PSY 325 Week 1 – Assignment: Discuss Descriptive Statistics in Research
PSY 325 Week 1 – Assignment Discuss Descriptive Statistics in Research
Descriptive Statistics in Research
Studies on online behaviors are extensive and test many variables. How people behave online and motivational factors are among the most studied areas. Researchers use different methods to examine behaviors and present their findings differently. Descriptive statistics briefly summarize a data set, representing a sample or the entire population. Measures of central tendency or variability are commonly used to break down statistics. The purpose of this paper is to summarize an article on the association between narcissism and selfie-posting behaviors.
Purpose of the Research, Hypotheses, and Methods
People post different images on social media for varying reasons. Sorokowski et al. (2015) examined whether narcissism predicts selfie-posting behaviors among men and women. The implication is that narcissism influences the type and frequency of images people post on social media. Broadly, narcissism is a personality disorder characterized by people having a high sense of self-importance (Yakeley, 2018; Gabbard, 2022). Consequently, such people are likely to admire themselves excessively with little concern for others’ feelings. In this article, Sorokowski et al. (2015) hypothesized that narcissism is positively correlated with selfie posting and that the behavior varies with gender. To prove hypotheses, the authors tested the prediction that higher narcissism scores will likely influence people to post more selfies on social media by pooling results from two studies.
Variables and Levels of Measurement
Researchers typically study the dependent and independent variables. In causal research studies, the independent variable is the cause, while the dependent variable is the outcome of the manipulation (Nayebi, 2020). In this study, the dependent variable is the selfie-posting behavior since it is influenced by narcissism (the cause), the independent variable. Regarding the measurement levels, narcissism is categorized into some ordered sub-scales, while selfie posting is provided into general categories. The narcissism sub-scales (self-sufficiency, vanity, leadership, and admiration demand) match the ordinal measurement level since it is an ordered relationship. Contrastingly, the nominal measurement level only classifies data (Grove & Cipher, 2019). As a result, selfie posting behavior is at the nominal level since it is categorized as own selfies, selfies with romantic partners, and group selfies.
Sample Used in the Research
To test the relationship between variables, Sorokowski et al. (2015) used a sample of 1296 individuals recruited from various universities. The first study had 748 individuals comprising 355 women and 393 men. They were recruited from Polish universities. The second study has 548 Facebook users consisting of 330 women and 218 men. To enrich data and diversity, the first study’s participants aged between 17 and 47 years, while those in the second study aged between 14 and 47 years.
Ethical Guidelines in Recruitment and Testing
Research ethics is critical when conducting studies with human participants. In this article, Sorokowski et al. (2015) observed the
ethical principles of informed consent and anonymity. The participants provided informed consent before inclusion in the study. Informed consent ensures that participants understand a study’s risks and benefits and participate willingly (Manti & Licari, 2018). Anonymity was observed during data collection, where all responses were recorded in an anonymous database using codes that did not identify participants.
Summary of the Results and Conclusions
The primary finding of the research was that women post more selfies on social media than men in all categories- own selfies, selfies with partners, and group selfies. In order to determine the influence of narcissism, researchers performed two-tailed partial correlations with an alpha of .05. They found that the link between narcissism and selfie posting is stronger among men than women (Sorokowski et al., 015). As a result, it can be deduced that narcissism predicts selfie posting, and the relationship is stronger in men than women. In general, women post many selfies but not primarily due to the influence of narcissism.
Measures of Central Tendency
The authors reported measures of central tendency and variability in terms of participants’ characteristics and study outcomes. As Sorokowski et al. (2015) asserted, the mean age in the first study was 21.64 years with a standard deviation of 3.41. This indicates data that is highly spread out. The second study’s mean age was 23.72, with a standard deviation of 4.39. The deviation also illustrates highly spread-out data. The mean of own selfies among women versus men in the first study was 26.64 against 19.02. The gender difference was confirmed in the second study, where women’s mean was 7.52 against men with 5.5.
Conclusion
Researchers study different variables and present results varyingly. In the summarized article, the hypothesis was that narcissism influences selfie posting on social media sites. Both men and women were included in the study and their behaviors studied. Sorokowski et al. (2015) found that narcissism influences men more than women as far as selfie posts on social media are concerned. However, women post more frequently than men.
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PSY 325 Week 1 – Assignment: Discuss Descriptive Statistics in Research References
Gabbard, G. O. (2022). Narcissism and suicide risk. Annals of general psychiatry, 21(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-022-00380-8
Grove, S. K., & Cipher, D. J. (2019). Statistics for nursing research-e-book: a workbook for evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Manti, S., & Licari, A. (2018). How to obtain informed consent for research. Breathe (Sheffield, England), 14(2), 145–152. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.001918
Nayebi, H. (2020). Advanced statistics for testing assumed casual relationships. Springer International Publishing.
Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Oleszkiewicz, A., Frackowiak, T., Huk, A., & Pisanski, K. (2015). Selfie posting behaviors are associated with narcissism among men. Personality and Individual Differences, 85, 123-127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.05.004
Yakeley, J. (2018). Current understanding of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. BJPsych Advances, 24(5), 305-315. https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2018.20
This week, you will read the article written by Sorokowski et al. (2015), located under your weekly resources. Then, you will write a paper that includes the following:
A description of the purpose of the research, the hypotheses, and the methods used to test the hypotheses.
A description of the variables that were measured in the research and the level of measurement for each variable (i.e., nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio).
A description of the sample used in the research. Your description should include a discussion regarding the diversity (e.g., age, sex, race, etc.) of the sample.
For example, was the sample representative of a particular population or was it simply a convenience sample?
A discussion to determine if the ethical guidelines were followed in the recruitment and testing of participants.
A summary of the results and conclusions.
A description of the measures of central tendency (i.e., mean, median, or mode) and variability (e.g., standard deviation) reported by the authors.
This should include specific examples of how central tendency and variability were reported in the article; you should not include general definitions for these terms.
Length: 2-3 pages
Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course by providing new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.
As we begin this session, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify my expectations for this course:
Please note that GCU Online weeks run from Thursday (Day 1) through Wednesday (Day 7).
Course Room Etiquette:
- It is my expectation that all learners will respect the thoughts and ideas presented in the discussions.
- All postings should be presented in a respectful, professional manner. Remember – different points of view add richness and depth to the course!
Office Hours:
- My office hours vary so feel free to shoot me an email at Kelly.[email protected] or my office phone is 602.639.6517 and I will get back to you within one business day or as soon as possible.
- Phone appointments can be scheduled as well. Send me an email and the best time to call you, along with your phone number to make an appointment.
- I welcome all inquiries and questions as we spend this term together. My preference is that everyone utilizes the Questions to Instructor forum. In the event your question is of a personal nature, please feel free to post in the Individual Questions for Instructor forum I will respond to all posts or emails within 24 or sooner.
Late Policy and Grading Policy
Discussion questions:
- I do not mark off for late DQ’s.
- I would rather you take the time to read the materials and respond to the DQ’s in a scholarly way, demonstrating your understanding of the materials.
- I will not accept any DQ submissions after day 7, 11:59 PM (AZ Time) of the week.
- Individual written assignments – due by 11:59 PM AZ Time Zone on the due dates indicated for each class deliverable.
Assignments:
- Assignments turned in after their specified due dates are subject to a late penalty of -10%, each day late, of the available credit. Please refer to the student academic handbook and GCU policy.
- Any activity or assignment submitted after the due date will be subject to GCU’s late policy
- Extenuating circumstances may justify exceptions, which are at my sole discretion. If an extenuating circumstance should arise, please contact me privately as soon as possible.
- No assignments can be accepted for grading after midnight on the final day of class.
- All assignments will be graded in accordance with the Assignment Grading Rubrics
Participation
- Participation in each week’s Discussion Board forum accounts for a large percentage of your final grade in this course.
- Please review the Course Syllabus for a comprehensive overview of course deliverables and the value associated with each.
- It is my expectation that each of you will substantially contribute to the course discussion forums and respond to the posts of at least three other learners.
- A substantive post should be at least 200 words. Responses such as “great posts” or “I agree” do not meet the active engagement expectation.
- Please feel free to draw on personal examples as you develop your responses to the Discussion Questions but you do need to demonstrate your understanding of the materials.
- I do expect outside sources as well as class materials to formulate your post.
- APA format is not necessary for DQ responses, but I do expect a proper citation for references.
- Please use peer-related journals found through the GCU library and/or class materials to formulate your answers. Do not try to “Google” DQ’s as I am looking for class materials and examples from the weekly materials.
- I will not accept responses that are from Wikipedia, Business dictionary.com, or other popular business websites. You will not receive credit for generic web searches – this does not demonstrate graduate-level research.
- Stay away from the use of personal pronouns when writing. As a graduate student, you are expected to write based on research and gathering of facts. Demonstrating your understanding of the materials is what you will be graded on. You will be marked down for lack of evidence to support your ideas.
Plagiarism
- Plagiarism is the act of claiming credit for another’s work, accomplishments, or ideas without appropriate acknowledgment of the source of the information by including in-text citations and references.
- This course requires the utilization of APA format for all course deliverables as noted in the course syllabus.
- Whether this happens deliberately or inadvertently, whenever plagiarism has occurred, you have committed a Code of Conduct violation.
- Please review your LopesWrite report prior to final submission.
- Every act of plagiarism, no matter the severity, must be reported to the GCU administration (this includes your DQ’s, posts to your peers, and your papers).
Plagiarism includes:
- Representing the ideas, expressions, or materials of another without due credit.
- Paraphrasing or condensing ideas from another person’s work without proper citation and referencing.
- Failing to document direct quotations without proper citation and referencing.
- Depending upon the amount, severity, and frequency of the plagiarism that is committed, students may receive in-class penalties that range from coaching (for a minor omission), -20% grade penalties for resubmission, or zero credit for a specific assignment. University-level penalties may also occur, including suspension or even expulsion from the University.
- If you are at all uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism, you should review the resources available in the Student Success Center. Also, please review the University’s policies about plagiarism which are covered in more detail in the GCU Catalog and the Student Handbook.
- We will be utilizing the GCU APA Style Guide 7th edition located in the Student Success Center > The Writing Center for all course deliverables.
LopesWrite
- All course assignments must be uploaded to the specific Module Assignment Drop Box, and also submitted to LopesWrite every week.
- Please ensure that your assignment is uploaded to both locations under the Assignments DropBox. Detailed instructions for using LopesWrite are located in the Student Success Center.
Assignment Submissions
- Please note that Microsoft Office is the software requirement at GCU.
- I can open Word files or any file that is saved with a .rtf (Rich Text Format) extension. I am unable to open .wps files.
- If you are using a “.wps” word processor, please save your files using the .rtf extension that is available from the drop-down box before uploading your files to the Assignment Drop Box.
Grade of Incomplete
- The final grade of Incomplete is granted at the discretion of the instructor; however, students must meet certain specific criteria before this grade accommodation is even possible to consider.
- The grade of Incomplete is reserved for times when students experience a serious extenuating circumstance or a crisis during the last week of class which prevents the completion of course requirements before the close of the grading period. Students also must pass the course at the time the request is made.
- Please contact me personally if you are having difficulties in meeting course requirements or class deadlines during our time together. In addition, if you are experiencing personal challenges or difficulties, it is best to contact the Academic Counselor so that you can discuss the options that might be available to you, as well as each option’s academic and financial repercussions.
Grade Disputes
- If you have any questions about a grade you have earned on an individual assignment or activity, please get in touch with me personally for further clarification.
- While I have made every attempt to grade you fairly, on occasion a misunderstanding may occur, so please allow me the opportunity to learn your perspective if you believe this has occurred. Together, we should be able to resolve grading issues on individual assignments.
- However, after we have discussed individual assignments’ point scores, if you still believe that the final grade you have earned at the end of the course is not commensurate with the quality of work you produced for this class, there is a formal Grade Grievance procedure which is outlined in the GCU Catalog and Student Handbook.