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Middle Ground

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  • Play
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    • Unseen Stories
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Middle Ground   Reconsidering ourselves and others
  • Middle Ground Play

Play

Play your way to a deeper understanding of social science phenomena.

Pull up a chair and play a bit! Explore interactive digital content about how we think, feel, and behave in relation to other people. Pick a side, guess why people do the sometimes-puzzling things they do, follow an order or break a rule—shed a little light on the why and how we go through our daily lives alongside our friends, neighbors, and strangers.

 

Who do you think I am?
Who do you think I am?

When you size up other people, which cues or clues do you rely on to make your judgments?

INTERACTIVE

Unseen Stories
Unseen Stories

There’s what people see—and then there’s the unseen story. This photo essay will get you think about what others might get wrong about you, and what you might get wrong about others.

PHOTO ESSAY

My-Side Bias
My-Side Bias

How do you look into a topic? How you look determines what you find. Learn how to recognize—and combat—confirmation bias.

INTERACTIVE

Puzzling Public Behaviors

Why do people do the things they do? Do they have different reasons for doing them than you do?

INTERACTIVE

Making it in America
Making it in America

Part of the promise of America is that hard work is all it takes to be successful. Guess how many people will move up the economic ladder—and see how your answer compares to reality.

INTERACTIVE

Don't Push This Button

Some follow orders or rules, and some question them. Many things affect whether people obey an order or a rule, or ignore it.

INTERACTIVE

Stand By or Step Up?
Stand By or Step Up?

What do you do when you come across a stranger who needs help? What runs through your head as you try to decide whether to act?

INFOGRAPHIC

The power of a bogus uniform
The Power of a (Bogus) Uniform

Society depends on people respecting its rules—and those who enforce them. Do you tend to follow the rules without questioning them, or comply with other people’s requests? Why or why not?

VIDEO

Share a Joke
Share a Joke

Connecting with others is part of human nature, and sharing a laugh with a stranger can be a fun way to connect.

INTERACTIVE

 

 


National Science Foundation
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1713638. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

 

  • About the Exhibition
  • Play
    • Who Do You Think I Am?
    • Unseen Stories
    • My-Side Bias
    • Puzzling Public Behaviors
    • Making it in America
    • Don't Push This Button
    • Stand By or Step Up?
    • The Power of a (Bogus) Uniform
    • Share a Joke
  • Ponder
    • Thinking About People
    • The Effect of Others
    • Being Sociable
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