Descriptive and non-experimental research is very relevant in the sciences, although many people may not understand that. Non-experimental research can come in two forms; a quantitative study, or a qualitative study. A quantitative study can include research methods such as interviews, questionnaires, surveys and/or psychological tests (Smythe, 2014). A qualitative study can include research methods including qualitative interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research and/or historical research (Smythe, 2014). Both methods of non-experimental research are beneficial in the world of science or psychology as they can both produce new knowledge.
For this assignment, the class was asked to pick a relatively new, non-experimental, research study. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality recently produced an article including a new study. The study is “A Quantitative Study of ‘Friends with Benefits’ Relationships” by Inga Gusarova, Vanessa Fraser and Kevin G. Alderson., which is a relatively new area of study. Because this is a new area of study, the authors believe that this is the first quantitative study of friends with benefits relationships done in Canada (Gusarova, Fraser & Alderson, 2012, 57) and it is probable an area of research that is unknown to many people. This article was very interesting to read and gave new ideas to a new form of relationship that many people today are engaging in.
Article Summary
This article, “a Quantitative Study of ‘Friends with Benefits’ Relationships”, is very new knowledge in Canada about a new type of relationship that people are starting to engage in, called friends with benefits. Throughout the article the authors refer to this relationship as FWBR, which is how this essay will ref...
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...in another FWBR because they are ready to take that step into a serious relationship. As well as age affecting whether younger or older people will engage in another FWBR, older people could report more negative experiences because they are nearing the age of marriage or committed relationships. Overall, studying the age of people engaging in FWBR could show drastic results.
Works Cited
Gusarova, I., Fraser, V., & Alderson, K. G. (2012). A quantitative study of "friends with benefits" relationships. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 21(1), 41-59. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.uregina.ca:2048/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE|A3
02109618&v=2.1&u=ureginalib&it=r&p=HRCA&sw=w&authCount=1
Smyth, W. (Feb, 2014). Non-Experimental Methods. Psychology Research Methods. Lecture conducted from the University of Regina. Regina, SK.
The scientific method is how psychologists gain knowledge about the mind and behavior. It is used by all scientists. The experimental method is the one way to engage the scientific method, and the only way to find a cause and effect in relationships. It is summarized in five steps, observing some phenomenon in the world, forming a hypothesis which is an educated prediction about relationships between two or more variables, examining the gathered information by using empirical research, determining what the results are and drawing them, and evaluating the results whether it will support the hypothesis or not. Researchers, at the end, submit their work for publication for all to see and read (King, 2016). There are three types of psychological research in the scientific method, descriptive research, correlation, and experimental research (King, 2016). The article The Effects of Negative Body Talk in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of College Students (Katrevich, Register, & Aruguete, 2014) is an example of the experimental method.
Marion Winik’s “What Are Friends For?” expresses the characteristics of friendships and their importance in her existence. Winik begins by stating her theory of how some people can’t contribute as much to a friendship with their characteristic traits, while others can fulfill the friendship. She illustrates the eight friendships she has experienced, categorized as Buddies, Relative Friends, Work Friends, Faraway Friends, Former Friends, Friends You Love to Hate, Hero Friends, and New Friends. In like manner, the friendships that I have experienced agree and contradict with Winik’s categorizations.
The other four participants, Lesego, MJ, Solomon and Thabo, who are all between the ages of 22 and 25 years old are in an ‘intimacy vs isolation stage’ (Sadock et al., 2015). During this stage, the virtue of fidelity is important as it emphasises the need for young adults to make and honour any commitments they enter (Sadock et al.,
Chapter 9 Gendered Close Relationships is about stereotypes for men and women ideas on how to behave in relationships. The expectations for male and female in a relationships have been set by their gender roles. The meaning of personal relationships is where partners depend on each other for various things from affection to material assistance. Partners are expected affection, companionship and energy. The two main models of personal relationships are male deficit model and alternate paths model. Male deficit model suggests male lack skills in developing relationships with others. In alternate paths model, men and women just have different ways to sustain a relationship. It’s not that men lack skills but men show it in a different way.
Barry et al. (2009) surveyed 710 emerging adults, ages 18 to 26, to examine the interrelations of identity development and the achievement of adulthood criteria with the qualities of romantic relationships and friendships during emerging adulthood. In their study, they found that as emerging adults take on adult roles and responsibilities, the quality of their friendships and romantic relationships are affected. Barry et al. argue that “relationships with friends and romantic partners serve distinct functions” during emerging adulthood (p. 220). According to Barry et al., friendships “satisfy social integration needs [such as companionship], feelings of worth, and to a lesser degree, intimacy” whereas “romantic relationships primarily satisfy intimacy needs and provide emotional support” (p. 210). Although both friendships and romantic relationships satisfy intimacy and emotional needs to different degrees, romantic partners fulfill intimacy and emotional needs on a more profound note that may be more suitable and “useful in supporting emerging adults for subsequent development tasks of establishing a marriage, family, and career” (p. 218). Essentially, romantic relationships deeply satisfy intimacy needs and provide emerging adults with the proper emotional support necessary to successfully complete the traditional
Miller, Rowland S. Intimate Relationships. 6th Ed. New York; The McGraw- Hill Companies, 2012. Print.
Throughout the one-hour-and-a-half observation much data was collected and stored for further investigation. Gender roles and power/authority were the two sociological concepts observed and applied to the analysis of this particular study. The four forms of groups examined were intimate couple, friends, single person and families. The field observation was concerned with the comparison between these different groups' interactions.
Friendship expectations play a huge role in “establishing, maintaining, and terminating friendships” thus playing a factor of ones’ interpretations and through their affiliations (West & Turner, 2016). A companionship is dependent on
In “Friends with Benefits: Do Facebook Fiends Provide The Same Support As Those in Real Life?”, Kate Dailey argues about whether the Facebook social scene could replace that of real life or it just mimics the likely course of friendship if people would still be close. The narrative begins with Dailey sharing an anecdote about a personal situation concerning a friend who just went through a hard time, the nonchalant friendship which the essay gravitates towards. While realizing the tragic news, her argument comes into place: is Facebook a great place to spread negative news or is it unable to beat the warmth in people’s physical reaction?.
Gary W. Peterson and David E. Peters. “Adolescents Construction of Social Reality: The Sexual Relationships Are Associated With College Students Engaging In One-Night Stands." Journal Of Cognitive & Behavioral Psychotherapies 13.2 (2013): 321-331. Academic Search Premier. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
From a young age most people have gone through many relationships with other people who were not their family. Thus, we often acknowledge these relationships as friendships. But the word friend is too broad, so people categorize their friends to several types. In her book “Necessary Losses: The Lovers, Illusions, Dependencies and Impossible Expectations That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow”, Judith Viorst divided friendships to six types. Those are convenience friends, special Interest friends, historical friends, crossroad friends, cross-generation friends and close friends. In my life, I have been friend with many people since I was little. Although I have met all six kinds of friend of Viorst, convenience friends and close friends are two important kinds of friends in my life.
...; With the use of applying this theory to an episode as a demonstration, an application, and then an explanation, it is easy to see how the Social Exchange theory is related to everyday situations. Not only can the theory be applied to amorous relationships, but to that of friendships. The utility of the theory is seen in just about every type of interaction and is key to better understanding why relationships, friendships, or any mutual interaction, for that matter, turn out being costly or rewarding.
"Fulfillment at Any Age." Sexual Hookups and Psychological Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
Friends with benefits relationships consist of friends who are physically involved and participate in the occasional engagement of sexual activity, but otherwise have a basic friendship in which they are not romantically involved (Mongeau, Ramirez, & Vorell, 2003). This separation differentiates friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) from other relationship types by creating a relational hybrid due to no future expectations of transitioning into a romantic relationship. Even though these relationships carry defining features of a romantic relationship, such as intimacy and sexual passion, FWB partners do not consider their involvements to be romantic relationships, but rather best regarded to as friends involved in casual sex. With many potential implications for understanding FWBRs dynamics more broadly, our understandings of these involvements are in an early stage due to a recent attraction to friends with benefits relationships.
Like any other science, psychology is concerned with theories and data. Psychologists use a wide range of research methods and techniques that allow them to gather and make sense of the data that they produce. The methods that psychologists use to research and analyse the experience and behaviours of individuals or groups are called psychological research methods. This essay will be investigating and analysing three research methods to include; experimental, observational and surveys, also, reflecting on their strengths and weaknesses of each in addition to their usefulness in the psychology field.