Questions that make you think

[XChick03]

Hello everyone.

I need your help with a paper for my psychology class. We have to try and find a unique way to right about morals and conscience and how they affect us. So, I'm doing a poll and then wil write my paper based on the results. I'm only going to keep track of the answers, everything else will be anonymous.

Question #1: If you were in a burning building and you could either save one sibling or five strangers, what would you do? Keep in mind, with either choice, you and whoever you choose to save will be able to get out safely.

Question #2: If you could only choose to save one stranger or your beloved pet, who would you choose?

Question #3: Imagine you, your significant other, and your absolute best friend have all been kidnapped. The deranged kidnapper has the three of you all tied up, then pulls out a gun and turns to you, he asks you to choose which one you'd rather die. Whoever you choose will be shot and killed on the spot and if you don't choose one of the two, he'll kill you all. Who would you choose?

Question #4: You're in the same situation as before, but with a parent (the one you're closest to) instead of your best friend. Now what would you do?

Question #5: Same situation as before, but only your SO and you. Do you choose yourself or him/her?

Question #6</u<: Now its you and a stranger, who do you choose?

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/28/2006 10:30:06 AM
Author:XChick03
Hello everyone.

I need your help with a paper for my psychology class. We have to try and find a unique way to right about morals and conscience and how they affect us. So, I''m doing a poll and then wil write my paper based on the results. I''m only going to keep track of the answers, everything else will be anonymous.

Okay, first question: If you were in a burning building and you could either save one sibling or five strangers, what would you do?

Keep in mind, with either choice, you and whoever you choose to save will be able to get out safely.

Are you going to tell us what our choosen answer means? Is the one sibling mine? I mean, I would pick my sibling but I have 2.5 (1 bro, 1 half sister and one step sister). This is tough because my brother is 36 and should be able to get out himself, my half sister is 12 so she might need a little help in such a scary incident. However, my brother is 100% my blood so I think it would be an natural instinct for me to save him first if he was having difficulties. But then again, my little sister is 12 and my material instincts might kick in. BUT my mom would be very upset with me if I didn''t save my brother.

OMG such decisions......utlimately I would make sure my brother was safe first and then go from there. If I knew he could get out without help then I would save my half sister.

Then again, if those 5 strangers included a baby or elderlly person..then that''s awhole other delima but I still think I would make sure my brother was good either way.

I''m sure you didn''t expect this kind of response.

Is there a right or wrong answer?

 

[XChick03]

No, there''s no right or wrong answer. I''m just trying to see what the majority of people would do in the situation.

It''s hard to do this when there can be so many extenuating circumstances. You have to imagine that nobody would be able to get out without your assistance and if you have more than one sibling, it would only be the oldest. If you''re oldest sibling is still a child, I''ll have to record that seperately.

My only sibling is my baby brother, so of course, I''d save him without a second thought.

 

[hlmr]

That is a hard one!!! because first of all, I have to question why I can't save all six people. After all if there is a way to save five, one more shouldn't be a problem, right?

I know, that is not the question or purpose of the question. I guess I would have to save my little sister. I would do everything humanly possible to save everyone but given the choice of her or them, I would save my family. If everyone were strangers I would save the five people (unless the "one" was a child).

Hope that helps.

Heather

 

[XChick03]

Thanks Heather

I know its hard to imagine a situation like this. There are so many "what if''s" involved. I''m trying to keep it simple, but that''s nearly impossible.

 

[hlmr]

You''re welcome!

Which psych class is it for?

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/28/2006 10:46:38 AM
Author: XChick03
It''s hard to do this when there can be so many extenuating circumstances. You have to imagine that nobody would be able to get out without your assistance and if you have more than one sibling, it would only be the oldest. If you''re oldest sibling is still a child, I''ll have to record that seperately.

Well I''m the youngest with my mom, but the middle with my dad. However, if I had only the option to save one then it would be my older brother..he''s 100% blood.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 2/28/2006 10:52:49 AM
Author: hlmr
You''re welcome!


Which psych class is it for?

Applied Behavior Analysis

Its a really fun class. They actually have it at law school because the school believes basic knowledge of how the human mind works is something every attorney should know. It was minor anyway, so I love it.

 

[Mokey]

O.K. I''ll answer it for you.....sibling. Bet none of you want to be in a burning building with me now

 

[strmrdr]

sibling

then go back and try for the others.

thats a no brainer.

A harder question would be mine tiger (my dog) or 5 people.
tiger would win I think :}

 

[XChick03]

That''s actually close to my next question, but I want to get a few more answers on this one first.

 

[Mokey]

If dogs are included, I would pick my dog over my sibling...well, most days anyway!

 

[eks6426]

I have no siblings, but if I did I''m sure I''d save them first. For me, if were my cousin vs. 5 strangers I''d save the cousin. I think saving someone you know/love would win because it would directly affect my life to have them gone whereas the strangers being gone wouldn''t directly affect my life except for guilt.

 

[monarch64]

I would save my (only) brother first, and hope that that would leave two of us to go back in and save the 5 strangers. My first instinct upon reading the question was "sibling first."

 

[XChick03]

Thanks everyone.

The second question is: If you could save your dog or one stranger, what would you do?

If you don''t have a dog, substitute with any other pet or a friend or family member''s pet. Basically, just any animal you love. The stranger is just an average adult whom you''ve never met and know absolutely nothing about.

 

[fire&ice]

I would save my sibling

I would save the stranger over my dog.

All with a heavy heart & thinking I may be able to do more than just save the one''s above. I would risk my own life trying.

 

[E B]

I don''t have siblings either...so I guess the 5 strangers? Though if I did have a sibling, I''d save him/her first without a second thought!

 

[monarch64]

My dog.

 

[E B]

My first instinct is my dog too. She's my child. The GOOD news is she's only 13 lbs so I could tuck her under my arm WHILE saving the stranger!

 

[hlmr]

I would save the stranger over my dog but my heart would be broken.

Heather

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/28/2006 11:57:17 AM
Author: XChick03
Thanks everyone.

The second question is: If you could save your dog or one stranger, what would you do?

If you don''t have a dog, substitute with any other pet or a friend or family member''s pet. Basically, just any animal you love. The stranger is just an average adult whom you''ve never met and know absolutely nothing about.

I would save my cats....do I have to choose between those two?

 

[XChick03]

Lol, no you can just say your cats.

I adore my Bella, she''s like my child, but I''d have to save the stranger. Though, I''d probably cry for years.

 

[strmrdr]

mine tiger

The human has a chance to get out tiger would need help.
After he was out then Id do what I could.

 

[Odilia]

Definitely sibling first, then stranger.

 

[widget]

Sibling.

I''d save humans over my dog..though it would break my heart.

widget

 

[Caribou]

These are interesting questions. One''s that are not necessarily easy for any one to answer.

I think the only really easy no hestitation answer would be the pet one. Like, storm said, my pets would need my help getting out especially since they are going to be scared and not understand what''s going on. Also, they''ve been there for me when I''ve been at my worst, my best, and in between. Not that a stranger doesn''t deserve to be saved but I would feel that I owed it to my pets to help them.

Then if you put in the question that one of the strangers is an elderly person or a child...what would I do then?!?!? Hopefully, none of us will ever have to be in that predictament.

 

[qtiekiki]

#1 - sibling because I can''t imagine life without either one of my sisters. I guess if it''s anyone I know vs. five strangers, I would highly likely save the person I know because like IslandDreams said, that person have a direct effect on my life. But I would feel really bad not being able to save the others though.

#2 - stranger, but I never really had a pet. Does this mean that we consider human life more important than animal life (for those of us who choose the stranger)? I would imagine that a dearly loved pet can has the same effect on one''s life as a sibling. I suppose that might have something to do with your paper topic.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:31:33 PM
Author: qtiekiki
#1 - sibling because I can''t imagine life without either one of my sisters. I guess if it''s anyone I know vs. five strangers, I would highly likely save the person I know because like IslandDreams said, that person have a direct effect on my life. But I would feel really bad not being able to save the others though.


#2 - stranger, but I never really had a pet. Does this mean that we consider human life more important than animal life (for those of us who choose the stranger)? I would imagine that a dearly loved pet can has the same effect on one''s life as a sibling. I suppose that might have something to do with your paper topic.

I''m actually comparing emotions to conscience/morals. Since most of us know that on some level, a human life should outweight the life of an animal and that 5 lives are greater than 1, yet we still choose what we choose, because either of how we feel about the person/pet or because of what we feel would be morally the "right" thing to do.

 

[Kaleigh]

Sibling then the strangers. But like everyone else leaving my dog behind would kill me. I would still try and go back and save my dog too.

 

[belle]

sibling.

probably the pet over the stranger. i agree with strm, the average adult should be able to save their own life while a pet may not.