Written critique of a journal article (2000 words)

  

Left 2 of my assignments till the last moment, therefore will not be able to complete both before the deadline. This is where I ask for your help. Please read and follow carefully ALL the information in the attached file (article is included). I am in need of an exceptional quality work that I will thoroughly check before submitting my uni assignment, so please use correct grammar and spelling. The work needs to be plagiarism free and fully APA 6th referenced. You are free to choose any available topic for the essay, I only care for the quality of provided work. I will tip generously if the set standards of work are met. If any questions arise – please ask. Cheers, Dennis
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PSYC702 – CRITICAL EVALUATION IN PSYCHOLOGY SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT #1 –
WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1.
2.
Demonstrate the ability to access, interpret and appraise psychological research.
Critically evaluate and synthesise multiple forms of evidence.
4. Present work at an appropriate academic standard.
REPORT ELEMENTS
After reading the journal article, you will answer a set of questions about the study. These questions
are designed to facilitate critical interpretation and evaluation skills. After thoroughly reading the
journal article, you will then answer questions about the design and methods, interpretations of
findings of the study, and your understanding of the conclusions. Students will also be asked to judge
the quality of the work as they describe the strengths and weakness of the study.
REFERENCES
You are expected to use references for the sources of your knowledge and understanding of the
scientific methods and research elements. You need to cite the article that you are critiquing and any
other literature that you consult in your review of the article. When referring to the target article,
please do NOT shorthand the article (e.g. don’t refer to it as “the article”, etc.) Cite it as is appropriate
using the standard APA referencing conventions. Please attach a reference list to the end of your
assignment.
FORMAT
•
•
The overall word limit for the assignment is between 1500 and 2000 words. Remember that
“less is more”.
Please use a 12 point font, with margins on all sides of no less than 2cm (1”), and formatted
in double-spacing.
PLEASE DO NOT SINGLE-SPACE!!
•
Please print your Student ID# ONLY in the “header” space of each page; include a Cover Page
with your
name, your ID number, and the word count; and please use the following sub-headers to
separate your subsections:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
DESIGN, METHODS AND PROCEDURES
PARTICIPANTS
FINDINGS AND OUTCOMES
IMPLICATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH
6. QUALITY AND RIGOUR
7. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 8. SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE 9. TARGET AUDIENCE
After you read the article, answer the nine (9) questions listed in the left column on the next page. To
help you form your answers, the probing questions in the right column are provided to help you think
critically about the article and its research processes. This is not a comprehensive list of questions;
nor is it a checklist of questions to be answered. Every study is different and so some of these
questions will not have answers as they are not relevant. (NOTE: if there are no answers to a
question, show your critical thinking and posit why that information was left out, and any implications
of the omission.) You should use the probing questions to help interpret and evaluate the study. Then
craft your answer to each assignment question based on how you interpreted the article. In all
instances, offer full, justified answers to the questions below (i.e. don’t use bullet point answers).
PSYC702 – CRITICAL EVALUATION IN PSYCHOLOGY SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT #1 –
WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
ASSIGNMENT QUESTION
PROBING QUESTIONS TO FACILITATE THINKING
• Is there sufficient background to the
study?
In your own words, briefly describe the
• Is the background information clearly
background to the research; Critically evaluate the
1.
explained?
aim of the study, and if it follows from the
• Does the rationale for the study follow
literature reviewed.
on from the background? • Is the study
aim clear and logical?
• What kind of study was it?
(Qualitative or quantitative)
• Do they define their constructs?
• Do they clearly explain the design
of the study?
• How was the data collected?
In your own words, critically interpret the study’s
• Were the procedures clearly
2.
explained?
design, methods and procedures.
• Are there any limitations with
the design of the study, methods
of
3. Critically describe the study’s participants.
In your own words, summarise the study’s
4. findings. Critically consider the outcomes and
conclusions of the study.
collection, clarity in reporting any
aspects of the methods?
• From whom do the researchers obtain
their data?
• Was the participant information clearly
explained?
• Are there any limitations with choice of
sample, make-up of sample,
methods of recruitment, etc.?
• Are the key findings clearly
presented?
• Can you understand the data
(e.g. stats, values, descriptions,
etc.)
• Did the authors answer the
research question(s) posed in the
aims?
• What were the major inferences
from the study?
• Did the conclusions logically arise
from results?
• Are there any issues (e.g.) with
generalizability—if applicable?
•
Do the authors make links with
the literature that made up the
background to the study?
•
5. Critically consider the next steps in the research.
Are there any limitations with
conclusions being made;
inferences
from the data; etc.?
• Do the authors offer suggestions for
future research?
• Do the authors make any practical
suggestions?
• Is there insight shown in the implications
or recommendations?
• Do the authors acknowledge
their own limitations?
• Do the authors offer information
on aspects of the methods or
procures designed to enhance
rigour?
6. Critically evaluate the study’s rigour.
•
Are there any other limitations
(beyond what’s covered in other
questions above) that need to be
considered?
• Were ethical issues sufficiently
Critically consider the ethical considerations of the addressed?
7.
• Were there any ethical issues that
study.
should have been considered?
• Do the cited sources have currency?
Critically evaluate the sources of knowledge used • Are the references fully cited?
8.
• How robust do the study’s sources
in the study.
appear to be?
• Who do you think the authors are
Critically consider the target audience for this
writing for?
9.
• Who do you believe would benefit from
study.
the findings of this study?
Summative 1: Research Critique Worksheet Created by R. Scherman; Revised 4/04/2017
PSYC702 – CRITICAL EVALUATION IN PSYCHOLOGY SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT #1 –
WRITTEN CRITIQUE OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
As third-year students, the concept of academic integrity should be very familiar to you. Nonetheless,
below are some basic points about academic integrity that you should be aware of.
Academic integrity means ensuring that the work you submit for marking is wholly your own, and that
you are not claiming someone else’s work as your own. Academic integrity also includes
acknowledging another person’s ideas, findings or work in an appropriate manner. Failing any of
these may be seen as an act of plagiarism, which is strictly forbidden. Here at AUT, plagiarism is
defined as:
“the attempt to gain advantage for yourself, academic advantage, financial advantage, professional
advantage, advantage of publicity-by trying to fool someone, such as a teacher, an editor, an
employer or a reader, into thinking that you wrote something, thought something, or discovered
something which, in actual fact, someone else wrote, thought, or discovered it.” (Faculty of Health and
Environmental Sciences Student Handbook, 2008)
While most students do NOT deliberately attempt to deceive their markers, plagiarism may also occur
when a student fails to appropriately acknowledge the source(s) of their work. In other words:
copying or reproducing work without proper acknowledgment. You are required to acknowledge direct
quotes. You are also required to acknowledge where the thoughts you share with the marker are not
your own. This includes where you paraphrase the thinking or writing of others. You need to
acknowledge sources of information using APA referencing guidelines (American
penalties for deliberate plagiarism are severe. However, even unintentional plagiarism may incur
penalties. If you are unsure of the importance of acknowledging other people’s work, or if you are not
used to paraphrasing (i.e. expressing ideas in your own words), ask for help or access the Student
Learning Centre/Te Tari Awhina.
Computers in Human Behavior 52 (2015) 168–176
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Computers in Human Behavior
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh
Emotion regulation, procrastination, and watching cat videos online:
Who watches Internet cats, why, and to what effect?
Jessica Gall Myrick
The Media School, Indiana University, 1229 East 7th St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Article history:
Available online 12 June 2015
Keywords:
Internet use
Guilty pleasure
Procrastination
Enjoyment
Social media
Cats
a b s t r a c t
Anecdotes abound about the frequent use of the Internet to view cat-related media. Yet, research has yet
to seriously address this popular culture phenomenon rooted largely in social media platforms. It is possible that viewing of online cat media improves mood, but this activity may also foster negative outcomes
linked to using the Internet for procrastination. The present survey of Internet users (N = 6795) explored
the correlates of viewing ‘‘Internet cats,’’ motivations for consuming this media, and its potential effects
on users. It also tested a conceptual model predicting enjoyment as a function of the relationships
between procrastination, guilt, and happiness. Results reveal significant relationships between viewing
and personality types and demonstrate conceptual nuances related to the emotional benefits of watching
Internet cats.
Ó 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Anecdotes and news reports suggest that viewing videos and
photos of cats is a common use of the Internet. As of 2014 there
were more than 2 million cat videos posted on YouTube.com with
nearly 26 billion total views (Marshall, 2014). That is an average of
12,000 views for each cat video—more views-per-video than any
other category of YouTube content (Marshall, 2015). There are
even annual in-person festivals devoted to ‘‘Internet cats,’’ including the Internet Cat Video Festival in Minneapolis and Chicago
(Walker Arts Center, 2015) as well as the Los Angeles Feline Film
Festival (LA Feline Film Festival, 2015).
Internet users spend so much time with cat-related media they
have turned household tabbies into celebrities. ‘‘Perma-kitten’’ Lil
BUB has nearly 1.5 million Facebook fans and the
constantly-frowning Grumpy Cat makes more money than many
prominent human celebrities (Millward, 2014). Beyond famous
cats, Internet users frequently post images of their own felines
on social media platforms (Marshall, 2014), further increasing
the amount of online cat-related visual content available to
Internet users. In fact, industry research indicates that Internet
users are more than twice as likely to post pictures or videos of cats
than they are to post a ‘‘selfie’’ (i.e., a picture taken of oneself)
online (Williams, 2014).
The Internet cat phenomenon has spurred news articles with
titles such as ‘‘Why do cats dominate the Internet?’’ (Thornton,
E-mail address: jgmyrick@indiana.edu
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.06.001
0747-5632/Ó 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
2013) and ‘‘The million dollar question: Why does the Web love
cats?’’ (Elliot, 2010). Yet, very little empirical evidence exists to
help answer these questions or others like them, such as what
motivates people to view online cat content and what type of people are more likely to enjoy cat-related Internet content.
Considering the large viewership of online cat media, this topic is
understudied. Consumption of online cat-related media deserves
empirical attention because, as the news accounts suggest,
Internet users spend a significant amount of time consuming
cat-related media, some of that while they are supposed to be
doing other tasks like working or studying. If this genre is as popular as the online analytics suggest, then there are likely important
effects of such media on users, particularly on their emotional
states.
Moreover, research on pet therapy indicates that time spent
with real pets can improve mood and wellbeing across a variety
of populations (Nimer & Lundahl, 2007). Research on ‘‘the media
equation’’ argues that media users typically react to mediated content as if it were occurring in real life (Reeves & Nass, 1996).
Therefore, mediated exposure to cats could possibly result in similar outcomes found in pet therapy studies, although perhaps to a
lesser degree given no physical interaction with Internet cats. If
viewing online cats does improve mood, such media could potentially serve as a low-cost and easily distributed intervention to (at
least temporarily or at times of stress) improve emotional wellbeing. However, there are also potential negative impacts of watching
Internet cats. For instance, if Internet users are watching online cat
videos to procrastinate, they may instead experience guilt after
J.G. Myrick / Computers in Human Behavior 52 (2015) 168–176
looking at online cat content. Research is needed to test what
exactly are the emotional benefits and drawbacks.
Mood management theory and previous studies of the emotional impact of entertainment media consumption provide a conceptual basis for analyzing the potential motivations for and effects
of consuming online cat content, particularly as it relates to emotional states. The present work is an exploratory study of characteristics of Internet cat media consumers, their motivations for
such media use, and potential effects of use related to emotional
states of the users. Furthermore, this study advances the literature
related to the interrelationship between feelings of guilt and enjoyment of Internet media (i.e., the guilty pleasure) by proposing and
testing a conceptual model linking procrastination, guilt, happiness, and enjoyment. This study employs a survey of Internet users
to explore the Internet cat as its own media genre and to set the
stage for subsequent research and theory building in this area of
entertainment research.
1.1. The nature of online cat-related media consumption
While digital marketing analytics and news accounts demonstrate that cat videos and images are very popular, little is known
about the nature of the typical online cat-viewing experience.
Critical-cultural scholars have discussed the ability of online cat
videos to generate pleasure and positive affect and to promote
interaction with audiences (O’Meara, 2014; Shafer, 2014).
However, empirical analysis that assesses the details surrounding
who, why, and how Internet users consume online cat videos and
other cat-related images is lacking. That is, how long do Internet
users spend with this type of content? What websites do they turn
to for it? Do they seek it out purposefully or encounter it in the
course of other online activities? Do they engage with so-called
celebrity cats or are they more interested in everyday felines?
Does interaction with Internet cats overlap with consumption of
media related to Internet dogs or other animals? These questions
combine to suggest a first research question asking what, exactly,
is the nature of online cat-related media consumption (RQ1).
1.2. Motivations for consuming online cat-related media
In the following section, potential motivations for viewing
Internet cats are discussed through the lens of mood management
theory. Additionally, potential demographic and psychological predictors of enjoyment of Internet cats are outlined.
1.2.1. Mood management
Despite the widespread use of the Internet for posting and consuming cat-related content, little research has addressed the questions of why Internet users seek out this content. Mood
management theory (MMT) posits that individuals are motivated
to consume media that will dissipate aversive emotional states
or maintain positive ones (Oliver, 2003; Zillmann, 1988). Media
use can serve as a form of emotion regulation, defined as ‘‘the process by which individuals influence which emotions they have,
when they have them, and how they experience and express these
emotions’’ (p. 275, Gross, 1998). MMT also states that media users,
often without being cognizant of the reason, select media based on
its excitatory potential, absorption potential, semantic affinity, and
hedonic valence. These message features, therefore, influence
selective exposure to media.
Internet users may seek images and videos of adorable or
humorous cats in order to dissipate negative emotional states or
to keep up their positive spirits. Anecdotal evidence supports this
supposition. The Twitter account ‘‘Emergency Kittens’’ states in
its profile description that its Twitter feed is designed ‘‘[f]or when
you need a kitten (or other type of cat) to cheer you up!’’
169
(Emergency Kittens, 2014). The Apple iTunes Store offers consumers the opportunity to download a free application called
‘‘Cute cats – cheer you up!’’ (iTunes, 2015). There is even an
Internet meme called ‘‘Cheer Up Cat,’’ which depicts an orange
tabby cat that appears to be winking and smiling at the viewer
(Quickmeme., 2015).
Advancements in mood management research have pointed out
that not all mood management motivations are hedonic—media
consumers may seek affectively-laden content because it promotes
connection with other people (Oliver & Raney, 2011), because the
content may induce a useful emotional state for pursuing future
tasks (Knobloch, 2003), or because the emotional effects of media
consumption may help viewers to cope (Nabi, Finnerty,
Domschke, & Hull, 2006). Because images of Internet cats are typically cute and funny in nature, hedonic valence is the message feature that may be drawing so many users to view Internet cats.
These positively-toned images/videos may be a readily available
way to regulate emotional states in the digital era. However, those
who are already animal lovers (in particular, cat lovers) may also
be drawn to the content due to semantic affinity with their real
pets. Moreover, research has shown that depletion can motivate
individuals to turn to entertainment media (Reinecke, Hartmann,
& Eden, 2014), and because of its jovial nature, Internet cats may
have just enough excitatory potential to animate its audiences.
1.2.2. Procrastination
In addition to mood management motivations for viewing
online cat-related media, news accounts suggests that many people watch cat videos online to avoid work or unpleasant tasks
(FlorCruz, 2013; Garber, 2012). While online cat media is generally
humorous or adorable, it may bring with it hedonic pleasures but
little educational or utilitarian gains. Research on general motivations for media use also points to procrastination as a reason
why individuals watch entertainment media. To procrastinate is
to ‘‘voluntarily delay an intended course of action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay’’ (p. 66, Steel, 2007). If viewed during work hours, Internet cats may be thought of as a form of
‘‘cyberslacking,’’ where people use media for personal purposes
during work hours (Vitak, Crouse, & LaRose, 2011). Even after work
hours, entertainment media may be motivated by a need or desire
to procrastinate. Reinecke et al. (2014) found that after a draining
day at work or school, individuals in their survey turned to entertainment media as a way to procrastinate. Media use as a form of
procrastination, in turn, was related to increased feelings of guilt
for having not done more important or meaningful tasks.
The prevalence of procrastination behaviors appears to be
increasing (Steel, 2007), alongside an increasing number of digital
media options for avoiding work and other responsibilities (Hinsch
& Sheldon, 2013). Research has also found a link between Internet
use and guilt (P …
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