Critical Thinking Activity: Research
Name: Date:
READ AND REVIEW Chapter 2, then test your critical thinking skills on this scientific reasoning exercise. Using information from Chapter Two , Lecture Two-Research and this form, answer the following questions from the summarized research within this assignment. BOLD TERMS should include a definition of the terminology as part of your response to the question. You must cite and reference your sources for the definitions and any information taken from any source using APA style as described in your syllabus. Be sure your sources are credible, respectable, professional sources which include an author’s name.
When some similarity between a solicitor and the person solicited exists, an increase in helping behavior is seen. This study tested if this similarity effect could be obtained by assessing the impact of similarity in first names between the sender and the receiver in a computer-medicated communication context. It may be expected that when the sender of an email has the same first name as the person who receives the message, this similarity would prompt the target to give his/her consent more easily to the solicitors request. A total of 634 men and women were used in this study by procuring personal email addresses. The research proceeded by requesting, by electronic email, that these 634 people visit a specific website. The website was constructed especially for the experiment. The site was called “Childhood Victims of Mines (CVM)” and the home page showed various photos, accompanied by poignant text, of children who were victims of injuries inflicted by personal land mines. A message was included stating: “Spend five minutes of your time on the children who were victims of mines by clicking on…” This message was followed by a hypertext link containing the server and site address. The study used 6 common first names for control to create a false return address. In each control situation the given name of the solicitor was different than the given-name of the target. In the experimental condition, the given-name used to create a false return email address for the solicitor was the same as the given-name of the person solicited (target). After clicking the link page, the participant was led to another home page with a further link to donate to CVM.
1. State the research hypothesis for this study in your own words. (10 pts)
2. Identify the Independent and Dependent Variables. (10 pts)
Independent:
Dependent:
3. Provide Operational definitions for the variables within this research (10 pts)
4. What sample was used for this research? (10 pts)
a. What population does this sample represent?
5. What specific type of research method is used in this study? Explain why this method is appropriate for this hypothesis? (10 pts).
A significant difference appeared between the two groups that activated our donation page. When the participant and the solicitor had the same first name, the participants were more likely to comply with the request. Therefore, our results show that when a person requesting something by email has the same first name as the person to whom the email is sent, the receiver showed increased compliance with the request. These results confirm the effectiveness of using similarity between the helper and the solicitor to influence helping behavior. These results were consistent with previous studies, done face to face, which created similarity by physical appearance and convergence of attitudes. This “name congruence” technique has some practical interest for website managers or online sellers who want to increase the number of website visitors.
6. What are the results of this study? (5 pts)
7. What alternative explanation can you suggest for the results? What additional information would your require to confirm your explanation? (10 pts)
8 .What confounds might provide an alternative explanation for the results of this study? (5 points)
9. Following your review of the results and identification of alternative explanations and confounds, do you think this research demonstrates Internal and External validity? One, neither, both? Explain . (10 pts)
10. From Lecture 1, what Theoretical Perspective best explains the results of this study? Explain. (10 pts).
11. References/ APA style citations: (10 points)