Final answer:
The Petition study by Peter Suedfeld in 1972 examined the impact of environmental deprivation on cognitive functioning by having participants proofread a petition in normal versus low-lit conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Describe the Petition Study (Suedfeld)
The Petition study was an experiment conducted by social psychologist Peter Suedfeld in 1972. The research focused on identifying the effects of environmental deprivation on the cognitive functioning of individuals. In this study, participants were asked to proofread a mock petition about issues they believed in; however, the document contained deliberate errors in order to test the participants' attention to detail.
Participants were divided into two groups. One group was asked to carry out the proofreading task under normal conditions, while the other group performed the task in a very low-lit room, which was an environment meant to replicate sensory deprivation. The findings suggested that the participants who worked in the deprived environment made fewer corrections to the petition, indicating a lower level of cognitive functioning compared to those in the normal environment.
The Petition study contributes to our understanding of how sensory and environmental factors can significantly impact human cognitive performance. It is considered a significant piece of research in the field of environmental psychology.