From: Michael Lorrey (retroman@tpk.net)
Date: Sun Dec 29 1996 - 22:17:31 MST
Robin Hanson wrote:
>
> Kieth H writes:
> >Successful cult memes induce behavior (typically focused attention)
> >between cult members which trips the "improving status" detectors.
> >Tripping the detectors causes the release of reward chemicals without
> >having much (if any) connection to "real world" improvements in
> >reproductive success.
> >Examples of focused attention are "love bombing" in the Moonies and
> >"auditing" in Scientology.
>
> This is the one idea with real content in Kieth's post. But it needs
> to be fleshed out a lot more. If focused attention makes us go gaga
> so, it is a puzzle why more other social institutions don't find some
> way to trip this detector more. Why don't we see more analogues to
> "love bombing" without all the other destructive behavior?
>
I remember reading in one of the science journals about a study done
where subjects just stared into each others eyes for certain periods. It
turned out that the longer you locked eyes, the more likely you were to
develop feelings of attraction for the opposite person. Does this sound
like an analogue to the focused attention effect?
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey --------------------------------------------------------- President retroman@tpk.net Northstar Technologies Agent Lorrey@ThePentagon.com Inventor of the Lorrey Drive Silo_1013@ThePentagon.com http://www.tpk.net/~retroman/ --------------------------------------------------------- Inventor, Webmaster, Ski Guide, Entrepreneur, Artist, Outdoorsman, Libertarian, Certified Genius.
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