Public Displays of Affection

Yay or Nay?By: Conrad Beach

Final Project FHS 2450-042

Experiment OutlineI walked around the Walmart in my home town of Springville and asked 9 people what their thoughts about the topic were. I also asked my girlfriend about her thoughts (I had a pretty good idea as to what she would say). My experiment consisted of 3 questions. 1. Do you think that PDA is okay?2. What extent if PDA is acceptable?3. Does the age of the couple influence your thoughts at all?

Here is a presentation about my findings.

Hypothesis

I predicted that more people would be okay with PDA occurring than not. I guessed that 6 out of the 10 people surveyed would say that PDA is okay to show.

I did not think that any of the people would be okay with anything above making out in public though. And making out meaning a long passionate kiss with body contact.

I also predicted that people will give elderly couples a lot more freedom with this and be more accepting of their PDA than younger couples.

Responses

• Marcy 40 year old woman1. Yes2. Only do what you wouldn’t be embarrassed to let

your mother and grandmother see. That is the extent of the PDA that you should do. For me that is holding hands.

3. No. PDA is PDA. Regardless of the age

Responses

• John 26 year old man1. Yes2. Kissing (just a peck) no groping or anything like

that3. Yes, old people can kiss more and it is totally

okay. They have earned that.

Responses

• Kelley 32 year old woman 1. No2. None at all. Not even holding hands. It is not

something you should need to prove to the world. 3. Not at all. PDA is gross no matter the age of the

person.

Responses

• Caleb 20 year old man 1. Yeah, it is definitely okay. 2. Soft makeout is okay. (no rubbing of bodies, and

minimal body contact all together) Nothing more than that though.

3. No. I do not want to see old people going hard either!

Responses

• Kaybri 18 year old girl1. Hell no!2. Holding hands is the absolute max. 3. Even though I hate PDA, it is still better if it is an

elderly couple than younger kids. Young kids don’t know how to control themselves often times.

Responses

• Jentry 24 year old woman 1. Of course it is okay.2. Open mouth kissing is acceptable. But no grab ass.

(Her actual words!) 3. It is actually pretty cute to me when old people

display their love for each other. Shows that love and passion can last.

Responses

• Steve 51 year old man1. No, it is gross. I have always believed that. 2. Maybe hugging is okay. No kissing is acceptable.

Save it for later. 3. Old people can hug and kiss on the cheek, but

that is it. No exceptions for them either.

Responses

• Diane 44 year old woman1. Sometimes, depends on how public. 2. If it is in a high people concentrated place, then

holding hands only. If at a place with not many people. Then simple kissing is okay.

3. No change. Same rules go for the elderly.

Responses

• Joel 48 year old man1. Totally okay. 2. Just nothing passionate. (making out, passionate

touching, etc.)3. Yes, old people get a little bit more leeway when

it comes to this matter. They know how to handle themselves better.

Responses

• Abby 19 year old woman (My Girlfriend) 1. No, not even with you! Besides holding hands,

but even sometimes that is not okay. 2. Not more than holding hands, everybody should

just save it for a private time. 3. No. People are people, no exceptions at all.

Summary of Data Collected Findings

Question 1. Yes: 5 No: 4 Sometimes: 1

Question 2. Holding hands only: 4 Kissing/Hugging: 5 More:0 None:1

Question 3. Yes: 5 No: 5

Personal Reflection I came to several conclusions when it came down to it with this experiment. First off, I was happy to find out that I was correct when it came to more people thinking PDA is acceptable than not. Secondly, I was really surprised that so many people thought that holding hands was the only acceptable form. Lastly, I was really shocked that the category referring to elderly people came back an even 5 to 5. I honestly thought people would be a lot more understanding if old people were displaying their love and affection towards one another. I was surprised to find that the ages of the people I surveyed didn’t have much of an affect on their stances on the topic. The answers varied a lot more than I thought they would with age.

ConclusionI am very happy that I decided to do my project on this topic. I learned

quite a bit about people and their stances on this point. Me personally, I think PDA is okay, kissing is fine as long as it doesn’t get too passionate. And when it comes to the elderly, I say the same rules should apply to them. Although the elderly deserve more respect in my mind, they still need to abide by the rules of everybody else in this aspect.

This has been an amazing experience and it really took me out of my comfort zone having to go out and ask people about these fairly personal questions, but I do believe that doing surveys like these give people a lot of good insight into the psychology of other people and sort of the things that help them click and the things they do and do not like. The findings of this study were some facts that I will continue to reference in my life no doubt.