Photo AI
The iPhone Effect Researchers wanted to investigate whether the presence of mobile phones influences the quality of in-person social interactions - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 1 - 2017 - Paper 3
Question 1
The iPhone Effect Researchers wanted to investigate whether the presence of mobile phones influences the quality of in-person social interactions. In a field experi... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The iPhone Effect Researchers wanted to investigate whether the presence of mobile phones influences the quality of in-person social interactions - AQA - A-Level Psychology - Question 1 - 2017 - Paper 3
Step 1
Step 2
Explain why the experimental/research design used in the iPhone effect study was appropriate.
Answer
The use of a field experiment is appropriate as it allows for the manipulation of the independent variable, which in this case is the presence or absence of a mobile phone. This design enhances ecological validity since the interactions are observed in a natural setting, making findings more generalizable to real-world scenarios.
Step 3
Explain one strength of using a field experiment for this study.
Answer
One strength of using a field experiment is that it provides a high level of ecological validity. The participants interact in their natural environment, allowing for authentic interactions that are not influenced by the artificial settings often associated with laboratory experiments.
Step 4
Explain two weaknesses of using ranked scale questions in the iPhone effect study.
Answer
One weakness of using ranked scale questions is that they can lead to response bias, as participants may choose middle values instead of expressing their true feelings. Additionally, ranked scales assume equal intervals between points, which may not accurately reflect the differences in perceptions of connectedness and empathetic concern among participants.
Step 5
Analyse the data in Table 1 to explain three conclusions that the researchers might draw from these results.
Answer
-
The mean empathetic concern score was significantly higher when the mobile phone was absent (5.85) compared to when it was present (3.54), suggesting that the presence of a mobile phone negatively impacts empathetic concern.
-
Similarly, the mean score for connectedness was higher in the absence of a mobile phone (5.36) compared to when it was present (5.05), indicating that mobile phones may detract from feelings of closeness during interactions.
-
The standard deviations for both empathetic concern and connectedness when the mobile phone was present were larger than when it was absent, suggesting that the presence of a mobile phone results in more varied responses among participants regarding the feelings of connectedness and empathetic concern.