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Running head: ARTICLE CRITIQUE 1

ARTICLE CRITIQUE 7

Article Critique

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Summary

Nadler et al. (2010) examined the notion that cognitive tasks that depend on the behaviors like hypothesis testing and the rule selection might be beneficial from the positive mood, while the tasks that fail to rely on these behaviors need not to be affected by the positive mood. This was an experimental study that randomly assigned 87 students to one of the three mood-inductions conditions and one or two category sets. The authors adopted a series of music and video clips and verified that the clips evoked the projected emotions through the performance of the pilot study. The results from the study show that there was a better performance by the subjects in the positive-mod condition compared to the subjects in the neutral or the negative mood conditions. The positive mood also influenced the strategy adopted by the subjects that classified stimuli from the non-rule-described groupings.

Critique

The authors focused on confirming the hypothesis that the testing and rule selection based on the learning rule-described categories leads to an improved positive mood hence better mood and performance. The method adopted by the author helps in confirming this hypothesis. For example, the authors utilized the category-learning framework to assist in inducing the participants' positive, neutral, and negative moods and later learned through the rule-described category set. Therefore, the study outcomes make sense since the learning framework adopted is connected to the positive mood that leads to an improved mood and performance.

The results showed high chances that a positive mood improved the RD learning more than a neutral and negative mood. A positive mood has a significant effect on displaying a high intensity of cognitive flexibility than a neutral and the negative-mood. Therefore, the study can be considered reliable. The study can also be considered to be reliable since the general outcomes provided in the study are based on the objectives and the intentions of the authors. The study outcomes confirm the lack of impact of the negative mood on the RD category learning. Just like the previous studies, the present study showed that there is no effect of the negative mood in RD learning which is in line with the preceding studies that reveal no variations between the negative and the neutral mood participants in nterms of the flexibility in their cognition.

Summary

Shen &Shoda (2021) performed two studies to determine how the age of the candidates and gender impact voter preferences in a hypothetical election. In the first study, the authors performed the pre-registered and looked into the intention to vote were associated with the age and the gender of the aspirants through the use of the hypothetical election paradigm. The authors adopted stimulus selection and preparation using 300 MTurk employees. The procedure involved a highly repeated within-person method whereby the participants were allowed to respond to a large number of stimuli and the separate assessment of the effect of the stimulus features of their interest on the behavior.

In the second study, the authors pre-registered and looked into the role played by the gender and age of the candidates on the intention to vote through the utilization of the expanded stimulus set and the forced-choice paradigm that mimic the actual voting. The authors selected pairs of gender-matched candidates of different ages. Data were collected from the 300 MTurk employees after the pre-registration to allow the participants to complete the experiment.

In the third study, the authors replicated the study outcomes from study 1 and performed the examination to determine the intensity to which the outcomes could be accounted for based on the apparent competence, attractiveness, and warmth. The authors utilized 180 undergraduate learners from the University of Washington. The study subjects were allowed to visit the laboratory to be involved in the study described as the "Impression Formation and Politics." During the experiment, they were requested to perform the estimation of their age, just like in the case of the 93 candidates used in study 1. The overall outcome from the three studies indicates that there was an increase in the intention of the participants to vote for the male candidates as their age increased. The increase in the intention was up to 45 years, after which the intent to take part in voting for male candidates was reduced. The perception of attractiveness and warmth resulted in gender variations in the impact of the candidate's perceived age.

Critique

From the study outcomes, it is clear that the preferences of the candidates were systematically associated with their age and gender. Women were favored than men by the younger persons of 35 years. Nevertheless, the intent to vote for their female preferences was reduced with the age of the candidates. There was an increase in the intent to vote for the male aspirants up to the age of 45 years old,then undergoing a slight reduction later. The results also reveal differences in terms of the consequences of age and gender on the intention to vote. Therefore, the outcomes of this study make sense in terms of its objectives and focus on addressing the issue of the influence of the candidate's age and gender on voter preferences.

The sense of the study outcomes is also brought by the fact that they have consisted of the findings from other study paradigms, the stimulus study samples, and the participant's groupings represented in the study. Therefore, it can be generalized for the participants selected to participate in the study, making it reliable. Nevertheless, its validity is still questionable. Still, it cannot be used to generalize other groups of the population outside the study. This is basically due to the fact that the stimuli used by the authors came from already elected persons hence making the stimulus give a reflection on some form of biases within the United States electorate. The undergraduate learners and the MTurk workers were employed as study subjects. They were younger and more liberal compared to the general population. Also, the laboratory studies fail to offer direct predictions of the election outcome like in the case of the opinion polls.

Summary

Carney et al. (2010) performed a randomized controlled study using 42 participants. The authors assigned study subjects to high power pose or a low power pose condition. The body of the study subjects was posed by the experimenter into both poses. Every participant held the two poses for a duration of 1 minute then, followed by the measurement of the participant's risk in terms of gambling tasks. The feelings of each participant were measured through self-reporting, and the saliva utilized for testing the cortisol and testosterone levels was taken prior to and about 17 mins following the manipulation of the power pose. The results confirmed that neuroendocrine and the changes in the behavior of both female and male study subjects occurs due tp high power non-verbal displays.

Critique

The findings from this study are consistent with the literature work. For example, it shows that posing in high power displays is associated with the changes in the physiology, psychology, and behavior than low power displays. These findings make sense with regard to the effect of the brief non-verbal display on the neuroendocrine levels and the risk tolerance when individuals are placed on the power posing. This is based on the evidence that high power displays results in the rise in the dominance of hormone testosterone, reduction in stress hormone cortisol, and a rise in the behavioral risk tolerance as well as the feelings of the power.

Despite the significant effects of the high power demonstrated in the study, the reliability of this study is a concern. The authors failed to describe the amount that is considered to be low or high power. This is basically due to the fact that some studies reveal similar effects when the power is lowered. In this case, both three additional low and high power poses lead to the generation of similar effects on the feelings of the power as well as the risk-taking. Also, for some situations that need power, there are individuals with the ability to fake feelings.

References

Carney, D. R., Cuddy, A. J., & Yap, A. J. (2010). Power posing: Brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance. Psychological science, 21(10), 1363-1368.DOI: 10.1177/0956797610383437

Shen, Y. A., &Shoda, Y. (2021). How candidates' age and gender predict voter preference in a hypothetical election. Psychological Science, 32(6), 934-943.DOI: 10.1177/0956797620977518

Nadler, R. T., Rabi, R., &Minda, J. P. (2010). Better mood and better performance: Learning rule-described categories is enhanced by positive mood. Psychological Science, 21(12), 1770-1776.DOI: 10.1177/0956797610387441