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Blondes do not have more fun: a non‐blinded crossover field study
Author(s) -
Zetner Dennis,
Ryg Jesper,
Andresen Kristoffer,
Schack Anders,
Alder Rasmus,
Rosenberg Jacob
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja2.50419
Subject(s) - blinded study , crossover , double blinded , field (mathematics) , crossover study , psychology , computer science , mathematics , medicine , artificial intelligence , alternative medicine , pathology , placebo , pure mathematics
Objectives To evaluate whether blondes have more fun, as proposed by Sir Roderick David Stewart in 1978. Design Prospective, non‐randomised crossover field study, 1–2 June 2018. Setting Single centre medical writing course, during a break in the course program. Participants Convenience sample of 21 healthy Danish researchers: ten blondes, nine non‐blondes, and two with missing data (bald). Intervention Participants completed a visual analogue scale ( VAS ) for fun and Profile of Mood States – Adolescents ( POMS ‐A) questionnaires before and after two rides each on a waterslide (once sitting upright, once lying down). There was a wash‐out between rides. Main outcome measures Fun, as assessed by VAS completed moments after completing each waterslide ride. Results Blondes did not have more fun than non‐blondes, neither while sitting upright (median VAS , 60 [ IQR , 23–66] v 25 [ IQR , 4.5–57]; P = 0.39) nor lying down (median VAS , 70 [ IQR , 60–85] v 66 [ IQR , 35–80]; P = 0.62). Riding the waterslide lying down was significantly faster (median duration, 9 s; range, 8–13 s) than sitting upright (median duration, 13.6 s; range, 8–37 s; P < 0.001), and also more fun (median VAS , 72 [ IQR , 59–85] v 41 [ IQR , 14–66]; P = 0.002). Conclusions Our findings are not consistent with the statement by Sir Roderick David Stewart that “blondes have more fun”; we found no evidence that blondes experience more fun or are more susceptible to mood changes than non‐blondes.