What does everybody do with their creations?

wolf · Post by **wolf** » June 27th, 2005, 1:40 am

I have read about the benefits and such. Ad nauseum.

The sample sizes for such "studies" are often way too small, there's no rigorous analysis, and almost always there's no control sample, so there's no definite way of saying if origami helps or not. It's like in fortune telling; you pay attention to the hits and ignore the misses.

Searching through the scientific literature (through the ISI Web of Science) over the last two decades nets only about 10 papers on origami and psychology. In all but 2 of the papers, origami was used only as an incidental activity and not central to the main point of the research. For the two that did focus on origami, it merely discussed the ability to recognise mathematical symmetry in children. For all I know, the results of the studies would be identical if you substitute macrame/clay modelling/finger painting for origami - there certainly are a lot of studies and anecdotal stories about how beneficial activity X is, for human problem Y.

So until there's good peer-reviewed and repeatable studies comparing origami to similar activities, I'm not inclined to take such feel-good studies at face value. It could just very well be a placebo effect, or the fact that the focus required in any labour intensive activity would sufficiently distract the subject from whatever's bugging them (like the recent study on Gameboys reducing anxiety in kids before surgical operations).

FunkeeFolder · Post by **FunkeeFolder** » June 27th, 2005, 2:18 am

It is true that we folders have a knack for folding anything that is foldable! I can't even count on both of my hands how many times I've folded some kind of important papers without really thinking (not tax forms!) and gotten some mean looks! So is it a curse, or is it that strange love for origami that we all share. It must be a curse!!!

So like Nesting crane said. Nothing is perfect!

Anyways what I do with my models is similar to malachi, but I more or less had to ask them then them asking me (though once I was) and I seem to be the only local folder in my area (actually very close to Houston!) so the librarians are very excited when I ask to fold and display. Oh and I love to fold in public! It's so funny to see someone stop and stare for a second in amazment or get a random face of understanding like "hey he's folding a crane I know how to do that!" So Nesting Crane do whatever feels right to you on the model situation, oh and for the clutter around your house, I have a solution! I once was folding with a Japanese Exchange Student, and he put his origami (finished or not) into a wicker basket with a lid. I use a old back pack myself though!

Anyway I'm finished babbling, so happy folding to all!

Friet · Post by **Friet** » June 27th, 2005, 3:07 am

In my case it's also true that origami causes you to fold every piece of paper you get your hands on. Folding a little crane from a cinema ticket during the movie, doodling with the corners of my exam papers. I've only just recently picked up the habit of folding stuff from beer bottle labels. Heineken dragons, amstel roses, Alfa squirrels etc.

Post by **origami_8** » June 27th, 2005, 9:31 am

wolf wrote: It's horribly addictive.

ThatÂ´s so true and I think the other points are true too. But also if I know disadvantages I wouldnÂ´t stop folding, IÂ´m addicted

I do Origami not because of any benefits, I make it because I love it. Origami is clearing my mind, it is fun, it is satisfying. I like the finished models and I like the folding process. For sure, the papers I use are very small and I think WolfÂ´s arguments are right, but I wouldnÂ´t stop folding therefore and IÂ´m sure Wolf also wouldnÂ´t stop.

Nesting Crane · Post by **Nesting Crane** » June 28th, 2005, 4:38 pm

wolf,

The sample sizes for such "studies" are often way too small,

What!!! What size were they, and are they saying it had to be that size in order for the therapy to work?!!

If that is the case then forget it. I have a hard enough time with the 6 inch sheets, I can't go any smaller.

For all I know, the results of the studies would be identical if you substitute macrame/clay modelling/finger painting for origami -

That is very possible. Most psychiatric hospitals have an art therapy section, and it is not restricted to origami. In fact, it is not a guarantee that you will ever use origami in art therapy.

It could just very well be a placebo effect,

No. That is impossible. If the problem was just a mild clinical depression, I might have totally agreed with you. However, most of the illness treated with this type of therapy were very ruthless. A placebo might have granted them a couple of weeks of peace but that is as long of a rest period as they would get. This I know from personal experience. Multiple Chemical Imbalances of the brain have no mercy, it would take more than a placebo or a distraction to shut them up.

However, I don't think I will deposit the benefits of origami in therapy idea. One, there are always forms of therapies that don't work for everybody. Two, if they are saying the sheet has to be smaller than 6 inches then I just would not recommend that therapy at all. Unless, they wanted to work with tweezers.

So, I'll see what other ideas I can come up with.

Friet · Post by **Friet** » June 28th, 2005, 11:20 pm

He's talking about the size of the studies. Not the size of the paper.

If you want to find out what the therapeutic value of origami is. A group of 100000000 test subjects will be more accurate then 10. Because if all 10 patients that practice origami get cured, they could just as well be very lucky. However, if all 100000000 patients get cured, it's almost impossible that origami isn't the cause of their recovery.

Nesting Crane · Post by **Nesting Crane** » June 28th, 2005, 11:47 pm

Friet,

Oh. OK, I understand now.

However, I wouldn't go as far as calling it a cure. It was just a form of therapy. Which in most cases you will be doing the rest of your life, just like the medicine. I just hate taking pills!

Also, most therapies are not 100% reliable. There will always be great masses that therapy A or therapy B doesn't do anything for them. The goal is to find out what works for you and stick with it.

wolf · Post by **wolf** » June 28th, 2005, 11:55 pm

Nesting Crane wrote:No. That is impossible.

No, not impossible, it just hasn't been disproved yet, that's all.

Nesting Crane wrote:A placebo might have granted them a couple of weeks of peace but that is as long of a rest period as they would get. This I know from personal experience.

Personal experiences don't always extrapolate into larger groups. A systematic clinical study with a larger sample size, repeated and peer-reviewed, would carry a lot more weight. I've yet to see such a study done for origami. And even then - correlation does not imply causation...

Besides, human brains can be easily fooled. A placebo or distraction does have some impact on neurotransmitter levels, although perhaps not as reliably as targetted medication.

Joseph Wu · Post by **Joseph Wu** » June 29th, 2005, 12:01 am

Friet wrote:He's talking about the size of the studies.

That's "she", actually.

Friet · Post by **Friet** » June 29th, 2005, 12:13 am

Oops. Sorry Wolf

wolf · Post by **wolf** » June 29th, 2005, 1:15 am

No worries. Just a minor picky detail, really.

Nesting Crane · Post by **Nesting Crane** » June 29th, 2005, 2:05 am

wolf,

Well, if it does or does not work as a therapy it really doesn't matter at this point. When I was treating origami as a therapy, it started turning into a job. That was sucking the fun out of it for me. Besides, my medication does its job just fine for the time being.

Did you ever mention what you do with your creations? I need ideas here.

Friet,

Don't feel too bad. I made the same mistake. It was the screen name that threw me off. A man that chases women is called a wolf. So, when I saw that screen name, a male was the first thing that came to mind.

Uhhh. That wasn't ment to be an insult wolf.

Friet · Post by **Friet** » June 29th, 2005, 3:01 am

Nesting Crane wrote:wolf,
Well, if it does or does not work as a therapy it really doesn't matter at this point.

Ehh, it kinda does. Since it's what we were talking about

wolf · Post by **wolf** » June 29th, 2005, 5:08 am

Nesting Crane wrote:Did you ever mention what you do with your creations? I need ideas here.

They usually hit the recycling bin (oh look, yet another failed dragon design!). As for stuff I actually complete, they get photographed before being tossed into a box at my desk. Anyone who walks by are then free to rummage around in the box, pick what they like, and do whatever they want with it (destructive testing by kids is a favourite, followed by cat toy, so I heard). Most people have a lot of fun picking out a random model and using it as a three-dimensional Rorschach inkblot test.

Nesting Crane wrote:So, when I saw that screen name, a male was the first thing that came to mind.

It's intentional, of course, and you're not the first. Messing up people's preconceived ideas is another hobby of mine.

ilithiya · Post by **ilithiya** » June 29th, 2005, 6:19 am

I was just wondering how many of you hang your models from the ceiling (or walls if more appropriate)?

Illy