Reference no: EM133467969

RESEARCH DESIGN

Studies have found that seeking social connection online can result in users' loss of social skills, damage to existing relationships, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and inability to interact meaningfully in face-to-face situations (Ahn & Shin, 2013; Cain, 2018; Chiou et al., 2015; Oberst et al., 2017). Some even argue that social media use is the newest form of addiction (Cha & Seo, 2018). However, not all researchers have reached the same conclusion.

That said, findings to date suggest excessive social media use looms as a potential real-world problem. Researchers want to know what motivates excessive social media use and, more importantly, what and how it may affect its consumers. Furthermore, researchers may want to know if excessive social media use is age- or gender-specific or if its use is preferred by certain personality types, educational achievement, race, or ethnicity. There are myriad ways to approach this topic, depending on what, specifically, the researcher wants to know.

Review the Learning Resources for this week and consider the types of research questions for quantitative and qualitative research in social psychology as well as research design approaches based on the type of research question.

From the perspective of a social psychologist, consider what information you want to know about users' motives for and the effects of excessive social media use.

Consider what research question would provide information relevant to what you want to know.

Because your research question determines the appropriate research method, think about the method best suited to address the research question, either quantitative (e.g., observational,correlational, experimental) or qualitative (e.g., phenomenological, case study).
Consider appropriate empirical support for the research method that you chose.

Make sure that your research question and research method align-in other words, make sure that the research method will answer your research question.