PSYC 1001: Introduction to Psychology I

Module 2 Assignment: Research Methods

What is the purpose of this assignment?
This assignment provides an opportunity to use the language of research methods and apply it
to a topic of interest. Use this as an opportunity to study the material and enhance your
preparations for the Quiz.

What am I supposed to do?

Complete all parts below. This assignment is to be completed on your own. Responses should
be specific, clear, and reflect an accurate application of the course material.

How should I complete and submit my assignment?

Include your responses below. Once completed

• Save the file as a Word document (.docx) or PDF. If using Pages, please convert to one of
these two formats.

• Add your last name to the filename (e.g., Module 2 Assignment – Yourlastname).

• Submit your assignment via the Module 2 Assignment link.

How will my learning be assessed?

A common marking rubric will be used during the assessment of all module assignments. It is
available in the Module Assignments section of the course site. To access your completed rubric,
head to the Tools menu and select Assignments from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can
access the Progress menu and then select Grades.

PART A: My Experiment
This section prompts you to design an experiment that investigates a topic of interest. To be
clear, you are developing an experiment and not describing other forms of research such as
correlational or observational methods. Also, you are not actually conducting the experiment;
this is all about design.

Using the space provided, provide specific and thoughtful responses to the following:

1. Describe a problem, issue or dilemma that you would like to see addressed via a
psychology research project using experimental design.

The problem I would like to see adressed is the potential impact of increased time
 spent gaming on the mental health of teenagers (13-18) , specifically focusing on the
development of depression.

2. What is your question of interest?

Does increased time spent gaming have a causal effect on the development of depressive
symptoms in teenagers?

3. What is your testable hypothesis?

Teens who spend more time gaming will show a statistically significant increase in
depressive symptoms compared to those with less gaming time.

4. Describe your sample and population of interest. Who are the participants?

Sample
Teenagers with an age range from 13-18. With a broader population of teenagers
from diversed backgrounds.

Population
50

5. What are participants being asked to do?

They will take two surverys. The first one the participants will be asked to fill out is a
survey about their mental health, and the second one being a short survey about how
much hours a week they spend gaming. Over the course of the research project, they
will be asked to shorten their online gaming time and take regular mental health
check-ins. After the research project is done , participants would undergo a final
round of the same assessments.

6. What are the variables? What are the DV and IV?

DV
Depressive symptoms expressed by participants.

IV
Time spent gaming a day.
7. How are each of the variables operationalized?

Depressive symptoms are operationalized using a standardized assessment tool.

Which will be tracked through the study.

Participants would also be required to self-report their daily gaming hours during the
intervention period. This self-reporting would serve as the operationalization of the
IV.

8. Describe the comparison that will be made during the analysis of results.

Assessing the differences in depressive symptoms (DV) among the different groups of
teenagers with varying levels of gaming time (IV) and whether there are statistically
significant differences in the levels of depressive symptoms among these groups.

9. Why might the results of your study matter? Who might benefit from the results and
discussion of your study?

My study can raise awareness among teenagers and their parents about the potential
consequences of excessive gaming on mental health. Teenagers can become aware
that too much time spent gaming will damage their mental health and spend their
time more wisely.

PART B: My Reflections
1. Identify and describe an idea, concept, or model from research methods that you can
use to enhance your life or the lives of those around you. How will you use this
information now or in the future?

I think that data interpretation is a critical research skill that I learned and will be
using in various aspects of my life to make informed decisions, solve problems, and
gain insights.

2. What is the most important question that you have about psychological research
methods? Make sure your question is specific and clear. Why did you select this
question?

How do researchers decide who to include in their study and why is this important? I
selected this question because finding participants is a really crucial step in research
because it effects the quality, validity, and applicability of research findings.