What the shadow knows: Person perception in a surveillance situation.

Abstract

Under one of three task conditions, male subjects observed a prescribed behavior sequence performed by a female confederate. Covert-surveillance subjects followed her in public, having been told that she was randomly chosen as a target and was unaware of the surveillance. Overt-surveillance subjects actively followed the target, but knew of her role as confederate. Inactive subjects viewed a videotape of the behavior sequence. It was hypothesized (a) that active participation in surveillance would lead to emotional arousal in the observer (b), that overt-surveillance subjects would find the task more aversive than would subjects in the other conditions, and (c) that impressions of the target would be related to the affective experience of the observers. Self-reports revealed that overt-surveillance subjects experienced the task as more aversive than did inactive subjects. Covert-surveillance subjects also reported aversion, but this was coupled with a high level of reported pleasurable excitement. Impressions of the target were more negative in the overt-surveillance condition that in the other conditions. Discussion centered on the possible causes for the diverse emotional experiences and the distinctiveness of surveillance as a form of social interaction.