RECINTO METROPOLITANO

RECINTO METROPOLITANO

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UNIVERSIDAD INTERAMERICANA DE PUERTO RICO

RECINTO METROPOLITANO

DEPARTAMENTO DE EDUCACIÓN Y PROFESIONES DE LA CONDUCTA

PROGRAMA DE PSICOLOGÍA PROF. NOÉ GARCIA

PSYCH 4971

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT #1

As we discussed on the first day of class, one of the objectives of this integrated seminar

is that you develop an article (or analytic essay) in which you provide a Meta-Analysis of a

specific subject matter in the field of Psychology. This first assignment is the necessary initial

step on starting said type of analysis: choose a subject matter and a particular “instance” of that

subject matter you wish to review. As you will see later on, this “instance” has to do with

reviewing a particular application of a theory, model, therapy, assessment or intervention, which

will be the basis of your other assignments. For now we will call this choosing your “Problem”

for Meta-Analysis. Later on, in another assignment, you will need to review literature regarding

meta-analysis done on this “Problem” and what is, more or less, the consensus regarding

empirically-based or evidenced-based research analysis. So, please choose as precisely as you

can.

Write a brief paragraph where you present your “Problem” for Meta-Analysis. Try to be

as specific as possible. Write at least one paragraph (a minimum of 3 to 4 sentences) in which

you identify and describe the following four objects of your “Problem”: 1) the subject matter,

topic or object you wish to study (that which is the “problem” you wish to revise); 2) the model,

therapy, theory (or school of thought), approach or assessment you are interested in revising in

the field of Psychology (in can be multiple); 3) the population that you are most interested in

studying; 4) what division or aspect of the practice and profession of Psychology are you most

interested in revising (think of the usual divisions given in graduate studies and usual offering in

the profession). Once again, try to be precise and if unsure you can pick more than one option for

each of the four objects of your “Problem”.

Said paragraph must be “handed in” (printed on paper) on March/05/2019. The text must

be written using the following format: Times New Roman font (size 12) and 1.5 spacing between

lines and paragraphs. You have to send a copy of the submitted work via e-mail too. This

assignment is worth ten (10) points.

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If you are still unsure on what your research topic is or how to describe it in a specific

matter, here are a few tips that are usually good when trying to a topic research-wise:

1) Here’s a good guideline of W’s (and a “How”) that might be helpful when beginning your

search for choosing a research topic:

a. What: It tends to identity and describes a particular subject matter. It takes into

consideration a more existential, ontological or phenomenological point of view.

b. Why: It tries to explain the conditions and processes for the emergence of a

particular event, subject or object.

c. Where: It focuses on the physical, cognitive or social space associated with the

subject matter.

d. Whom: It helps to delimitate my subject matter if I have a specific population in

mind, either in terms of age, gender, sexuality, occupation, economical status,

ethnicity, culture, nationality.

e. When: Sometimes you might need to study specific temporal and physical

instances of an event, either in terms of development or in terms of a fixated time-

line.

f. How: It usually focuses on the description of processes, actions and activities in a

particular event or situation

2) Are you more interested in studying:

a. the relationship between two events, objects or processes (for example, the

relationship between violence and media)?

b. the conditions for the emergence of a certain psychopathological condition (for

example, what causes schizophrenia)?

c. how certain events, populations or groups are perceived and signified (for

example, how and/or why are “poor people” are perceived as “lazy” and the

implications of such problematic correlations)? You might also be interested in

how certain groups signify their experiences (for example how blind people see

colors or how methadone patients perceive progress and rehabilitation).

d. the uses of certain activities or kinds of specific knowledge and its effect on a

population (for example, how psychiatric or psychological diagnosis can be

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misused and how they can become social stigmas for certain populations, for

example ADHD in children or depression in Latino women)?

3) Am I more inclined to study my topic:

a. in a clinical or psycho-therapeutic context (which involves a specific theory

regarding psychopathology or the classification of “mental diseases” or

“disorders”)?

b. in a cognitive-educational context (how people learn, appropriate or adapt certain

activities)?

c. in a biopsychological context (to understand the biochemical and/or neurological

processes involved in certain behaviors and cognitive processes)?

d. in a social-psychological setting (how certain events depend on social-economic

conditions, community relations, etc.)?

4) Am I really interested in this subject matter? If you’re going to do research on a topic, bear

in mind that you will be reading a lot of material and if you are not interested the process

will become tedious, boring and quite possibly frustrating. Choose something you are

genuinely interested in, and try to put in the context of research in Psychology.

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