Study O Use Of The Pheromones What example essay topic

PART ONE: For each of the following four studies, indicate (a) the purpose of the study, and (b) the type of research method used: observation, case study, survey, the correlational method, experimentation). If the investigators used the method of experimentation, indicate the independent and dependent variables. Please write in your own words and do not copy from the study descriptions. 1.

A physiological psychologist performed a study to determine whether there was a link between nutritional imbalance and aggression. She recruited men of different ages and interviewed them about their past lives. She also collected blood samples from these men to perform a number of analyses. She found that aggressive males with a history of assaults had lower zinc levels and higher cooperation levels. (A) The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between food difference and violent behaviour. (B) The type of the research method used in this study was correlational method was used when the psychologist collected blood samples to perform some analysis to determine whether there is a correlation between low zinc levels and high cooperation level.

2. A research was done in Asia on the expression of social status. This study found that in family walks there is a clear order of public walking. The husbands walk ahead of the wives and the wives are followed by children. (A) The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an apparent order of public walking somewhere in Asia depending on social status. (B) The type of the research method used in this study was naturalistic observation where they observed the public walking behaviour among the Asian people and determined that there is a clear order in which they walk.

3. Psychologist believes that a high level of stress increases the likelihood of becoming ill. A study showed that people with high levels of stress in their lives also report high levels of illnesses (A) The purpose of this study was to determine whether an elevated level of stress increases the probability of becoming ill. (B) The type of the research method used in this study was experimental method where the psychologist believed that subjects with a grand level of stress are more likely to become sick. A cause-and-effect relationship cant be confirmed in this case with a high correlation. Independent variable: High level of stress Dependant variable: Level of illness 4.

This study was aimed at exploring the knowledge and perceptions toward schizophrenia in medical and nursing students with a potential influence on schizophrenia stigma. 274 medical students and 70 nursing students (aged 18-24 yrs) were asked about their general knowledge of schizophrenia. Findings suggest that medical and nursing students have ambivalent or discriminatory attitudes toward the recovery, level of violence or dangerousness, and social management of people with schizophrenia. These results contrast with the fact that the students seem to be knowledgeable about the nature of schizophrenia. (A) The purpose of this study was to determine the awareness and perceptions toward schizophrenia in medical and nursing students with a potential influence on schizophrenia stigma. (B) The type of the research method used in this study was survey method where the subjects were asked carefully worded questions about their knowledge about schizophrenia and the results showed that the students are well informed about the nature of schizophrenia.

PART TWO: For the following two experimental studies, please answer the questions listed below: (a) What was the hypothesis of the study? (b) What was the independent variable in this study? (c) What was the dependent variable in this study? (d) What did the investigators find in this experiment? (What were the results?) (e) Did the results of the experiment support the hypothesis? Explain. Please write in your own words and do not copy from the study descriptions 5. The authors of this study predicted that synthesized human male pheromones would increase the sociosexual behavior of men. Thirty-eight heterosexual men, ages 26-42, completed a 2-week baseline period and 6-week placebo-controlled, double-blind trial testing a pheromone "designed to improve the romance in their lives".

Each subject kept daily behavioral records for 6 sociosexual behaviors: petting / affection /kissing, formal dates, informal dates, sleeping next to a romantic partner, sexual intercourse, and self-stimulation to ejaculation (masturbation). Significantly more pheromone than placebo users increased above baseline in sexual intercourse and sleeping with a romantic partner, but not in self-stimulation to ejaculation. A significantly larger proportion of pheromone than placebo users increased in sociosexual behaviors involving a female partner. Thus, there was a significant increase in male sociosexual behaviors in which a woman's sexual interest and cooperation plays a role but not in male masturbation which involves only the man. The results suggest that human male pheromones affect the sexual attractiveness of men to women. (a) What was the hypothesis of the study? o Study predicted that synthesized human male pheromones would increase the sociosexual behaviour of men. (b) What was the independent variable in this study? o Use of the Pheromones (c) What was the dependent variable in this study? o Daily behavioural records for 6 different sociosexual behaviours. (d) What did the investigators find in this experiment? (What were the results?) o Considerably more pheromone than placebo users increased above baseline in sexual intercourse and sleeping with a romantic partner, but not in self-stimulation to ejaculation.

A significantly larger proportion of pheromone than placebo users increased in sociosexual behaviours involving a female partner. (e) Did the results of the experiment support the hypothesis? o As a result, there was a considerable increase in male sociosexual behaviours in which there was an influence from the woman's sexual concern and assistance which plays a function but not in male masturbation which involves only the man and self stimulation to the point of ejaculation. The results suggest that human male pheromones influence the sexual magnetism of men towards women but not necessarily increase their sociosexual behaviour. Thus there is a clear relationship between the subject's use of pheromones and an increase in their involvements in sociosexual behaviour with women. 6. Investigators tested the pique technique (i. e., making the request in an unusual and atypical manner so that the target's interest is piqued, refusal is disrupted, and the target is induced to think positively about a positive response). Passers by on a local municipal wharf were approached by a confederate panhandler who made one or the other of 2 strange requests: "Can you spare 17 cents (or 37 cents)?" or made one or the other typical request: "Can you spare a quarter (or any change)?" it was found that subjects in the strange conditions were almost 60% more likely to give money than those receiving the typical plea.

In addition, a strange request piqued interest as evidenced by increased verbal inquiries about the request. (a) What was the hypothesis of the study? o Whether a request made in an odd or uncommon manner can arouse an optimistic way of thinking about a positive response and disrupts negative responses. (b) What was the independent variable in this study? o The pique technique (request made in an unusual way to arouse interest in order to induce a positive response.) (c) What was the dependent variable in this study? o The number of positive responses (d) What did the investigators find in this experiment? o When the request were made in an atypical way ("Can you spare 17 cents (or 37 cents)?" ), instead of the typical way ("Can you spare a quarter (or any change)?" ), subjects were almost 60% more probable to give an positive response (giving money). They also arrived at the conclusion that, an out of the ordinary demand piqued interest as evidenced by augmented oral inquiries about the demand. (e) Did the results of the experiment support the hypothesis? o In some ways yes but not efficient enough because they were only 60% more likely which (from a scientific point of view) would not be a sufficient amount plus we must consider the observer bias because he could have asked the atypical and the typical question in a way to match his own expectations therefore when any question is asked in a manner where the subjects attention is piques they are more likely to give a positive response then the case where they are asked in the normal manner. PART THREE: Read the following four descriptions and indicate whether each example qualifies as an observation or an inference. Please give reasons to support your answers. 7. "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". o This example qualifies as an inference because of the fact that even if "Happy families are all alike" it doesn't mean necessarily that "every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way" which would be based on pure interpretations of what they have observed.

8. Amanda could be called Lawrence's side show as she did not contribute anything significant to the conversation. She seemed to be there on Lawrence's account. o This example qualifies very well as an inference because we clearly see that the objectivity of the researcher, unsystematic gathering of data method where from the observer point of view "she did not contribute anything significant to the conversation" which rely's only on subjective observation, and possible observer effects can clearly be seen. 9.

There are three unoccupied tables in the restaurant. Each table is round and seats, without squeezing extra chairs, four people. One available table is in the back by the pool tables, one is near the walkway where the waitress walks to serve drinks, and the last is by the window next to my table. o This example qualifies as an observation because the observer is giving us descriptions of what he collected as data while he carefully observed his environment and collected some information about the restaurant and gave an objective observed data. 10. A man was standing on the balcony of an apartment in the downtown area. He was wearing blue jeans and a red shirt.

He had been standing still for at least 15 minutes and was looking directly at the faces of the people passing by in the street. Two men and one woman could be seen on the street below walking from the left of the apartment building to the right. When they approached the building, the man waved to them with his right hand and put the other hand in the front left pocket of his jeans. o This example qualifies as an observation because it is based so far as possible on objective examination, and is supported by carefully recorded data. In this case observer was record what he had seen while watching others. Thus these statements such as the ones above have been recorded based on pure observation and contains absolutely no assumptions or inferences.