Lab Assignment #2

(Worth 30 points)

Write a short (1 to 3 pages in Times New Roman 12-pt font, 1 inch margins) summary of the following article (which you can email or save to disk from the computers in lab).

 

Word, C. O., Zanna, M. P. & Cooper, J.  (2000). The nonverbal mediation of self-fulfilling prophecies in interracial interaction.  In C. Stangor (Ed.), Stereotypes and prejudice:  Essential readings (pp. 226-233), Philadelphia, PA:  Psychology Press.  

 

In your summary you should (1) review and explain the logic that motivated the research, (2) identify the independent and dependent variables, (3) briefly describe the methods used in the studies, (4) identify the measurement and experimental operational definitions (i.e., identify how the researchers operationalized the independent and dependent variable), (5) describe the results and conclusions, and (6) give your opinion about the research (e.g., criticisms or questions about the research question,, experimental design, etc., or ideas about other interesting research questions not addressed in the article).

 

You should write:

a paragraph or two addressing points (1) and (2)                               worth 7 points

This can be accomplished by making sure that your few paragraphs answer each of the

following questions.

·        What are some of the consequences of negative attitudes towards stigmatized group members (e.g., Blacks)? (2 pts.)

·        What are the motivating research questions (or hypotheses)? (2 pts)

·        Identify the conceptual independent and dependent variables for Study 1 and Study 2. (4 pts)

 

a paragraph or two addressing points (3) and (4)                               worth 10 points

·        Who were the experimental participants in each study?  (2 pts)

·        Describe the operationalization of the independent and dependent variables.  Stated differently, how did the researchers manipulate the independent variable?  How did they measure the dependent variables?  Make sure to include a description of each variable that they are measuring.  (8 pts).

 

a paragraph or two addressing point (5)                 worth 8 points

This may be one of the harder sections of your summary, as we have not discussed statistical analyses nor have you seen a results section yet.  However, you should be able to make sense of the results section if you keep the research questions and methods in mind and answer the following questions.

  • Given the design of the study (the way in which the independent and dependent variables were operationalized), what would you expect to find given the review presented in the introduction (i.e., which group would you predict to score higher on the dependent variables in Study 1 and Study 2)? (3 pts.)
  • What did the authors find?  Or, what did the dependent variables look like across the different groups? (3 pts.)
  • Were the findings consistent with what you would expect based on the information that was presented in the introduction? (2 pts.)

 

a paragraph or two addressing point (6)                 worth 5 points

Some questions you may want to think about as you give your impressions about the research: (a) Do you think the independent and/or dependent variables could have been operationalized in a better way, (b) if the independent and dependent variables were operationalized differently do you think you would get the same results, (c) would different groups of experimental participants have responded similarly or would you only expect these results in the particular context studied (Black/White job interviewers and interviewees), (d) are there any possible confounds in the research that might have produced the results (rather than the independent variable), (e) did the hypotheses seem logical, (f) might other hypotheses seem like more viable explanations for what is going on, (g) do you think you would find similar results in different contexts (i.e., are the results generalizable).