With these thoughts in mind:

Discussion: Participate in a Research Study

As you study psychology, it is important to realize that it is a behavioral science and psychologists follow specific guidelines for conducting research. Research designs are not all alike, and methods vary based on the nature of the study and the research questions you are asking. What method would best answer your research questions? You can learn a lot about research designs by closely examining how psychologists plan and implement their studies. For this Discussion, you will participate in a study and then analyze it to increase your understanding of research designs.

To prepare:

• Read the Discussion post requirements carefully before participating in the study. Understanding these requirements prior to completing the study will help you complete the assignment successfully.
• Read Chapter 1 from the course text, with particular attention to research designs and the approaches to studying behavior. Then,
• Option 1: Go to the Walden Research Center and create a user name and account. You are only asked to give your name and Walden e-mail address. You will immediately receive an e-mail with a link and password to access the participant pool page. On the participant pool page, review the studies that are currently available, and select a research topic that interests you. Studies will vary in type and length. As such, be sure to carefully read the descriptions and eligibility criteria. For the purpose of this assignment you also will need to select a study that you can complete during one online session before the assignment due date (e.g., for some studies listed you are asked to sign up now but the study doesn’t actually take place until several weeks later, or may require the participants to attend multiple sessions – these would not be suitable for this assignment).

OR

• Option 2: Go to the Social Psychology Network website link at http://www.socialpsychology.org/expts.htm. Click on a topic that interests you in either professional research or student research. Click on several studies, and then choose a research study in which to participate. Studies will vary in type and length, and you may find a few that have been closed to participants.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

1. Provide a brief description (fewer than 50 words) of the study in which you participated. Include the title of the study, the research topic, and what you were asked to do as a participant. Note: Include the study title or topic in the “Subject” field of your post (e.g., Test Anxiety).
2. Identify whether the research is basic or applied. Explain how you came to this conclusion.
3. Provide an explanation of the strengths and limitations of the study.

Note: Be sure to support the responses within your Discussion post, and in your colleague reply, with evidence from the assigned Learning Resources.