of wood under the grid so that you don't drill through to the surface underneath. 4. Using the hammer, hammer in one nail at each of the sixteen dots on the grid. The nail head of each nail should be flush with the surface of the block of wood. 5. Measure out sixteen lengths of 22 -gauge wire. Each length should be 5 feet long.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet 6. Strip off one-half inch of insulation from both Grid ends of each of the sixteen lengths of wire with the wire strippers. 7. Now neatly wrap a length of wire around a nail in the grid. Make sure to leave three inches of wire unwound on each end so that you can attach the battery. Wrap the wire in one direction because the direction of the magnetic field depends on the direction of the electrical current (from the battery) creating it. If the wire is wound randomly, then the strength of the induced magnetic field may be reduced or canceled.

Procedure: Grid 8. Preparing the Electromagnet Duct tape the wire to both ends of each nail so that the coil of wire doesn't come off. Make sure that the extra wire is free on both ends. 9. Repeat steps seven and eight for the rest of the fifteen nails. 10. Going from left to right, label the nails 1 T through 8 T on the top and 1 B through 8 B on the bottom. 11. Using two ¾ in screws for each battery holder, attach the 16 battery holders to the piece of wood 20 in. x 1 in. x 6 in. in two evenly spaced rows of eight. Stagger the top and bottom rows so that it makes a zigzag pattern.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet 12. Going from left to right, label the nails 1 t Grid through 8 t on the top. On the bottom label them (from left to right) 4 B- 2 B- 3 B- 1 B- 5 B- 6 B- 7 B- 8 B. 13. Using four two-inch screws, attach the battery grid to the 16 in. x 2 in. x 6 in. piece of wood so that it makes a ‘T’ 14. Flip the electromagnet grid upside-down so 1 B through 8 B are on top. Then flip over the battery grid and using the remaining 2 inch nails, connect the electromagnet grid to the preassembled ‘T’ shape to make an ‘I’ shape. Flip the fully assembled rig back over.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet Grid 15. On the bottom of the ‘I’ form below the battery holders attach the two angle brackets below the batteries labeled 1 B and 5 B using two ¾ screws to attach each bracket. 16. Using a drill bit the size of the mounting collar for the toggle switches drill one hole in the top of each mounting bracket and attach the toggle switches.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet 17. Cut four 2 inch pieces of wire and strip ¼ Grid inch of insulation off of each end. Using the schematic below solder the battery holder labeled 1 B and the four jumper wires to the toggle switch located below the 1 B battery holder.

Procedure: Grid 18. Preparing the Electromagnet Repeat step 17 for the toggle switch below 5 B. 19. Measure and cut a length of wire leading to the coil on the nail labeled 8 B to the positive terminal of the battery holder labeled 8 B. Strip ½ inch of insulation from each side of the wire and solder both sides of the wire. Cover the solder joints with electrical tape. 20. Measure and cut a length of wire leading from the coil on the nail labeled 8 B to the negative terminal of the battery holder labeled 8 B. Strip ½ inch of insulation from each side of the wire and solder both sides of the wire. Cover the solder joints with electrical tape.

Procedure: Preparing the Electromagnet 21. Repeat steps 19 and 20 for each of the fifteen Grid remaining nails. For the nails labeled 1 B and 5 B, solder the wire coming from the nail to the F terminal of the toggle switch and solder the wire leading to the coil on the nail to terminal E on the corresponding toggle switch. 22. Insert one battery into each of the sixteen battery holders. Your grid of nails should now be a grid of electromagnets. 23. After confirming that each of the electromagnets functions, disconnect the batteries from the nails so that you don't waste them.

Procedure: Preparing for Testing 1. Type and print out two copies of the following instructions: “Please read the instructions in front of you as I read them aloud to you. Copy the picture in front of you by putting the paper clips on the nails, as shown in the picture. Copy it exactly—in the exact pattern, order, and color, as shown. Copy it as quickly as you can. Copy it as many times as you can within a two minute period. Tell me each time you've copied the pattern, but do not stop working. While you are working, I will be behind the screen. I cannot talk to you while you are working. I will tell you when to start and when to stop. Please remain in your seat until I tell you to stop working. Also please do no hit my board in any way. Do you have any questions about the instructions? Are you ready? Begin. ” Be sure to practice reading the instructions slowly before you begin testing.

Procedure: Preparing for Testing 2. Now make a screen. Cut a rectangle, eight inches by two inches, at the bottom of the middle section of the project display board. Place the display board on top of the piece of wood with the nails hanging out. This will hide the batteries and wires so the participants cannot see them. 3. Now decorate this board so that it doesn’t look like you are hiding anything behind it. A possibility is to put a title on this board such as “the paperclip challenge. ” Some other ideas would be to the directions on this. Another possibility would be to make a fake leaderboard on one side using the tacks to make it look like the participants could be added to this leaderboard if they could complete the pattern. Also put some extra paperclips on the board to fill some empty space if desired.

Procedure: Preparing for Testing 4. Take a picture of your design with the digital camera, print out the picture, and tape it above the empty grid, on the display board. This will act as a reference for the test subject. 5. Find a quiet location at school where you can work with your test subjects. Set up the table with a chair on both sides. Place the project board screen with the electromagnet grid on the table with the grid facing the chair where the test subject will be seated. 6. Place one set of instructions where behind the board where you can read them.

Procedure: Preparing for Testing 7. Set up the tripod and the video camera. Position the tripod so you can see the subject's face and hands while he or she is working on duplicating the pattern with the paper clips. 8. Reconnect the batteries in the electromagnet grid. 9. To make the task more frustrating, place one the battery that should go in 6 T in the battery holder upside-down. This will permanently reverse the polarity of that nail making the task literally impossible.

Procedure: Preparing for Testing 10. Set up the timers so that one sits in front of the display board screen and one behind it. 11. Place three containers of paper clips near the timer. The containers should each hold fifty paper clips, a different color in each one.

Procedure: Testing 1. Start the video camera and say out loud which test subject you are testing; for example, "test subject number one. " Now invite your first test subject to sit in front of the grid. Record the test subject's gender in your lab notebook. 2. Read the instructions to your test subject to make sure that he or she understands what he or she is supposed to do. Set the timer for two minutes. Place the timer next to the paper clips so that the test subject can easily see it and then start the timer. At this time, go behind the screen.

Procedure: Testing 3. As the subject begins to copy the paper clip pattern, (alternating between the switch for 1 B and 5 B) change the polarity every four seconds. 4. While this is happening have the metronome on 60 beats a minute, which will beat every second. This will help mask the noise of the double pole double throw switch, but also help not draw attention to it since you'll be clicking it regularly. 5. When the two minutes are up, tell the test subject to stop. Ask the test subject how it went. Thank the test subject for spending time helping you with your science fair project. He or she is now free to leave.

Procedure: Testing 6. Stop the video camera. 7. Repeat steps one to six for as many times as you have volunteers. 8. After you have completed testing, disconnect the batteries from the nails.

Procedure: Collecting Data 1. Look at the video footage. These are the behaviors you can be looking for in each video: Not yet angered • Focused • Asking questions • Trying new methods • Positive responses- laughing, making jokes • Quiet

Procedure: Collecting Data Passive anger • Showing signs of frustration through and gestures • Making frustrated facial expressions • Looking around the room • Saying they are frustrated in some way Aggressive anger • Aggression- hitting the table • Verbal anger- swearing, yelling, blaming • Throwing paperclips 2. Split the video into five second intervals. This will make each video have 24 time slots. 3. Each time one of these actions is visible or heard in each time slot in the videos make a tally next to that for males or females in that category.

Procedure: Analyzing Data 1. Now it is time to compile your data and determine if the differences between the responses of the genders are statistically significant (an event that's unlikely to have occurred by chance). One test for statistical significance is the Chi Square test. 2. Plot your data from this test on a graph.

Variables Control: Constants: Females Independent variable: Dependent variables: Gender Task needed to be completed, time allotted for task, age of participants Number of responses to frustration of different types

Data: Overview I had 32 trials within this experiment but I will only look at my data as a whole not individual trials. Actual Data Male Female. Totals Not yet frustrated 744 837 1581 Passively frustrated 208 125 333 Aggressively frustrated 1 1 2 Totals 953 963 1916 Expected data Male Female Totals Not yet frustrated 786. 37 794. 63 1581 Passively frustrated 165. 63 167. 37 333 Aggressively frustrated 0. 99 1. 01 2 Totals 953 963 1916

Data: Overview 1. Take the total of the row multiplied by the total of the column divided by the total of all the totals. Expected data Male Female. Totals Not yet frustrated 786. 37 1581 Passively frustrated 333 Aggressively frustrated 2 Totals 953 963 1916 2. The number that this gives will go in the block that corresponds with the row and column block to get the expected data of how many observations should be in this block if males and females reacted the same to frustration.

Data: Overview Expected data Actual Data Male Female Not yet frustrated 786. 37 Not yet frustrated 744 Passively frustrated Aggressively frustrated To get the next value which will be the to an in-between step where to get to the chi square value. To do this take the number in a square in expected data and subtract it from the corresponding square in the actual data. This value will then have to be squared. Finally, this number is divided by the same block you used before in the expected data chart. With these two numbers in the data chart the equation would be: ((744 - 786. 37) ^2 ) / 786. 37 = 2. 28335853 You can then do this for all 6 squares in this data set.

Data: Overview 2. 28335853002192 2. 2596476418597 10. 8381399705813 10. 7255943841786 0. 0000273830360996037 0. 0000270986847382371 These are the six numbers created from the process discussed before. To get the next value, which will be the chi square number, add all the numbers from the previous step together. In this case of data it is 26. 10679501. You then need to look at your critical values for chi squares depending on the degrees of freedom. This problem has 2 degrees of freedom. Degrees of freedom are basically the number of columns minus one, are the degrees of freedom. This is why this data set has two degrees of freedom.

Data: Critical values • The critical value in a data set with 2 degrees of freedom is 5. 991. • This means that if nothing were going on between males and females and they react the same to frustration your chi square number would be 5. 991 or less. • Since the chi square number in this data set is approx. 26. 01 there is something going on between males and females and they react differently to frustration. • To see which category has the most difference between males and females you could look at the data set that is below. This is the data set that showed what the chi square number is. Not frustrated 2. 28335853002192 2. 2596476418597 Passively frustrated 10. 8381399705813 10. 7255943841786 Aggressively frustrated 0. 0000273830360996037 0. 0000270986847382371 • You could see the largest numbers shown here are in passively frustrated row. • This means that the biggest difference between the way males and females react to frustration is in passively frustrated.

Data: In detail Actual data Male Female totals Focused 345 401 746 Asking questions 8 9 17 Trying new methods 64 48 112 Quiet 327 379 706 Making frustrated hand motions 53 33 86 Making frustrated facial expressions 102 54 156 Saying they are frustrated in some way 38 33 71 looking around the room 15 5 20 aggressively frustrated 1 1 2 totals 953 963 1, 916

Data: In detail Expected data Male Female totals Focused 371. 05 374. 95 746 Asking questions 8. 46 8. 54 17 Trying new methods 55. 71 56. 29 112 Quiet 351. 16 354. 84 706 Making frustrated hand motions 42. 78 43. 22 86 Making frustrated facial expressions 77. 59 78. 41 156 Saying they are frustrated in some way 35. 31 35. 69 71 looking around the room 9. 95 10. 05 20 aggressively frustrated 0. 99 1. 01 2 totals 953 963 1916

Data: In detail Focused Asking questions Trying new methods Quiet Making frustrated hand motions Making frustrated facial expressions Saying they are frustrated in some way looking around the room aggressively frustrated 1. 829309208 0. 024552242 1. 234332131 1. 661905004 2. 443892032 7. 677331615 0. 20418508 2. 565856202 2. 7383 E-05 1. 810313267 0. 024297286 1. 221514559 1. 644647424 2. 418514129 7. 597608545 0. 202064778 2. 539211797 2. 70987 E-05 These are the in-between values that were got the same way as in the overview data set. These number are again added together to make the chi square value which is 35. 09958978.

Data: In detail This data set has 8 degrees of freedom because there were 9 columns in the previous step. A chi square with 8 degrees of freedom could have a chi square number 15. 507 and still say that males and females react the same to frustration. Because the chi number is approx. 35. 1 it is bigger than the expected chi square number there is something going on between males and females. They do react differently to frustration.

Data: In detail Using the same data chart used to get the chi square number, you can find which categories have the biggest difference. Focused Asking questions Trying new methods Quiet Making frustrated hand motions Making frustrated facial expressions Saying they are frustrated in some way looking around the room aggressively frustrated 1. 829309208 0. 024552242 1. 234332131 1. 661905004 2. 443892032 7. 677331615 0. 20418508 2. 565856202 2. 7383 E-05 1. 810313267 0. 024297286 1. 221514559 1. 644647424 2. 418514129 7. 597608545 0. 202064778 2. 539211797 2. 70987 E-05 This data shows you that the greatest difference is in making frustrated facial expressions. It also shows that looking around the room is the second greatest difference followed by making frustrated hand motions.

Conclusion In conclusion, my hypothesis, when males and females are exposed to the same frustrating task they will respond differently; males will become more aggressively frustrated while females will be more passively frustrated, was partially supported. Males and females did react differently to frustration, but males were not more aggressive than females. Males and females were approximately the same amount of aggressively frustrated and the same amount of calmness, not frustrated. Males were however more passively frustrated than females, especially in their facial expressions.

Problems / Limitations Problems: q. Stranded wire vs. solid core wire q. Alligator clips vs. soldering the wires q. Determining the length of wire to be wrapped around each nail q. Broken double pole double throw toggle switch Limitations: q. Limited available participants q. Males not returning ISEF forms

Further extensions / possible changes to improve the Changes: experiment q. Have less of an age gap than from 6 th grade to 12 th grade q. Make the paperclips slightly more challenging Extensions: q Study the difference in frustration by age groups

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