Experimental Variables

Student’s Name

Institution Affiliations

Abstract

The most vital concern of any research method is the validity of the method. A research is rendered pointless if it does not have a logical conclusion or does not have a valid research method. Some studies fail to give an elaborate experimental method but give greater emphasis on the specific research questions. This deprives the research of its validity. In the article “Cookie Monster” by Kelly McCarthy and the Newsweek cover on Anorexia the topic of weight is discussed widely using different research methods.

Keywords: research, research method,

Experimental Variables

The Information Provided

The task of determining whether the articles provide enough information sufficient for evaluation of the procedure or not is a complicated issue.in the question of McCarthy’s “Cookie Monster” article, we must reflect whether McCarthy has presented enough information that can be used to evaluate her procedure while discussing the various key perceptions about weight gain and its effects on self-esteem. McCarthy’s article seems to be more of an analysis of the existing research as opposed to an actual experimental design. This is evident in the way she describes the results of the three key studies. Her first study examines the college students’ habits which revealed that students tend to take a snack with the thought that their moods will be improved when they take snacks (McCarthy, 2001). She continues by introducing the outcomes of the study which concludes that the esteem of a girl is significantly influenced by her parent’s reactions and also a conclusion of a study done by a Tuft University study on the effect of the dining table on eating habits (McCarthy, 2001). McCarthy’s article contains various sections covering the issue of overeating and it’s also highly detailed. She does not, however, present enough information that can be used to evaluate her methods and chooses to use existing cases and results instead. For a proper evaluation of the research, there is a need for a better description of McCarthy’s proposed methods and thesis.

The Newsweek article on Anorexia in contrast, however, provides adequate information that can be used for the evaluation of the procedures within. It continues systematically from thesis on the age of the average anorexia patient saying that it is diminishing. It then proceeds to examine the theory through logic and science and concludes with a possible treatment outlook and the future (Newsweek, n.d.). this research when compared to the summary, this research contains a specific thesis (the age of anorexia patients is decreasing). The fact that the article goes an extra mile in exploiting this thesis shows that it provides the necessary information that can be used for the evaluation of these methods validity.

Independent Variable

For any true experimental design, the ability to manipulate successfully an independent variable is significant. For instance, in the Newsweek article, there is a specific independent variable: whether the rate of anorexia is affected by brain chemistry and society. In McCarthy’s article, there is no specific independent variable. It is hard to identify isolate and manipulate an independent variable from McCarthy’s study because her article contains three different research issues. The Newsweek article, however, has comprehensively dealt with the one issue of anorexia rates among various ages whereas McCarthy discusses snack issues, the effect of dining at the table rather than in front of the television and parents’ reaction and how it affects self-esteem (McCarthy, 2001).

Therefore, as a result of these, it was too complicated for one to manipulate an independent variable from McCarthy’s research design. This fact is further hampered by the fact that her research summary of existing researches. There is no isolation of an independent variable in each study and evaluating its effects. She instead gives a summary of the conclusion of each study making it impossible to manipulate an independent variable form her research. The lack of an independent variable brings problems when analyzing an issue. The first problem is that one cannot effectively research an issue. Any experiment needs a proper analysis of independent variables and the corresponding dependent variables. McCarthy’s article creates a situation where an independent article is not present. The other problem as a result of an absent independent variable is that it affects the conclusion of a research. The case analysis of McCarthy’s study is just a summary that says that various studies have shown that overeating is widespread and bad. She could not make specific conclusions for instance that obesity is as a result of overeating because of her incomplete research.

Follow Up

As a psychologist hoping to further examine the conclusion of these two experiments, the focus should be made on the Newsweek article, which contains a distinct thesis, a well-developed research method and a conclusion. In a follow-up experiment, that psychologist should ask, for instance, whether the brain affected by certain foods subsequently affect the rate of anorexia among certain ages. This follows up could be achieved by an examination of the research articles discussed throughout the article. The article explains that anorexia is similar to depression, alcohol and other mental illness and also indicates that anorexics have abnormally high levels of serotonin (Newsweek, n.d.). the follow up would indicate in what way exactly serotonin increases. the food consumed might provide the answer needed.

From the conclusion, the Newsweek article emphasizes that all food should be treated the same way as a medicine with the requirement that daily there should be a certain amount taken. The follow-up experiment should explain exactly which type of foods should be taken. For example, someone should question the validity of the rumour that high sugar content and sweets increase depression and increase serotonin levels (Newsweek, n.d.). Therefore, the main follow up question is what is the root cause of the hormonal imbalance given that anorexia rates are increased by higher serotonin levels

Conclusion

Both the Newsweek and McCarthy articles discuss the issue of weight in their articles. McCarthy’s article is a summary of existing articles and not an individual research design. Its conclusion states that overeating is a result of the desire to feel good and factors such as table dining influences it. The Newsweek article examines the prevalence of anorexia rates among certain ages and tries to establish the root cause of this science phenomena. As shown by both articles, weight tends to complicated phenomena with a variety of research question that are possible.

References

McCarthy, K. (n.d.). Cookie Monster. Retrieved April 12, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200105/cookie-monster

NEWSWEEK COVER: Fighting Anorexia – New Research Into Its … (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2016, from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/newsweek-cover-fighting-

anorexia—new-research-into-its-origins—and-its-youngest-victims-55718237.html