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SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY Case Study 1.8 Ø This case study assignment requires that you apply the ideas presented in Chapter 2 of the textbook. Read the case study carefully and answer the questions in detail. Follow the instructions for case study write-up in the course handout booklet. A copy of the instructions is also on my web page www.lhup.edu/sboland Ø A special note about plagiarism. Avoid quoting directly from the textbook -- write using your own words. Information taken from the text, even if rewritten in your own words, must be credited to or cited to the textbook authors. (e.g., Brehm, Kassin, & Fein, p. 36). See the full instructions for more information about citing the text as a reference. I also suggest that you review the class exercise on plagiarism. · Because this particular case study covers research methods, some of the material may fall under the “common knowledge” rule of plagiarism. Despite this, I want you to cite the textbook when you use terms or information that is covered in the textbook. This will give you practice in using the citation format. For example, you may know what an independent variable is from other psychology courses. Normally, this would fall under the “common knowledge” exception to plagiarism. For this case study, however, I want you to cite the text as a source because 1) I cannot be sure of what prior knowledge you do have, and 2) I want you to practice using citations in your case study. Ø If you have any questions regarding this assignment, please ask. I am also happy to go over rough drafts of case studies with you. If you wish me to review a rough draft, you must set up an appointment, allowing at least 20 minutes to go over the paper with me. Keep in mind that you may want to revise your paper after our conference, so you should have your rough draft ready well before the due date. Ø You may have the opportunity to rewrite one of your answers from this case study – but you won’t know which one until I announce it in class. Therefore, you should write the paper with the assumption that all the version of the answers you will turn in will count toward your grade. Case Study 1.8 (15 points): Johnny Can’t Read The parents of 5-year old Johnny read a newspaper report of a research study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. A researcher with the foundation conducted a telephone survey of 1,065 parents of children aged 6 months to 6 years of age (Perlstein, 2004). The survey results indicate that many children have a heavy diet of television and other electronic media (e.g., videos). Children spend an average of three to five hours a day watching television. It’s not unusual for children to have a television in their room (Vandewater, 2004). The results of the study also indicated that children with heavy viewing habits had lower reading skills than did children who watch less TV. Thirty-four percent of 4- to 6-year-olds in households classified as “heavy-TV” homes (where the TV is on nearly all the time) can read. In comparison, 56% of 4- to 6- year olds in homes where less TV is watched can read (Kornblum, 2003). Johnny’s parents don’t have much experience with interpreting research results, so they ask you to help them. Using what you’ve learned from lecture and the textbook, answer the questions that follow. The answer to each question is grade on a 5-point basis. Answers to each question should be complete and should be able to stand on their own. 1) Does the study described above use a correlational design or an experimental design? In your answer you should briefly describe each type of research design. Explain the basis for your identification. In other words, explain what makes this particular study either a correlational design or an experimental design, but not the other. (5 points) 2) a) Is the relationship between rates television viewing and reading ability positive or negative? Explain your answer and include a description of both positive and negative relationships between variables. (2 points) b) Based on the results of this study alone, would you tell Johnny’s parents that they could definitely increase his reading ability by reducing his television viewing? That is, Can you conclude from the results of this study that watching television causes poor reading ability? Explain your answer. (3 points) 3) Give at least three alternative explanations for a relationship between the television watching and reading ability. (5 points) (It may help to think in terms of the directionality and third variable issues discussed in class. That is, might A (television viewing) effect B (reading ability), or could B (reading ability) effect A (television viewing)? Or is it possible that another variable (C) is effects both A and B?)
Sources cited Kornblum, J. (2003, November 11). Effects of
TV on kids becoming less remote.
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