‘It’s gross, but cool gross’: ‘It’s gross, but cool gross’: Children’s reactions to BODY WORLDS: the Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies Kimberly

‘‘ItIt’’s gross, but cool grosss gross, but cool gross’’:: Children’s reactions to BODY WORLDS: the Anatomical

Exhibition of Real Human Bodies

Kimberly M. BurtnykManager of Evaluation, Amgen Center for Science Learning

California Science Center

Outline

• A brief history of BODY WORLDS

• Previous research on BODY WORLDS

• Current research study and findings

A Brief History of BODY WORLDS

• BODY WORLDS I Created 1995 by anatomist, Gunter von Hagens200+ real human specimens

• Donated bodies are PlastinatedTissues replaced by polymer plastic through a

vacuum process.


• Posed whole bodies reveal organs, bone structure tissue, and other anatomical features.

• Other specimens include limbs, blood vessels, nerves, organs, repairs (i.e hip replacements.)


• Controversial?

– Origin of specimens?

– Cultural objections?

– Is it art, science, both, or neither?

Gunter von Hagens, 1995

Juan Valverde de Amusco, 1559

◄

►


Previous BODY WORLDS Research

• Visitor Polls 500 Adults surveyed per siteMarketing focusLimited demographics

But, people who visit love it

• Child survey (Vienna 1999)Vienna130 10–12 y.o. surveyed post

visit only Mostly positive esp. for those

visiting willingly and with pre knowledge

Previous BODY WORLDS Research

• No formal academic learning/impact research

• Families never surveyed

BODY WORLDS Family Research: Design

Therefore….Families chosen as subjectsWith children 7-12 years old (i.e. our primary demographic)Pre-/post-visitAffective and cognitive expectations and outcomes measured

1. How did children expect to feel and how did parents expect their children to feel in BODY WORLDS?

2. How did children react to BODY WORLDS and how did their reactions compare with their own and their parents’ expectations?

3. How appropriate was BODY WORLDS for young children (esp. as reported by children themselves)?

BODY WORLDS Family Research: Research Questions



3. How appropriate was BODY WORLDS for young children (esp. as reported by children themselves)?




3. How appropriate was BODY WORLDS for young children (esp. as reported by children themselves) ?


• 172 families surveyed at entrance (over 9 weekends.)

– Continuous stratified random sampling

– Kids interviewed, parents self-reported

– Parents and children interviewed/surveyed separately

• 150 returned for exit interview

• Total number of surveys = 644300 Child pre and post-visit (+ 22 pre-visit only)300 Adult pre and post-visit (+ 22 pre-visit only)

BODY WORLDS Family Research: The Sample



3. How appropriate was BODY WORLDS for young visitors (esp. as reported by children themselves)?

Research Findings: Question (1) Affective Expectations

6) How do you think you’ll react to seeing the exhibits? Not at all

Extremely

Will you be curious? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be fascinated? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be uncomfortable? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be interested? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be sad/upset? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will it make you think a lot? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be confused? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be grossed out? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will you be bored? 1 2 3 4 5 6

Will it be creepy? 1 2 3 4 5 6



Child Positive Expectations

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Curious

Fascin

ated

Inte

reste

d

Think a

lot

Not at all or hardly any

A little or somewhat

Very or Extremely


Child Negative Expectations

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Uncom

forta

ble

Sad/U

pset

Confus

ed

Gross

ed o

ut

Bored

Creep

y


A little or Somewhat

Very or Extremely


How parent expectations for child’s visit matched child expectations: Positive Expectations

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Fascinated Curious Interested Think a lot

Much more negative

More negative

Accurate

More positive

Much more positive

Parents were…


How parent expectations for child’s visit matched child expectations: Negative Expectations

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Uncom

forta

bleSad

Confus

ed

Gross

ed o

ut

Creep

y

Bored

Much more positive

More positive

Accurate

More negative

Much more negative

Parents were…

• Children expected that seeing BODY WORLDS would be a positive experience

• On positive affect, parents accurately assessed or were more positive about their child’s feelings about visiting BODY WORLDS

• On negative affect, parents accurately assessed or were more negative about their child’s feelings about visiting BODY WORLDS

• On negative affect, children expected to be confused or grossed out by BODY WORLDS

Research Findings: Question (1) Affective Expectations Summary




Research Findings: Question (2) Affective/Cognitive Outcomes

Research Findings: Question (2) Affective Outcomes

Child Positive Impact

0%10%

20%30%

40%50%

60%70%

80%

Fascin

ated

Curious

Inte

reste

d

Think a

lot



Very or Extremely


Child Negative Impact

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Uncom

forta

bleSad

Confus

ed

Gross

ed o

ut

Creep

y

Bored



Very or Extremely


How accurately parents assessed the affective impact of BODY WORLDS on children: Positive impact

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Fascinated Curious Interested Think a lot

Much more negative

More negative

Accurate

More positive

Much more positive

Parents were…


How accurately parents assessed the impact of BODY WORLDS on children: Negative impact

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Uncom

forta

ble Sad

Confus

ed

Gross

ed o

ut

Creep

y

Bored

Much more positive

More positive

Accurate

More negative

Much more negative

Parents were…

Research Findings: Question (2) Learning Expectations

What Children and Parents Expected to see in BODY WORLDS

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Gen

eral

Anato

my

See in

side

the

body

Cool/I

nter

estin

g

Exhib

it spe

cific

Educa

tiona

l

How th

e bod

y wor

ks

Neutra

l Ana

tom

y

Specif

ic Ana

tom

y

Health

Negat

ive c

omm

ent

Goo

d fo

r Sch

ool

Adults

Children

Category Definition and examples

Anat. terms

Specific Anatomy

See/Learn about specific/less common anatomical terms: “pancreas,” “breast tissue,” “brain cells,” “vascular system.”

Neutral Anatomy

See/Learn about anatomical terms that are specific but familiar parts of the body: “hip,” “heart,” “lungs,” “brain,” “nerves.”

General Anatomy

See/Learn about “anatomy,” common terms: “the human body,” or groups of body parts such as “muscles,” “organs,” “tissues.”

Bodily f’cns

How the body works

See/Learn about “how the body works” or any process/function of the body.

See Inside the body

See/Learn about “what the body looks like inside”: “see inside,” “under the skin,” “what's under the body.”

Health See/Learn about health related: smoking, disease, healthy, “fatty foods”

Gen. expct’ns

Educational “Educational,” “learn science,” “know more about,” “informative.”

Good for school Good/need/learn for school and or school project.

Cool/ interesting

Positive affective responses, any statement of enjoyment/excitement, “fun,” “cool,” “interesting.”

Negative comment

Negative/tentative affective comments: “wrong,” “gross,” “disgusting.”

ExhibitExhibit specific (non-anatomy)

Additional exhibit specific information: Plastination, real bodies, made in Germany, controversial, donated bodies. Excluding anatomical terms.

Research Findings: Question (2) Family Expectations

Recollections of Family Conversations Prior to Visiting BODY WORLDS

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

What adults told kids

What kids rememberhearing

Research Findings: Question (2) Children’s expectations

• “You could learn more and get ahead in class.” (M9)

• “You can learn stuff about the body so they don’t eat stuff that is bad.” (M11)

• “It’s interesting, learn a lot. If you smoke you know what your lungs look like.” (F9)

• “It’s cool to see dead bodies in positions, see all the muscles.” (M11)

• “It’s fun for kids to learn about the human body, to see what it looks like inside.” (F7)

Research Findings: Question (2) Learning Outcomes

What Kids said They Learned vs. What Parents Thought their Kids Learned

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Cool/In

tere

sting

Specif

ic Ana

tom

y

Neutra

l Anato

my

Exhib

it spe

cific

See h

ow th

e bo

dy w

orks

See in

side b

ody

Health re

lated

Gener

al Ana

tom

y

Educa

tiona

l

Negativ

e co

mment

Good

for sc

hool

Adults

Children

• In the affective realm, children reacted positively to BODY WORLDS

• Many valued it as a learning experience and not necessarily one related to school

• It met or exceeded their expectations

Research Findings: Question (2) Children’s Reactions Summary




Research Findings: Question (3) Appropriateness for Children

Research Findings: Question (3) Children’s Opinions

Compared to what you thought it would be like before, what did you think of BODY WORLDS?

61%

30%

9%

Worse than I thought itwould be

Same as I thought itwould be

Better than I thought itwould be

Research Findings: Question (3) Children’s Opinions

27.5%

4.0%

68.5%

Worse Than Expected About What I Expected Better Than Expected

Overall, how did your child react to seeing BODY WORLDS?


0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

Per

cen

t Child

Parent

Child 0.0 4.7 36.0 36.7 22.7

Parent 0.7 2.0 37.8 44.6 14.9

Hated itDidn't

really like itLiked it

Really liked it

Loved it!

How much did you (child)/your child (parent) like BODY WORLDS?


Is BODY WORLDS a good exhibit for kids?

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

Per

cen

t

Child

Parent

Child 32.0 58.0 8.0 2.0

Parent 38.0 56.0 4.0 2.0

Totally Yes Not really No

• Parents and children had similar expectations of BODY WORLDS.

• Parents successfully/did not successfully gauge their child’s reactions to the exhibit.

• Parents and children both felt that BODY WORLDS was entirely appropriate for children 13 and under.

• Children in particular valued the experience.

BODY WORLDS Family Research: Research Conclusions

Documents

‘It’s gross, but cool gross’: ‘It’s gross, but cool gross’: Children’s reactions to BODY WORLDS: the Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies Kimberly