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Explanation of how lessons on behavior were learned on the TV show Candid Camera. Also refer to Allen Funt, situations, responses, human nature, behavior rules, humor, entertainment, stunts, conformity, puzzlement, annoyances, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions

Studying Behavior on Candid Camera

by Ron Kurtus (19 November 2000)

The old television show, Candid Camera, was a great study of how people behaved in unusual circumstances. This was especially true in the early days of the show, before litigation became an issue. The issue in each Candid Camera event was, "How would a person respond to this crazy situation?" The results were often amusing to the viewer. The participant also was usually amused after he or she found out it was a joke.

Questions you may have are:

• What were some of the classic situations or stunts?
• What is the analysis of each?
• What behavior rules were found?

This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.

Candid Camera show

The Candid Camera originator, Allen Funt said the show was about "catching people in the act of being themselves." Thus, the show was a study of human behavior, although I doubt the producers of the show ever thought of it that way.

The show created numerous clever situations to use on the unsuspecting victims. Classification of some of the stunts are: conformity behavior and reaction to puzzlement and annoyances. 

Conformity

In some of the stunts, the behavior trait was conformity.

Stunts

The question was: How would a person respond if he

• was on an elevator and everyone else faced the rear?
• was in an office and everyone else waiting did strange things?

Elevator stunt

An unsuspecting person gets on an elevator in an office building. Everyone else who gets on (all actors) turn to face the rear of the elevator. The person looks puzzled and then finally sheepishly also turns to the rear.

Personnel office stunt

An unsuspecting person is sitting in a personnel office with several other applicants (all actors). Soon one after an other gets up and takes a pencil out of a box. The person follows suit. Each does a number of other activities, with the final one of going to the calendar and tearing off a month. The person does what everyone else is doing.

Analysis

The various situations showed how people conform to what others do, even if it doesn't make sense. Of course, to the all-knowing audience, it is very amusing to see people do these things.

The reason people conform is that they are uncertain of what to do in a strange situation. They assume the others know what they are doing--even if it doesn't make sense--and that there must be a reason for the actions, so they do the same thing.

Rule of behavior

The rule of behavior in this case is:

• If you are in a new situation, there are other people in the same situation who seem to know what they are doing, then you follow their actions. 

Puzzlement 

In some of the stunts, it was puzzlement with something strange.

Stunts

The question was: How would a person respond if he

• Tried to fix a car without an engine?
• Was confronted with a talking mailbox?
• Returned to a dry cleaners and it was a different business?

Car without an engine

An actress is in a car with the engine removed. The car rolls down a hill into a filling station, as if she had driven there. She tells the mechanic that her has been acting up. When he looks under the hood, he finds there is no engine. He is baffled at the situation.

Talking mailbox

In New York city, a man is about to put a letter in a mailbox, when it talks to him via a speaker inside. The mailbox says it is a new service from the Post Office. The man converses with the mailbox when a policeman idles over to see what is going on. The man says to the cop, "Look, a talking mailbox." The mailbox doesn't say anything.

The man says to the mailbox, "Say something to the cop." Still silence from the mailbox. The policeman looks at the guy as if he is crazy.

Dry cleaners

A man brings in some clothes to a dry cleaners and is told by Allen Funt, acting as the proprietor, that he can pick them up in a few hours. When the man comes back, the dry cleaners is now a travel agency. Allen Funt is still the proprietor. The man is puzzled and wants his clothes, but Funt says this has always been a travel agency.

Analysis

Of course, a person confronted with something that just didn't make sense would be puzzled and confused. That was funny to watch (which is an interesting behavior in itself).

The reason people act puzzled is because they expect things to be as they have seen them.

Rules of behavior

The rules of behavior in this case are:

• If you see something one way, then you expect to see it the same way again.
• If something does not follow the rules of consistency and logic, then you act puzzled and even confused.

Annoyances

In some it was miscellaneous annoyances. The question was: How would a person respond if he

• Was repeatedly squirted in the face in a restaurant with a neighbor's grapefruit?
• Repeatedly had the coffee cup filled in a restaurant?
• Was given a much smaller helping that someone else?

The reaction is almost predictable, and it is funny because we can watch the person being annoyed.

Summary

Candid Camera showed how people would respond when confronted with unusual or strange situations. This was a study of human behavior for the sake of entertaining an audience. It also demonstrated the fact that people like to see how others respond to confusing situations.

Answers to Readers' Questions

Smile. You're on Candid Camera.

Resources

The following are resources on this subject.

Websites

Candid Camera - Site for the new Candid Camera show, featuring the late Allen Funt's son, Peter Funt.

Behavior Resources

Books

Top-rated books on Humorous Behavior

Miscellaneous

Mini-quiz to check your understanding

1. What can you learn by subjecting unsuspecting people to unusual situations, like concerning conformity?

2. What would your cat do if she came into a room where you had rearranged the furniture?

3. How would a person respond if you repeatedly picked lint or hairs off his suit coat?

If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Understanding Behavior. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.

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Studying Behavior on Candid Camera