Assessment 1: Research Designs and Methods
Name
Capella University
PSYC-FPX3210: Human Lifespan Development
Instructor Name
July, 2024
Research Designs and Methods
The research method is the data-gathering approach that utilizes the selected research strategy (Sokouti et al., 2023). It should be noted that these methods must be compatible with the intended research design as it is through the methods that data can be collected. The methodologies include hands-on physical tests, various psychological tests, questionnaires, surveys, case interviews, observations, and assessment of documents (Mallah et al., 2021). Physical tests are medical approaches to evaluate people’s mechanical behavior about biological parts; on the other hand, psychological tests examine human thought processes. Structured questionnaires, surveys, and interviews provide much information, but the results’ accuracy depends upon the honesty of participants (Wang, 2024). They allow the behaviours to be researched in the context, which is important when observing people’s behaviours. Document analysis is retrieving or reviewing data and content items from documents (Dalglish et al., 2021). In this way, the researchers utilize such data to pose new questions and align the direction of the investigation paraphrastically.
There is a need for psychological research to draw knowledge on the brain’s functioning (Bishop, 2020). It always has its basis in the specific study design the researchers deem most appropriate to yield accurate results. They might use experimental studies to manipulate the independent variables and then analyze the changes obtained, or they might use correlational studies to determine the relationship between two or more variables, or they may apply the Longitudinal study designs if they are interested in the changes that occur over a specified period or Cross-sectional study if they are more interested in specified groups. Deciding on the right design is the first procedure in choosing the best course for the goal since it entails choosing the most suitable method. Research techniques include physical assessments, observation, questionnaires and surveys, interviews, and document reviews (Bartoš et al., 2023). Awareness of these designs and methods and how they work is pertinent to creating meaningful studies. These strategies will be used to evaluate the two research studies concerning the work in this paper, and the design and method of the studies, respectively.
Shyness in Toddlers
An article by Liu & Bell (2020) titled “Fearful temperament and the risk for child and adolescent anxiety: The role of attention biases and effortful control” concentrates on understanding the correlation between the expression of shy and anxious children. The researchers limited themselves to two-and-a-half-year-olds only while focusing on an observational approach with a survey that had a longitudinal design to capture the subtle complexities of the children’s emerging developmental process. The first major aim was to establish whether positive or negative subtypes of shyness had any facet of anxiety. As for the different arrangements of the situation, in this research, toddlers were offered to perform certain activities alone, with someone experimenting for them and others watching. This method is deemed for different social interactions and observation of several behaviors. The investigators recorded such comments during these activities, as the researchers rated them on the smile or frowning meter: happily, in sadness, or crying, respectively.
The results of the current research are significant mainly because they established a positive correlation between negative forms of shyness and heightened anxiety levels. Participants who appeared sad or cried during the executed activities presented more anxiousness than others did. On the other hand, the perceptions with positive probes, like smiling symbols, depicted more self-esteem perceptions than the dreadful marks such as fear or sad faces. The fact that observers can also pay attention to the obvious signs of emotion points to the effectiveness of the search for fearfulness among young children. Thus, it offers enlightenment to the researchers, parents, and educators.
This research had limitations that needed to be pointed out so that the tasks were done in a controlled environment. Generally, it is a positive effect because it contributes to stabilizing variables. Still, in this case, it contributes to the growth of anxiety and shyness due to inexperience and isolation from strangers. Individual differences are especially relevant to highly responsive babies to environmental changes. Some limitations of the study include issues about the consistency of the results between the two waves of parental interviews, which is that the nature and tendency of parental observation are subjective and could vary. For this reason, one has to exercise a lot of care and precautions while trying to come up with several interpretations of these findings.
The research has provided insignificantly important information concerning the early identification of shyness and anxiety in toddlers. Encouragingly, it proposes that positive or negative signs of shyness can be assumed as indices for emotional conditions in a child’s life. However, the given study emphasizes the necessity of paying attention to environmental factors and uninterrupted reporting to achieve reliable and accurate evaluation results. By comprehending these preliminary manifestations of shyness and anxiety, all stakeholders, including researchers, parents, and educators, will be better positioned to cater to the young children’s feelings and emotional status.
Positive Technology
A study by Song & Cai (2024) titled “Interactive learning environment as a source of critical thinking skills for college students” discussed the concerns about why the computer-supported collaborative learning system was developed. This learning system investigates how the move of the CSCL context and its relation to the growth of students’ thinking skills complement their interaction within computer-supported collaborative learning developed in an online environment based on the cognitive apprenticeship approach. The latter reveals an emphasis on learning through communication and experience; this fosters a better mastery of knowledge and skills. For this research, a CSCL platform directly was used by high school students, which encouraged them to come up with ideas and solve problems with peers. To promote learning among the students, such aspects as coaching, scaffolding, modeling, and the like were incorporated into the design of the online setting.
From Enthusiasm, students showed improvements, in their manner and way of thinking critically, and their role in participation in the educated and fun learning. This resulted in higher perceptiveness of their analysis and boosted their activity in group discussions, improving peer communication. This points to the need to apply components of cognitive apprenticeship while developing such environments because creativity and interaction are promoted. Moreover, technology helps the learners to be introduced to real-life problems, which aids in minimizing the gap between the theoretical understanding of the problem and the actual problem-solving process.
Offering scholars some structure in practically using their knowledge helped raise their level of interaction with activities they could identify with. As with other forms of technology integration in education, this research contributes to the body of literature supporting the notion that, in general, technology enhances students’ learning outcomes and, specifically, the online and cooperative learning environment. The latter only means that when creating digital aids, they can be designed to develop users’ critical thought abilities. At the same time, education becomes more engaging, thus providing room for hope that schooling in the future will be better.
Conclusion
Psychology is a field of study that has been highly influenced by research (Wang & Cheng, 2020). Different designs and methods used in multiple investigations must be understood to analyze the collected data effectively. This skill can help one identify biases and limitations within the study, illuminating the trustworthiness of the research and the honesty of its operators. By grasping at least the basic models of studies, one can better apprehend and interpret what is being collected. Such understanding not only assists in accepting or rejecting certain findings but also allows for finding other comparative studies that may give different results. Advancing knowledge would help ensure psychological practice is developed based on reliable evidence according to this understanding.
References
Bartoš, F., Maier, M., Shanks, D. R., Stanley, T. D., Sladekova, M., & Wagenmakers, E. J. (2023). Meta-analyses in psychology often overestimate evidence for and size of effects. Royal Society Open Science, 10(7), 230224. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230224
Bishop, D. V. (2020). The psychology of experimental psychologists: Overcoming cognitive constraints to improve research. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 73(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1747021819886519
Dalglish, S. L., Khalid, H., & McMahon, S. A. (2021). Document analysis in health policy research: The read approach. Health Policy and Planning, 35(10), 1424–1431. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czaa064
Liu, R., & Bell, M. A. (2020). Fearful temperament and the risk for child and adolescent anxiety: The role of attention biases and effortful control. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 23(2), 205–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-019-00306-z
Mallah, N., Battaglia, J., Figueiras, A., & Takkouche, B. (2021). Comparison of longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches in studies on knowledge, attitude, and practices related to non-medical tranquilizer use. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(21), 4827. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10214827
Mayrhofer, R., Kuhbandner, C., & Lindner, C. (2021). The practice of experimental psychology: An inevitably postmodern endeavor. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 612805. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.612805
Sokouti, M., Shafiee, A. R., Sokouti, M., & Sokouti, B. (2023). A meta-analysis of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate the psychological consequences of COVID-19. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 279. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01313-0
Song, H., & Cai, L. (2024). Interactive learning environment as a source of critical thinking skills for college students. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 270. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05247-y
Wang, Y. H. (2024). Understanding senior adults’ needs, preferences, and experiences of commercial exergames for health: Usability study. JMIR Serious Games, 12, e36154. https://doi.org/10.2196/36154
Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: Strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. Chest, 158(1S), S65–S71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2020.03.012
