Scientific Research Skills - Essay Example

Scientific Research Skills Review the literature related to the topic and summarize them The present document focuses on scientific research process adopted by the researcher to conduct future research. The topic chosen for the research is ‘excessive use of social media contributing to addictive behaviors or mental health issue’. The main objective of this essay is proposing research process that will be adopted conduct the future research. Therefore, the document will briefly discuss the scientific research approach, present list of sources, literature review and methodology for the research. With the passage of time, outburst of the social media websites and forum has gained attention of masses. Social media has immensely influenced individuals and their behaviors. The recent researchers claim that the excessive social media is becoming a major issue and leading to addictive behaviors and negative impacts on cognitive development and mental health among adult and children. O’Keeffe and Pearson in their study analyze the impacts of social media on individuals. The main objective of the research is to determine the impacts of social media on mental health of individuals. The findings of the research show that the excessive use of social media is leading to unhealthy and addictive behaviors among individuals, such as sexing, alcohol, pornography etc. In addition, the findings show that excessive use of social media is casting negative impacts on the cognitive development and academic performance of individual (OKeeffe & Pearson, 2011). In the similar fashion, Kuss & Griffith (2011) in their study cliam that the use of excessive social networking (facebook) is leading to negative impact on the academic performance of individuals as well as leading to variety of activities that have potential addictive behavior (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). Some of the researcher claims that the media content on the social websites is creating anxiety among individuals as social media portray a different aspect of the live. Fischer et al (2011) in the study determine quantity of media contents that is leading to risk-taking behaviors among individuals, such as extreme sports, violence and drinking. In order to conduct the study quantities research approach. Meta analysis was connected to determine the relationship between the media contents and its impact on individual behaviors. The findings of the study highlights that there is strong relation between media content and risk taking behaviors of individuals (Fischer, Greitemeyer, Kastenmüller, Vogrincic, & Sauer, 2011). Villanti et al (2011) in the study focuses on social media influence and its contribution in developing smoking among individual. Villanti et al (2011) findings show that the social media significantly contribute in the development of smoking behaviors among individuals (Villanti, Boulay, & Joun, 2011). Ho et al (2014) in the research studied the impacts of the media on the addictive behaviors (Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014). In order to conduct the study mixed research approach was adopted to conduct the study. The findings of the study show that the media has significant influenced to develop drinking behaviors among teenagers. The content and material on the social media is perceived to be one of the major contributor to promote addictive behaviors. According to the study of Scull et al (2013) media related cognitions are a unique influence on adolescents susbstance use (alcohol and tobacco use). In order to conduct the study quantitative methodology by investigating the impact of media related cognition on children alcohol and tobacco outcome. The findings of the study highlight alcohol and tobacco ads were persuasive and had strong impact on individual to develop desirability and identification. The study concluded that the media has a strong role to develop potential literary education and as well as prevention of substance abuse (Scull, Kupersmidt, & Erausquin, 2013). The literature reviewed for the study indicates that there is social media has great influence to develop addictive behaviors among individual. 2. List the resources that you have found that may be useful to your research The following is the list of resources that will be used to conduct the study: Fischer, P., Greitemeyer, T., Kastenmüller, A., Vogrincic, C., & Sauer, A. (2011). The effects of risk-glorifying media exposure on risk-positive cognitions, emotions, and behaviors: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 137(3), 367-390. Ho, S. S., Poorisat, T., & Detenber, B. (2014). Examining How Presumed Media Influence Affects Social Norms and Adolescents Attitudes and Drinking Behavior Intentions in Rural Thailand. Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives, 123(1), 282-302. Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. (2011). Excessive online social networking: Can adolescents become addicted to Facebook? . Education and Health, 29, 63-66. Nollaig, F. (2011). Qualitative Research Methods In Psychology: Combining Core Approaches: From core to combined approaches. New York: McGraw Hill International. OKeeffe, G. S., & Pearson, K. C. (2011). The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. Pediatrics, 127(4), 800-804. Sanders, L. D. (2009). Discovering Research Methods in Psychology. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Scull, T. M., Kupersmidt, J. B., & Erausquin, J. T. (2013). The Impact of Media-Related Cognitions on Children’s Substance Use Outcomes in the Context of Parental and Peer Substance Use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43(5), 717-728. Seidman, I. (2012). Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. London: Teachers College Press. Tuck, E., & McKenzie, M. (2014). Place in Research: Theory, Methodologies, and Methods: Theory, Methodology, and Methods. London: Routledge. Villanti, A., Boulay, M., & Joun, H.-S. (2011). Peer, parent and media influences on adolescent smoking by developmental stage. Addictive Behaviors, 36(1), 133–136. 3. Based on the literature reviewed, it is evident that the social media content and advertisements are the major aspects that are developing persuasive and desirability among individuals towards addictive behaviors. However, the excessive use of the social media is also resulting in other violent and risk taking behaviors among individual that can caste negative impact on health of individuals. Moreover, it is also evident from the information provided that the use of the social media without awareness can lead to mental issues, such as anxiety, depression etc. the study mainly emphasize that the social media has a great impact on the cognitive and mental status of individual due to which they are prone to develop addictive behaviors. 4. Justify the selection of the topic support that from the literature The selection of the topic has been done keep in mind the significance and scope of the topic from the information obtained from the literatures. Based on the literature reviewed it is evident that the social media plays a major role in the cognitive development of individual due to which they are more likely to involve in the addictive behaviors. According to the study of Kuss and Griffth (2011) it is evident that the social media is contributing towards addictive behaviors (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). In the similar manner, Fischer et al (2011) in their study explain that the social media content leads to develop risk-taking behaviors among individuals (Fischer, Greitemeyer, Kastenmüller, Vogrincic, & Sauer, 2011). The other main reason to choose the topic is the practice implication of the study in recent times. The outburst of the social media websites and forums is one of the major aspects that contribute towards the development of negative behaviors among individual. The research would allow determining the issues emerging from the excessive use of social media and its impacts on addictive behavior development. To conduct the research, mixed approach has been adopted to determine impacts of using excessive social media contributing towards addictive behaviors. 5. From your reading select variables related to your topic Variables Variables are a logical set to represent different values the main purpose of variables is to explain and describe the variance (Nollaig, 2011). For the present research, variables are the different values that are taken as a factor to determine the influence on the outcomes of scientific research. 6. Title of your suggested research The title for the suggested research will be ‘Impacts of use of social media developing addictive behaviors among adolescences’. 7. Identify the dependent and independent variables 8. Hence, we shall use independent and dependent variable to determine the impact of excessive use of social media in developing addictive behaviors. Social media is dependent variable and the variables for addictive behaviors (alcohol, tobacco use, substance abuse) are independent variables. 9. State your objective in form of The research aim for the topic is to investigate if the social media is contributing towards addictive behavior development among adolescences. Keeping in mind the purpose of the research the author has adopted inductive approach to conduct the study. The research objective is based on the following Question: Does social media influenced addictive behaviors? Statement: To understand impact of social media on addictive behaviors Hypothesis: Social media significantly contribute in the development of addictive behaviors Hypothesis can be defined as an educated guess of the researcher that allow the proves by conducting research (Tuck & McKenzie, 2014). The findings and results of the research either accept or reject the hypothesis (also called as a claim of the researcher) based on the results obtained. Based on the research aim the researcher proposes following hypothesis: H1 Social media significantly contribute in the development of addictive behaviors H0 Social Media does not contribute in the development of addictive behaviors 10. Justify, why you select this form of objective The reason that the inductive approach has been adopted as a form of objective is because researcher aims to determine the impacts of the social media on addictive behaviors of individual (Nollaig, 2011). The research objective for the study has been selected reviewing the past researchers and aim of the study that focuses to determine the impact of social media use on addictive behaviors (Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014; Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014; Scull, Kupersmidt, & Erausquin, 2013). Social media is a single aspect that is influencing various addictive behaviors prevailing among adolescences, such as, alcohol, tobacco use, substance abuse, pornography etc. 11. Distinguish between conceptual definitions and operational definitions The conceptual variables are the based on the abstract concepts that are involved in the development of hypothesis. The operational variables are the process of validation test about the duration, existence and quantity. 12. Constitutional definition of your topic variables The use of social media greatly influences the cognitive development of the individual that eventually caste a significant impact on the behaviors of individual. Thus, the excessive use of social media has influence on development of addictive behaviors. 13. Operational definition of variables The variables are measured using responses of the respondents using p-value and descriptive. 14. What is the level of measurement and the type of descriptive statistics that you will use to measure your variables The central tendency (mean) and p-value will be used to measure validity of the variables. 15. What are the method(s) and or the instrument that you will use to collect data? The researcher will make use of primary and secondary data to conduct the research. The data will be collected through survey questionnaires and reviewing past researches. Qualitative research approach will be adopted to conduct the study. The information will be collected using primary and secondary data. The researcher will make use of survey questionnaires (open ended) to interview the participants. Moreover, the past researchers and theories will be reviewed using behavioral theories to determine the impact of social media on addictive behaviors. The reason to choose qualitative research approach is because it explains the issue in a broader manner (Sanders, 2009; Nollaig, 2011). 16. What is the suitable index of reliability and validity of your instrument? Correlation analysis has been conducted to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The reliability of the data will be tested using T-test and the p value will be determinate to determine reliability of the data. The main focus of the research is to investigate if the social media usage influences addictive behaviors in terms of alcoholism, substance abuse, smoking etc. It will allow the researcher to determine how effectively media contributes to spread awareness and affects cognitive development of the individual. the major focus of the study is to determine the relationship between the variables that are determinant of the cognitive development of the individual. Similar operational of the variables is evident in the research of Kuss and Griffith (2011) in which they investigate the relationship between addictive behaviors by using Facebook and other social media websites (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). In addition, it briefly discusses how the content of the social media is persuades individual and creates desirability among individuals. The social media usage will determine how leads in the development of addictive behaviors analyzing the various social media forums, websites and application (Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014; Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014; Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014). 17. What is the population of your study? Describe it. In order to conduct the study 121 parents, 100 teachers and 335 students have been selected from the different schools and colleges in United States. It will allow the researcher to understand the issue in depth. In addition, data from the health care institutions will be obtained to determine the increasing number of social websites. It will allow the researcher to understand the issues in depth. The students that will be interviewed will be between the age 10-20 years and activite members of social media website. 18. What is the suitable sampling method that you will use. Describe. The researcher will make use of random sampling to conduct the study. Sanders (2009) defines random sampling as a subset of statistical population that provides equal probability to selected member of the sample to provide unbiased representation of the group (Sanders, 2009). The researcher made use of random sampling because each participant will be provided equal change to select the subject to ensure that the sample is a representative of the whole population. It results of the study will be implied on the overall United States population (OKeeffe & Pearson, 2011). 19. Choose the research design suitable to your research objective (s) and give justifications. Focusing on the research objectives of the study it can be determined that the qualitative research method will be adopted to conduct the study. Seidman (2012) define qualitative research approach as a practice and process that focuses on process of occurring perceptions and experiences of individual (Seidman, 2012). The reason that the qualitative research approach has been adopted is because it allows examining behavior of individual focused on social process. It allows determining in-depth understanding about the root causes of the issues. The findings obtained through quantitative approach are often flexible and broader than can be implied on a wider population. Keeping in mind research objective the researcher has adopted inductive research objective as it provides a broader view to understand the consequences and factors influencing the issue. The main focus of the research is to determine the relationship between social media usage and addictive behaviors, as there are various addictive behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco usage, substance abuse etc. the researcher has made use of the inductive research design that allows the researcher to understand the various aspects that are being influenced by the use of social media that are contribution towards the development of addictive behaviors among adolescents. In order to conduct the study smaller scale will be interviewed (Nollaig, 2011). Thematic analysis will be conducted to determine influence of variables. The researcher will make use of non experimental research design, that is, correlation design to conduct the study. It is because it will allow the researcher to investigate relationship between variable and examine relationship between variables (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011). The similar research approach has been adopted by Ho, Poorist and Detender (2014) in their study to investigate how the social media is influence social norms and addictive behaviors in Rural Thailand. The findings of the study are brief and explain various dimensions of the issues by using inductive research design approach (Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014). In addition, it will allow the researcher to establish causal relationship in the experimental research. In other words, it will allow the researcher to investigate the impacts of variables and relationship between them. 20. Is your research (data) qualitative or quantities or both? Illustrate The present research will be focused on qualitative research approach and the data has been selected using secondary and primary data. The data has been interpreted using thematic analysis that provides detail information about the correlation between the variables. The data obtained through questionnaires will mainly be qualitative and quantitative both. It is because the time the individual that will be using social media and certain other question were be in numbers. However, mainly that data will be qualitative as the queries from the teachers and parents are asked about the addictive behaviors prevailing in children (Ho, Poorisat, & Detenber, 2014). Moreover, some of the secondary data will be obtained through schools about academic performance of the students and health care institutions about the addictive behaviors among individuals. It will eventually allow the determine the impact of social media towards the issue. Read More