PSY1101 Introduction To Psychology

i) the problem under investigation;

ii) participants and their characteristics;

iii)what experimental method was used;

iv) key findings; and

v) conclusions and implications.

Hox, J.J. (2017). Computational Social Science methodology, anyone? 

Summary

The article reviews the relation of methods for computational social science to conventional methods and statistics. The computational social science is known to have three most essential characteristics. First, computational social science majorly involves big data, the one which is difficult for the conventional databases cannot manage. Secondly, as a result of the big data requirements, computational social science requires special techniques to be used in the analysis of the data collected, such as resampling as well as cross-validation. The third feature is that the data has to be simulated.

The researchers applied the quantitative research design to collect and analyse the data. The study involved the review of metadata from different sources. The researchers reviewed the findings of other scholars on the aspect of the research and how computerized methods in social psychology. The choice for qualitative design was motivated by the fact that most of the research articles were majorly the reports of the previous scholars, who conducted such studies and interpreted their findings based on their understanding.

The study found out that there are the features of computational social science, including big data, analysis tools are made for handling big data and the need for simulation of the findings. It was also found that the methodology seeks to infinitely use the highest number of participants. That is, when possible, big data research can use all the population under study. The research concludes that the methodology adopted in the social sciences is such that it will contribute to the computational research to distinguish various validities and hence enable an abstract discussion of the data.

Pope, K.S. (2016). The code not taken: the path from guild ethics to torture and our continuing choices.

Summary

This article addresses the controversial issues of professional tortures and how they are expected not to serve their personal interest, rather public interest. There are psychological settings like Abu Ghraib, Bagram, as well as Guantánamo, all of which show a deceptive outward appearance of the art of torture and hence raising hard questions on the best way in which the people involved can be of maximum utility in the profession. For instance, in trying to control terror, the professionals are expected to have some codes of ethics to guide their conduct during the search for information. In this profession, it is commonly understood that professional ethics is created so that it can protect the public against abuse of expertise, practice as well as profession power making the members of the public to be accountable for the values they hold. On the other hand, guild ethics puts the interest of professionals ahead interest of the members of the public.

The scholars applied the quantitative research design to collect and analyse the data from the works of other scholars. The study was conducted through a review of metadata, report analysis, documentaries and organizations involved in the torture using psychological approach. The research examines the use of these approaches in the present day torture chambers.

It found out that torture methods have evolved over the years, perhaps being attributed to the increase in terror activities and the need to find enough intelligence. Some professionals concerned with seeking information from the criminals do not operate under the codes of ethics in seeking for the information necessary for building intelligence base.

Waples, J.A. (2016). Building emotional rapport with students in statistics course. 

Summary

The article suggests that different students have varied anxieties when enrolling for statistic course. The negative beliefs that the students develop affect their success in the course and even lead to a bad rapport with their tutors. The authors provided a review in which they analysed the literature on the barriers that young scholars have to face during their course of study, and the corresponding bond developed among them and their teachers. The students are usually affected by a systematic culture of failure in the course, for instance, their preconceived ideas about mathematics and statistics or relying on the experience of others or their negative reputations with the course.

The study was conducted through a review of metadata on the student perception of the statistics and how such perceptions affect the performance of students in different a parts of the world. The study found out that if the students can develop a positive perspective of statistics, it is possible for them to develop a good rapport with their instructors and eventually succeed in the statistics courses. The researchers found out that the three factors, that is a healthful statistics self-efficacy and emotional bonding between students and their tutors enhance the academic achievements of the students.

The study made three recommendations based on the psychological approach of the matter, and especially in a statistics classroom. The research recommended that the tutors should be approachable to the students; utilize the opportunities to have with the students to build their self-esteem and to collaborate with the students in particular coursework.

References

Hox, J.J. (2017). Computational Social Science methodology, anyone? Methodology, 13(supplement), 3-12. Doi: 10.1027/1614-2241/a000127

Pope, K.S. (2016). The code not taken: the path from guild ethics to torture and our continuing choices. Canadian Psychology, 57(1), 51-59. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cap0000043

Waples, J.A. (2016). Building emotional rapport with students in statistics course. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 2(4), 285-293. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/stl0000071