Research Paper Assignment

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Research Proposal Psychology 330

The goal of this assignment is to demonstrate that you can understand a social

psychological theory, develop predictions derived from it, and design a factorial experiment to test these predictions. You do not have to run the experiment, but it must be an experiment that could be run, given the proper resources. Your experiment must be derived from existing social psychological theory. Some fundamental background readings have been provided, but you must also conduct a literature search to learn more about the topic. The proposal should be about 6-10 pages in length (not including appendices). You may work with a partner or work alone. Due Date: December 4 @ 11:59 PM

THE PROPOSED EXPERIMENT

1. The experiment must be a 2 x 2 research design (that is, it must have two manipulated independent variables, each with two levels). You may use either between-participant or within- participant factors. Do not use participant variables (e. g. age or gender)! 2. You must predict an interaction between the two variables. 3. The experiment must be a constructive replication, in the sense that it takes an existing finding and adds new conditions to the research to produce an interaction. For instance, you may wish to test for conditions under which a previously established effect might be weaker or stronger, or conditions under which it reverses. Or, you may want to rule out an alternative explanation for the previous effect. In every case, the prediction must be derived from the theory under consideration.

WRITING THE PROPOSAL (Written Proposal=100 points + CITI training completed in Week 2=10 points)

The research plan should follow a modified APA format: QUALITY (20 points) 1. Properly formatted title page and abstract 2. Proposal is written in APA format 3. Correct use of spacing/headings 4. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization 5. Properly typed for APA submission and neatness 6. Readability and clarity of writing INTRODUCTION (40 points) Include each of the following:

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1. What is already known about your topic, and how the relevant theory explains and predicts the findings. Discuss and cite at least 6 scholarly journal articles related to your topic of interest and/or proposed study (including at least 1 from the list of background readings).

2. What is not yet known (e.g. limits of the effects, conditions under which the effect might not occur, potential alternative explanations, etc.).

3. What you are going to try to demonstrate in your experiment. 4. Why your experiment is important and interesting. Be sure to include your rationale for

investigating the problem. 5. State your hypothesis clearly; make sure it is falsifiable. Be sure to explain WHY you are

making your specific hypothesis. 6. A figure representing your hypothesis/predictions is included (label it as Figure 1 and

include it at the end of your report, which is the normal APA position for figures). METHOD (30 points) Should includen a detailed description of your proposed study including precise operational definitions of the IVs and DV (So that someone else could conduct an exact replication). Must include the following subsections: Participants: Who (demographics) and how many will be used? How will you assign them to groups? Demonstrate knowledge of at least 2 central ethical principles in the use of human research subjects in accordance with APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists (derived from the Belmont Report). Apparatus and materials: The apparatus is any equipment used during data collection (such as computers or eye-tracking devices). Materials include scripts, surveys, or software used for data collection (not data analysis). It is sometimes necessary to provide specific examples of materials or prompts, depending on the nature of your study. This subsection will usually include operational definitions of your IVs. Measures: If you are using a measure that has been validated, cite the author and describe the measure. Otherwise operationally define all of your measures (dependent variables). Procedure: Step by step description of where and how the experiment will be conducted so it can be replicated; state exactly what data will be recorded. Statistics: A detailed description of your proposed data analyses should be listed here. Describe the statistics you will use to test your hypothesis. REFERENCES (10 points) Include at least 6 scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles including the experiment that you are constructively replicating. At least two of these references should be from the list of readings below.

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The “References” also page needs to be in APA format.

Background Readings

Use the following articles to help you get started on the Research Proposal. They are available in full text online (via the Wiggins Memorial Library). Note that you will also need to conduct a literature search of your own in addition to using one or more of these articles.

Aggression

Anderson, C. A., Benjamin, A. J., Jr., & Bartholow, B. D. (1998). Does the gun pull the trigger? Automatic priming effects of weapon pictures and weapon names. Psychological Science, 9, 308-314.

Anderson, C. A., & Dill, K. E.(2000). Video games and aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the laboratory and in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 772-790.

Bushman, B. J. (1998). Priming effects of media violence on the accessibility of aggressive constructs in memory. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 24, 537-545.

Ellison-Potter, P., Bell, P, & Deffenbacher, J. (2001). The effects of trait driving anger, anonymity, and aggressive driving behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31, 431

Misattribution of Arousal

Cantor, J. R., & Zillmann, D. (1973). The effect of affective state and emotional arousal on music appreciation. Journal of General Psychology, 89, 97-108.

Cantor, J. R., Zillmann, D., & Bryant, J. (1975). Enhancement of experienced sexual arousal in response to erotic stimuli through misattribution of unrelated residual excitation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 69- 75.

Cotton, J. L. (1981). A review of research on Schachter’s theory of emotion and the misattribution of arousal. European Journal of Social Psychology, 11, 365- 397.

White, G. L., & Kight, T. D. (1984). Misattribution of arousal and attraction: Effects of salience of explanations for arousal. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 20, 55- 64.

Social Facilitation Blascovich, J., Mendes, W. B., Hunter, S. B., & Salomon, K. (1999). Social

“facilitation” as challenge and threat. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 68-77.

McCullagh, P. D., & Landers, D. M. (1976). Size of audience and social facilitation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 42, 1067-1070.

Sorce, J., & Fouts, G. (1973). Level of motivation in social facilitation of a simple task. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 37, 567-572.

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Zajonc, R. (1965). Social facilitation. Science, 149, 269-274.

Intergroup Relations

Jetten, J., Spears, R., & Manstead, A. S. R. (1996). Intergroup norms and intergroup discrimination: Distinctive self-categorization and social identity effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1222-1233.

Locksley, A., Ortiz, V., & Hepburn, C. (1980). Social categorization and discriminatory behavior: Extinguishing the minimal group discrimination effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 773-783.

Sachdev, I., & Bourhis, R. Y. (1985). Social categorization and power differentials in group relations. European Journal of Social Psychology, 15, 415-434.

Discrimination

Crocker, J., Voelkl, K., Testa, M., & Major, B. (1991). Social stigma: The affective consequences of attributional ambiguity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60, 218-228.

Dovidio, J. F., Gaertner, S. L., Niemann, Y. F., & Snider, K. (2001). Racial, ethnic, and cultural differences in responding to distinctiveness and discrimination on campus: Stigma and common group identity. Journal of Social Issues, 57, 167-188.

Kaiser, C. R., & Miller, C. T. (2003). Derogating the victim: The interpersonal consequences of blaming events on discrimination. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 6, 227-237.

Kaiser, C. R., & Miller, C. T. (2001). Reacting to impending discrimination: Compensation for prejudice and attributions to discrimination. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(10), 1357-1367.

Kaiser, C. R., & Miller, C. T. (2001). Stop complaining! The social costs of making attributions to discrimination. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(2), 254-263.

Stereotype Threat

Aronson, J., Lustina, M. J., Good, C., & Keough, K. (1999). White men can’t do math: Necessary and sufficient factors in stereotype threat. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 35, 29-46.

Cheryan, S., & Bodenhausen, G. V. (2000). When positive stereotypes threaten intellectual performance: The psychological hazards of “model minority” status. Psychological Science, 11, 399-402.

Leyens, J., Desert, M., Croizet, J., & Darcis, C. (2000). Stereotype threat: Are lower status and history of stigmatization preconditions of stereotype threat? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 10, 1189-1199.

McKown, C., & Strambler, M. (2009). Developmental antecedents and social and academic consequences of stereotype-consciousness in middle childhood. Child Development, 80(6), 1643-1659. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25592100

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Steele, C., & Aronson, J. (1995). Stereotype threat and intellectual test performance of African Americans. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 797-811.

NOTE: Remember that if you obtain a source electronically, the reference needs to be formatted accordingly.