Stress+Test

=Stress Test= =Charlie Feinberg=

Goals
The overall goal of the experiment was just to test stress in general, to see the affects stress had on a humans body and too see if this type of test could stress someone, yet as I got deeper and deeper into the recording of data, it was becoming more and more apparent that the data was actually proving my hypothesis. My hypothesis was that the jigsaw puzzle, in an unstressed environment would be completed quicker than a jigsaw puzzle in a stressed environment. Yet there would be quite a bit of experimental error and other influences in my experiment. Some of the subjects were to be stressed much more easily than others, while some subjects may not have been stressed at all, even with the same number of people and same amount of noise, (both hard enough to control already). At the same time this experimental error may also have helped me to see if the differentiation in time of puzzle was or wasn’t indicative of the amount of stress. My goal was to test approximately 30 subjects, of the same age group (15-16), and sex (male). They would each use the same two puzzles, of the same difficult (number of pieces, and for the same age group). In the end my experiment helped to give validity to my hypothesis, and in the end I did enjoy my stress testing which may have been the most important goal of the entire experiment.

Discoveries
Most of my discoveries came in the research phase of the Bio-Project. Yet some of the most interesting discoveries were made by observing the subjects. P hysical observations of the subjects pointed to signs that they were stressed. Sweating, swearing, fumbling, self-pity and yelling were all reoccurring symptoms of these under-stressed subjects, while relaxed easy breathing, and systematic puzzle formation were observations made of the unstressed puzzle condition. Not only this but also basic affects of stress were also interesting discoveries. Anxiety, High Blood Pressure, and depression are all long term affects of stress, they can even be considered fatal in some instances.

Challenges
Challenges were also numerous throughout this process. Experimental error, was a reoccurring theme throughout the testing of thirty subjects. In an attempt to limit the amount of experimental error, the first puzzle was done in a room without interference, while the second puzzle in the stressful environment was done in the same room, but now four boys had also come into the room to make noise. The second puzzle was the puzzle that the most experimental error was exhibited in. As the experimental conductor, I tried to take control over my peers who were involved in the experiment, keeping the noise at the same level was difficult. Some boys were louder than others while others decided just to scream profanities, not having any rhythm, and would not affect the subject in a stressed controlled way. Also stress may effect one subject more than another, while one boy works well under stress others may not. Each boy may be stressed differently, one subject may be become stressed very easily, while others can hardly be stressed at all. Challenges also included comprehension of what was important information throughout the research process, and even just figuring out what project to do. Yet overcoming these challenges was not difficult if one can just use their brain a bit and focus on the task at hand.

Looking Back
Looking back on the stress test project, I have learned a lot about not only the effect of stress on the human body, but also what causes stress and its place in today’s world. I have begun to notice stress when I begin to feel it, and from this experiment I have learned just how dangerous procrastination, and self-pressure is on a human’s body. While I feel a plea for less school may be far fetched, this experiment may have some validity in less homework, or at least less amount of homework every night. Stress can cause irritation, depression, acne, and other biological and neurological issues. Even from my simple qualitative observations during the experiment, one can see a super jump in aggressive qualities and anger in which stress is to be blamed for. While coming to this conclusion, I also was able to enjoy my experiment.

Project Resources
Pictures can really get a point across for Qualitative Data... == ==

Graphs are Quantitative Support... (1. Pulse Differentiation 2. Time Differentiation 3. Blood Pressure Differentiation)