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Research Critique

The article by(Morillas-Romero et al., 2015) entitled the “Spontaneous Emotion Regulation and Attentional Control Emotion” is a well-structured research paper featuring the key fundamentals of an academic study paper,  as discussed below. Firstly, the purpose of the research question,  is to determine whether self-reported attention control (AC) and the attentional network functioning would forecast the spontaneous downregulation after an initiation of emotion, is the logical extension of the study in the article. Additionally, as stated, it is evident that the research question is precise, clear, logical and complete, which makes it well understood to every reader. Therefore, it can be said that it is the best question to address  study problem that is under evaluation. However, the research question does not align with the study design which is quantitative in nature since it doesn’t capture on the empirical approach used. Hence the reader is not at a glance made aware of the events they are looking forward to encountering as they go through the work.  

Being a quantitative study, the authors, (Morillas-Romero et al. 2015)managed to develop a structured study article based on the following attributes. Firstly, the major variables  are the attention control (AC) and the attention network functioning that are properly stipulated by the descriptive study question. The inferential study questions showed the relation between the main study variables appropriately as seen in the introductory part of the survey. Additionally, the inferential questions of the study are properly aligned with the identified research theories. Additionally, the study inferential questions the variables are correctly positioned starting with the independent variables such as the attention control and the attention networking functioning followed by a dependent variable which the emotional reactivity is (Morillas-Romero et al. 2015). An alternative hypothesis is provided and concerns variance in the discomfort ratings which is said to be, because of individual differences in the Preinduction Discomfort Ratings in which the authors have a different perceptive about and avoid considering issues addressed by the null hypothesis in their study (Morillas-Romero et al. 2015). Definitively, the hypothesis of the study, that is, low self-reported AC, diminished function in orientation networking and reduced effectiveness of the executive network functioning control would result in less ability to spontaneous downregulation of the picture induced emotions, is properly in alignment with the research question (Morillas-Romero et al. 2015). 

In conclusion,  implementation  of participants totals of 142 healthy university students and staff members (102 women and 40 men, Mage  29.5 years; SD  10.01; range  18–55) agreed voluntarily to participate and signed an informed consent form. Participants were recruited via electronic or posted advertisements. No a priori criteria, based on any psychological (e.g., high/low anxiety) or sociodemographic (e.g., gender, educational level) characteristics, was established for recruiting participants. Additionally, to test five potential predictors of the emotional induction/SER task indices using multiple hierarchical regression models, a minimum sample size of 92 participants was necessary to detect medium effects (Cohen’s f2 .15) with at least 80% power (error .05). To compute the minimum sample size, the GPower tool (Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, & Buchner, 2007) was used. Hence, the study shows are recommendable as it indicates most features of an effective quantitative study (Morillas-Romero et al. 2015).  The type of a quantitative design used was experimental with randomized controlled trials, 

References:

Faul, Erdfelder, Lang, & Buchner, 2007 as cited in Morillas-Romero, A., Tortella-Feliu, M., Balle, M., & Bornas, X. (2015). Spontanous emotion regulation and attentional control Emotion. 15(2),162-175 doi:10.1037/emo0000016 

Morillas-Romero, A., Tortella-Feliu, M., Balle, M., & Bornas, X. (2015). Spontaneous emotion regulation and attentional control Emotion. 15(2),162-175 doi:10.1037/emo0000016

but what happens if a research does a power analysis using something like GPower and it recommends using say 50 subjects but the researcher only included 25.  What impact does it have on the study?