a. It has always been a big deal in my family to say thank you after a favor. I asked my sister to help me clean the garage and she was great about helping out. When we were through and she was ready to go home I purposefully did not say thank you.

b. Her reaction was what I believe to be shock. Before she left she just looked at me with this certain look she always gets. I knew exactly what she was thinking, but could not yet say anything. Actually I was amused. I could feel tension and when she finally left she did not say good-bye. I felt bad about how I made her feel and as soon as I knew she was home I called her and told her that it was part of an experiment for my class. She was relieved when I finally thanked her and she told me that she was very hurt and was surprised at my lack of consideration.

c. I learned that by going against the norm I also disrupted a flow that has gone on for years. Being polite and saying thank you was an important part of our upbringing. When I disrupted the flow, or went against the grain, it caused tension and also hurt feelings. If I didn't say anything about the experiment my sister would have confronted me eventually. I know she felt disrespected and un-appreciated. I wouldn't ever intentionally do that again.