Do not push this button!

Here's a prank that's also an interesting experiment in social psychology. In the middle of a busy public square, a big sign over a red button says, "DO NOT PUSH THIS BUTTON." Of course, random people walking by inevitably do push the button. At which point, everyone in the square appears to drop dead. So what does the person who pushed the button do? Does he/she try to help the people? No. Every single person who pushed the button runs away, as if trying to escape being found out.

The prank was filmed in a square in Rio de Janeiro. The TV presenter Silvio Santos provides a narration (in portuguese). More info at forbes.com.


Pranks Psychology

Posted on Wed Feb 20, 2013



Comments

Hah! That's pretty impressive work! I think ol' Allen Funt would have kicked himself for not thinking of it.

If it were me, I think I'd probably see what happened if I pushed the button again.
Posted by Robin Bobcat  on  Wed Feb 20, 2013  at  11:26 PM
Robin, like the girl at the end did?

And the laugh-track on that video creeped me out a tad.
Posted by Smerk  on  Thu Feb 21, 2013  at  05:01 AM
I'd run, but out of fright instead of guilt.
Posted by cavalier  on  Thu Feb 21, 2013  at  07:55 AM
I find it fishy. Why are they following the girl with a camera through the park in the beginning of the video? Did they KNOW she was going to push the button? Looks like a set up to me.
Posted by Tobester  on  Wed Feb 27, 2013  at  06:50 AM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.