Research Proposal

Running head: SETTING UP RESEARCH

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SETTING UP RESEARCH

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Setting up Research

Kimberly Hope Morgan

University of Phoenix

PSYCH/655 Integrative Capstone: Psychology Past and Present

Deirdre A. Teaford, Ph.D.

November 07, 2016

University of Phoenix Material

Setting Up Your Research

Respond to the following exercises from Chapter One of The Literature Review in 150 to 200 words each. For the Additional Question, record the research and null hypotheses for your project.

· Exercise 1.1: Discovering the Subject of Your Interest or Issue of Inquiry

1. What is your personal interest or issue? My personal interest is serial killers and/or mass murderers. I have been attracted in this specific topic for just about 10 years. I come from a law enforcement family where my mother, father, and brother were all police officers. I picked up my first Charles Manson book and read it from cover to cover and as of that point on I was infatuated not only on Charlie Manson, but serial killers over-all. I have also read other books pertaining to serial killers by Jeff Lindsay I would rather read about persons who have a mental illness and how it can be part of the cause to their overall being, as per their psych E. My issue with this topic is not a lot of people reveal the same desire I do about serial killers. In fact, most find it alarming that the only books that I get into depth are those with mystery, suspense, serial killers or mass murderers. I highlight in my books and make logs. I have always had bit of interest with this certain subject matter, but again the issue with it is the only category I read. Individuals have a tendency to get a bit startled and think that I may become a sociopath. In addition, my other concern is I do not know how schizophrenia has portrayed a part with serial killers.

2. What are the component parts of the interest? A few of the components of interest in regards to schizophrenia and serial killers (topic) consist of what factors inspire or have an effect on one to mass kill even though they have a mental illness either diagnosed or undiagnosed. An additional component part to the topic of interest is also illegal substances. Why do a lot of serial killers who know they have a mental illness do psychedelic drugs? Could this lead to psychosis in the individual? What are the influences of mental illness, drugs, and serial killers?

3. Why did you become curious about this question? I became curious about these questions as I was looking into the topic. I became more interested after doing more research about schizophrenics. Both sides of my family unit haves mental illness, but not a single person that I know of that has schizophrenic. Through efficient research, persons that are at this time diagnosed with schizophrenia can be kept at bay with medication, but does not halt the serial killer possibly from being infuriated inside. Comment by Deirdre Teaford: Not sure what that means.

· Exercise 1.2: Understanding the Personal Viewpoint

1. What previous knowledge do you have about your interest? I have a rather bit of information on serial killers such as Manson, Gacy, Gein, Bundy, and a number of others. What's more I know that when schizophrenic people consume any form or kind of drug, it alters their temperament and their brain components. It modifies the individual’s actions and thought process. Serial killer’s mentality is by this time indefinitely reformed, just like The Son of Sam, David Berkowitz. There are a mixture of factors thatwhich can aeffect an person’s drug use with schizophrenia including the person’s uncertainty and their social environment. Comment by Deirdre Teaford: How do you know this? You need to be able to back up statements like this with research.

2. What personal experience do you have that influences you about this issue or interest? The personal experiences that I have are few, far, and in between. I do have personal experience with a couple “hard” drugs within my family. My brother was an addict and the drugs he used were mind changing and did things that he did not have any have a hold over. The drug totally took over my brother’s mind and he felt as if he was not in control. I also have personal experience with mental illness. Even though, I am not schizophrenic, I do suffer from generalized anxiety. I don’t have any personal involvement, clearly, with serial killers with the exemption that my widespread book collection contains mostly serial killers/mass murderers.

3. What are your beliefs, biases, and opinions about this interest or issue? I believe that it is essential to make a diagnosis with a mental illness and to be put on the appropriate medication(s). A person can rise above mental illness as a result of proper medication and therapy. Those who are serial killers who self-diagnose and self-medicate cannot go a long way in life. They too need to be on medications and/or treatment or their mental illness can perhaps manifest into to some degree more serious. Schizophrenic individuals consider they can calm the voices and calm their illness by self-medicating. There is no rapid modification or solutions for those persons who have a habit or will not try to find assistance.

4. What predisposes you to certain conclusions about the issue or concern of study? People with schizophrenia who turn out to be serial killers who also self-medicate, predisposes them for an unbalanced psych E. For instance, Andrea Yates believed she was rescuing her kids by slaughtering all of them. She drowned all of her children in the bath while she was schizophrenic. Furthermore, as I have said, any mind changing drug has an effect of a person’s psych E. From experience, once a mind-altering drug has gone into the body, the body desires more. Which will in the end lead to a dependence and perhaps other and much harder drugs. I have seen for myself what drugs can do to a family and how it effects an individual’s behavior.

5. How will you identify and isolate your personal bias, opinion, feelings, and intuition to preserve your natural position as a researcher? I believe that I can isolate as well as identify their personal opinions, bias, feelings, and intuitions though gathering of statistical, factual, and credible information on the topic. To help an individual with their obsession to drugs, help with their psych E for serial killers with schizophrenia, the data must be consistent and valid and should not comprise any biased opinion.

· Exercise 1.3: Selecting the Focus of Your Study

1. Clearly identify the focus of the study interest. The focus of the study of interest is with serial killers who put up with schizophrenia. As well, peoplersons that self-medicates to aid with the voices is also a region of study. Comment by Deirdre Teaford: Put up with? Awkward phrasing.

2. Are you looking at individuals, groups, or organizations? In this area of study, I will be observing both individuals and one group. The reasoning behind this is for the reason that not all individuals may be exposed to the same mental behaviors when they put up with from schizophrenia. Individuals that turn to serial killers suffer from schizophrenia have a very wide psych E. Comment by Deirdre Teaford: ? what is that?

3. Specifically name the individuals, groups, or organizations that you plan to study. The people that I am thinking about studying are the Son of Sam (David Berkowitz), Edward Gein, Albert Fish, Richard Chase, Andrea Yates and Juan Corona. The one group that I plan on studying is Ottis Toole and Henry Lee Lucas. At the time of their criminalities they were all grownups. A small amount of the names listed above did self-medicate which will also be a subject of interest when reviewing the individuals and one group. Comment by Deirdre Teaford: I am very confused. How can you design a study? This is NOT a literature review. You cannot just do readings for this project. You have to design a research study. Now, you could design a study where you give questionnaires to all serial killers currently in prison and compare them to murderers currently in prison to see what the difference is. I would question your focus on schizophrenia as most serial killers probably don’t have schizophrenia as schizophrenics are too disorganized to be able to complete these crimes.

· Exercise 1.5: Developing Your Interest Statement

1. What is your specific research interest? The specific research interest is serial killers who suffer from schizophrenia and what factors influence their decisions. This also includes those who self-medicate. This author will be researching and looking at serial killers with schizophrenia through the perspective of studies completed and researchers who have studied this topic. This author will also be reviewing peer reviewed journals to gather more information on schizophrenia and serial killers.

2. What contributions to the field make this research important? The vantage point and contributions being used within the research will be in peer-reviewed journals that made the research important such as studies on schizophrenic serial killers. Also, this author will go over the effects on an individual’s brain function while using drugs and has schizophrenia. This author believes that schizophrenia can be controlled though medication(s) and/or therapy.

3. What are your beliefs, values, biases, and opinions? The bias held by this author consist of a way in which serial killers who was either detected or not diagnosed with schizophrenia can get assistance at any phase in their life. Also, this novelist knows and comprehends about mind altering drugs with a psychological illness and how they do not team up. The author will avert the predispositions of bias from having an effect on the neutral stance which is essential for a scholar by basing any material received on reliable and valid data. Furthermore, it will be evaded though reviewing the diverse trends in information as well as not second guessing the information.

Additional Question: What are your research and null hypotheses?

The research question that will be done is how schizophrenia influences serial killers does self-medicating help? Are they a product of their circumstances? The research hypothesis that is posed will be made up of environmental effects, drug use, and schizophrenia in serial killers. The null hypothesis will be that all serial killers, that are as well schizophrenic, cannot alter their social environment which consist of mind altering drugs.