One of my favorite aspects of research is the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). This test is designed to measure each participant's response to stressful situations. To simulate a stressful situation, we put on this cruel little mock interview and mental math test. We tell each participant to prepare a five minute speech for their goal job, which can be anything from a computer technician to a cook. The participant is then brought into an intimidating-looking room (pretty much anything that is bright and somewhat empty) to present in front of two researchers that act as potential employers. The researchers must act very stern and serious in order to create a tense situation for the presenter. The directions for the assignment are read quickly and monotonously to the participant, and the timer is set for 5 minutes. The participants usually start off strong, enthusiastically listing all of their qualifications and past experiences. After about 100 seconds, the presenter inevitably loses steam, starting to stutter and grasp for more things to say. If there is a pause, the researcher simply replies, "You still have time, please continue," forcing the participant into an pressured and intense position. The situation is extremely awkward for not only the participants, but also the researchers, who have to try their best to not show sympathy (or laugh at the participant's discomfort). For me, it is also such a pleasure to see the participant squirm under the intense pressure. Cruel, I know, but these situations are very entertaining, and we can all relate to being in a similar situation at some point.
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