You will write this essay from the perspective of a potential first-time researcher. Pretend you are pondering conducting research into the psychological aspects of a specific human behavior
Understanding and applying psychology in one’s everyday life can have numerous benefits and is often the basis of research that is conducted in this field. In this assignment, you will write an essay requiring you to employ critical thinking as you contemplate the science of psychology.
You will write this essay from the perspective of a potential first-time researcher. Pretend you are pondering conducting research into the psychological aspects of a specific human behavior you have seen demonstrated in your everyday life (may be personal or work-related).
First, you should start with an introduction that allows the readers to fully understand your intent and the main points of the research you are contemplating. Be sure to identify your research question (e.g. Why do we yawn when we see someone else yawn?)
Next, include the following elements of your intended research:
- describe your vision of the research experiment,
- explain research methods that could be used to describe the behavior in your research experiment, and
- indicate the ethical guidelines you must follow while conducting research involving people.
Finally, in your own words, identify the basic ideas behind early approaches in psychology that may influence your research.
Your essay will be a minimum of two pages in length, double-spaced, and in Times New Roman 12 pt. font. Include your name and course at the top of the first page of your essay.
APA Style will not be required for this assignment. However, keep in mind that when directly quoted or paraphrased works of others are used in any manner, the writer is obligated to properly cite the source of the original narrative. You should become familiar with citing sources, as you will be graded on proper APA citation and reference formatting later in this course, and throughout your future academic endeavors.
Click here for a tutorial on writing an effective essay. A transcript for the tutorial is provided in the Notes section of the presentation.
Expert Answer and Explanation
Why People Look Up When Thinking
Understanding the intent of different human behavior is an interesting aspect that many psychologists engage in on a daily basis. Some of the seemingly common behaviors may be done subconsciously but may have an underlying motivation behind them. This research will aim at determining the reason why people look up when thinking.
People elicit different behaviors under different circumstances. For human beings, most of the physical action we take correspond to some psychological features. It may be something that we are cultured to or aping out a certain behavior that we have witnessed from those around us. However, other than the known assumptions, in the field of psychology we have to ask ourselves, might there be a deeper meaning to those actions (Halevy, Kreps & De Dreu, 2019).
The behavior of people looking up when thinking can be viewed from different perspectives. The process of thinking is usually attached to concentration when people look up, it may be considered as a behavior that assists them to channel their concentration towards thinking. The visual system of a human is known to correspond to its surroundings with any changes to the surrounding being interpreted by the brain.
Therefore, the more the information unrelated to the subject being thought about being processed by the brain at any given moment, the lower the level of concentration. By looking up, the number of distractions or secondary information being processed may be fewer, thereby, boosting the level of concentration (Hutchison, 2018).
From a philosophical perspective, looking up may have a spiritual connotation to it. Looking up might be a form tapping to the spiritual realm for guidance into the decision-making process.
Vision for the research
However, to better understand this issue in a more in-depth perspective, research ought to be done. This research will be conducted on a population obtained from the general public. The research will involve asking the participant to answer written questions that will demand some critical thinking to be applied. Then, observations will be made on the reactions of the participants while in deep thought. the research will then ask the participants why they behaved in a certain manner while thinking, especially for participants who look up during the though process.
Research methods to be used
The research methods used in the study will include random sampling to select the sample, and observation method to collect the data. Finally, the data will be analyzed using thematic analysis, where the collected data will be arranged on themes based on the reasons given by the participants. Given the mentioned methods, the research will therefore be qualitative (Boswell & Cannon, 2018).
Ethical considerations
For any research, ethical considerations are part and parcel of ensuring that the research adheres to the recommended standards and that the participants are protected from any harm that may result from the research process (Doody & Noonan, 2016). In a research that has human participants, it is of great importance to seek consent from the participants.
The participants need to be aware of what the research entails and any potential harm that may result as a consequence of participating in the research. It is from that point that the participant needs to give their approval to participate in the research. Doody and Noonan, (2016), also asserts the importance of protecting the participants’ confidentiality as being part of the ethical guidelines to adhere to when conducting research involving human subjects.
Influence of early approaches in psychology in the research
In the research to be conducted, the early psychological approaches of introspection will be helpful in defining some of the behaviors elicited by the research participants. Introspection as indicated by Wilhelm Wundt, a renown psychology expert, allows one to inquire what is the motivation behind different actions showed by people. I therefore think that introspection will be helpful in explaining why people look up when thinking.
References
Boswell, C., & Cannon, S. (2018). Introduction to nursing research. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Doody, O., & Noonan, M. (2016). Nursing research ethics, guidance, and application in practice. British Journal of Nursing, 25(14), 803-807.
Halevy, N., Kreps, T. A., & De Dreu, C. K. (2019). Psychological situations illuminate the meaning of human behavior: Recent advances and application to social influence processes. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(3), e12437.
Hutchison, E. D. (2018). Dimensions of human behavior: Person and environment. Sage Publications.
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FAQs
Example of phenomenon in research
A phenomenon in research refers to a particular observable event or occurrence that can be studied and analyzed. Here are some examples of phenomena in various fields of research:
- In physics, the photoelectric effect is a phenomenon where electrons are emitted from a metal surface when light falls on it.
- In psychology, the placebo effect is a phenomenon where a patient experiences a positive outcome after receiving a fake treatment, simply because they believe it to be a real treatment.
- In sociology, the bystander effect is a phenomenon where people are less likely to help someone in distress when other people are present, assuming that someone else will take responsibility.
- In economics, the sunk cost fallacy is a phenomenon where people continue to invest in a project or a business, even if it is no longer profitable, simply because they have already invested a lot of time and money into it.
- In biology, the circadian rhythm is a phenomenon where the biological processes of an organism follow a 24-hour cycle, regulating functions such as sleep, hunger, and body temperature.
These are just a few examples of the many phenomena that researchers study across various fields.
How to identify research phenomenon
To identify a research phenomenon, you need to look for a specific observable event or occurrence that you want to study. Here are some steps to follow to identify a research phenomenon:
- Identify the general area of interest: Start by identifying the broad topic or subject area that you are interested in. For example, if you are interested in studying human behavior, you might start with the general area of psychology.
- Narrow down your focus: Once you have identified the general area of interest, narrow down your focus to a more specific topic. For example, you might focus on the phenomenon of social anxiety in young adults.
- Identify the observable event or occurrence: Once you have narrowed down your focus, identify the specific observable event or occurrence that you want to study. For example, you might study how young adults with social anxiety respond to social situations.
- Formulate a research question: Based on the observable event or occurrence that you have identified, formulate a research question that you want to answer. For example, you might ask, “How do young adults with social anxiety perceive and respond to social situations?”
- Conduct a literature review: Before you begin your research, conduct a literature review to see what research has already been done on your topic. This will help you to refine your research question and identify any gaps in the existing research.
By following these steps, you can identify a research phenomenon that is specific, observable, and relevant to your area of interest.
History of social psychology
The history of social psychology can be traced back to the late 19th century, when scholars began to study the social influences on human behavior. However, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that social psychology became recognized as a distinct field of study.
The first social psychology experiments were conducted by Norman Triplett in 1898, who studied the effect of competition on cyclists’ performance. In 1908, William McDougall published “An Introduction to Social Psychology,” which is considered to be the first textbook on the subject.
One of the most important figures in the development of social psychology was Kurt Lewin, who is often referred to as the “father of social psychology.” Lewin immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1933 and founded the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Lewin emphasized the importance of studying social behavior in the context of the group, and his work laid the foundation for many of the theories and methodologies used in social psychology today.
During the 1950s and 1960s, social psychology underwent a period of rapid growth and development. Social psychologists began to study a wide range of topics, including conformity, obedience, attitudes, and prejudice. Some of the most famous experiments in social psychology were conducted during this time, including the Milgram obedience study and the Stanford prison experiment.
Today, social psychology is a thriving field of study, with researchers investigating topics such as group dynamics, social cognition, and intergroup relations. Social psychologists use a variety of research methods, including experiments, surveys, and field studies, to better understand the complex interplay between individuals and their social environment.
