explain and analyze the underlying causes of behaviors to inform decisions in social, personal, and professional interactions
Objective: Design, conduct, and report on a brief study that uses naturalistic observation in a public/communal space to answer a research question you develop on a topic related to social psychology. Submit a 6- to 8-page, APA style research paper, that communicates how specific topics, theories, and research findings discussed in this course shaped: 1) your research question, 2) the approach applied and behaviors observed, and 3) your understanding of the observation(s) upon conclusion.
Choose a topic or theory covered within the course content (e.g., altruism, attraction, conformity, gender, group influence, persuasion).
Research the topic to learn more about it.
Develop a research question you would like to explore through naturalistic observation. Question must be answerable through observation.
Create your observation strategy that will enable you to explore your research question. Include in this planning data collection/coding strategies.
Conduct the observation and evaluate the qualitative data collected.
Write and submit for grading a well composed, 6- to 8-page APA style formatted Observation of Social Behavior research paper. Included in the submitted document will be an Appendix containing Annotated Abstracts. The Appendix will not count towards the required page count for the body of the paper. The all-inclusive page count for the submitted document (Title Page, Report, References, and Appendix) will be approximately 11 to 14 pages.
(I will do the title page)
single document that 1) introduces an appropriate research question grounded in social psychology; 2) answers the research question through naturalistic observation; and 3) addresses the requirements listed here.
Observations are ONLY to be made in public places, communal spaces in your home, or via public webcams (e.g., Zoos have live webcams that enable one to see the public within habitat areas). Observations may not be made in private areas (e.g., bathroom, bedroom). Observations must be unobtrusive, meaning you may not interact with observed subjects. You cannot speak to subjects or solicit written responses to questions or surveys. [See the More on Unobtrusive Observation box below to learn more about why unobtrusive observation is important to your project.]
Your research can revisit a social psychology related question or study found within the empirical literature, or you can develop a new research question of your own design. In both approaches, you will have the opportunity to synthesize information from the course, expressing your understanding on the topic.
Within the document
Introduce. Concisely introduced the reader to the research topic addressed through your observation project. Clearly define terms and theory when introduced in the paper. Anchor the paper through a well-constructed thesis statement.
Have purpose. Your research question should clearly relate to a social psychology topic/theory. Dedicate discussion to the origins of the research question, to include support from existing studies. All topics are to be discussed in clear detail.
Connect. In the introduction of the research question, and in the discussion of the observation outcomes, support assertions made. Express interrelated ideas coherently and logically.
Include sources. Incorporate course sources and a minimum of five (5) peer-reviewed professional sources. [In an Appendix to the study, present a copy of the abstracts from five peer-reviewed journal articles, along with a summary of how the articles facilitated your research. More on the Appendix requirement is provided below.]
Use Authorial Voice. Discuss materials in your own words and your own writing style and structure. Avoid excessive use of direct quotes. Doing so may incur a point penalty for each occurrence and will not be accepted as content towards the page count of the reflection paper.
Apply APA Style**. Neatly and concisely present an APA formatted document containing
Title Page
Introduction
Methods
Subjects
Setting
Procedures
Results
Conclusions
Properly formatted in-text citations and references
Appendix
**Use APA style headings and subheadings, double-spacing, an appropriate serif or sans serif font (e.g., Times Roman 12-point; Arial 11-point; Calibri 11-point), 1-inch margins (left, right, top, and bottom), page numbering, and logical flow from topic to topic. Write with clarity, paying attention to spelling, grammar, and syntax.
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