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Science Of Small Talk

The science of social behavior, one interaction at a time

by Sam Sommers

Sam Sommers, Ph.D., is a social psychologist at Tufts University. See full bio

February 9, 2009, Personality

Comments on "Purple Tunnel of Personality?"

Purple Tunnel of Personality?

By Sam Sommers on February 9, 2009 in Science Of Small Talk

Last month I noticed that one of my Facebook friends–in this case, someone I actually still talk to, not, say, the guy I had a vague dislike for back in 6th grade summer camp who now feels the need to list my name on his wall–had just joined a group called "Survivors of the Purple Tunnel of Doom." It was the first I had heard of this phrase, which I assumed had something to do with yet another Indiana Jones sequel. But as many of you know by now, the purple tunnel actually refers to the location in which thousands and thousands of inauguration ticket-holders were stranded for hours on the morning of January 20th... Read More

Samaritan parable - everyone gets it wrong

Submitted by Tori Klassen on February 9, 2009 - 8:53pm.

Hi - nice post. Interesting study! However - nearly everyone gets the Good Samaritan parable wrong -- go read it again! In the parable, it was a rich man who was beat up and robbed and left for dead. Passersby, including clergy and other well-respected men, passed him without giving aid. It was the outcast, despised person - the Samaritan - who helped the man in trouble.

Sounds like both to me too

Submitted by Paul Maurice Martin on February 10, 2009 - 10:07am.

I'd tend to agree that Obama supporters may tend overall to have peaceful personalities, and this effect would have been magnified by the odd impression it would make on others on such a happy and grand occasion to behave in a petty, peevish manner.