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Martin-Joy et al. (2017) Critique: “Development of Adaptive Coping From Mid to Late Life”

Development of Adaptive Coping From Mid to Late Life
Martin-Joy, J.S., Malone, J.C., Cui, X.J., Johansen, P.O., Hill, K.P., Rahman, M.O., Waldinger, R.J., & Vaillant, G.E. (2017). Development of Adaptive Coping From Mid to Late Life. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 205(9), 685–691.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 22, 2023

In Martin-Joy et al.’s 2017 article, they suggest that adaptive coping strategies are developed through a series of age-related changes in cognition, emotion, and social relationships, as well as increased exposure to life stressors and new opportunities for growth.

The authors conducted a literature review on coping and aging, focusing on studies that examined changes in coping strategies over time. Additionally, they also analyzed data from a major longitudinal study that followed individuals from mid- to late- life, wherein changes in coping strategies were assessed as well as their associations with well-being and health outcomes. Martin-Joy et al. revealed that older adults tend to use more adaptive coping strategies—such as problem-solving and positive reappraisal—when compared to younger adults. Continue reading “Martin-Joy et al. (2017) Critique: “Development of Adaptive Coping From Mid to Late Life””

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Mischel et al. (1972) Critique: “Cognitive and Attentional Mechanisms in Delay of Gratification”

Cognitive and Attentional Mechanisms in Delay of Gratification
Mischel, W., Ebbesen, E.B., & Zeiss, A.R. (1972). Cognitive and Attentional Mechanisms in Delay of Gratification. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 21(2), 204-218.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 18, 2023

In Mischel et al.’s (1972) collection of studies on self-control and regulation in children, they aimed to illustrate how delayed gratification can be learned from reframing a situation. While the study was often interpreted as an example of how personality and tendencies are innate, the full study aimed to exhibit how they could alter a child’s desire for a marshmallow. Continue reading “Mischel et al. (1972) Critique: “Cognitive and Attentional Mechanisms in Delay of Gratification””

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Sherif (1958) Critique: “Experiments in Group Conflict”

Experiments in Group Conflict
Sherif, M. (1958). Experiments in Group Conflict. Scientific American, 54–58.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 11, 2023

In Sherif’s 1958 study, they aimed to create a naturalistic observation of group conflict in 11 to 12 year old boys. To reduce the potential confounds from the boy’s backgrounds, the selected subjects had to undergo extensive screening of their family, teachers, and get interviewed themselves. The selected subjects had homogenous backgrounds and were ‘normal’ in every respect—from personality to behavior. The background that each boy had consisted of being from a stable, white, middle-class, Protestant family (which allowed for the reduction of confounding variables in the study). Continue reading “Sherif (1958) Critique: “Experiments in Group Conflict””

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Nisbett & DeCamp Wilson (1977) Critique: “The Halo Effect—Evidence from Unconscious Alteration of Judgments”

The Halo Effect—Evidence from Unconscious Alteration of Judgments
Nisbett, R.E., & DeCamp Wilson, T. (1977). “The Halo Effect—Evidence from Unconscious Alteration of Judgments”. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 35(4), 250-256.

Arhe Vaninetti, Research Methods, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 10, 2023

In Nisbett & DeCamp Wilson’s (1977) article, they highlight the effects of individuals attributing appearance to overall character trait judgment, a phenomenon they described as the Halo Effect. In this study, college students were told to evaluate a video of an instructor for certain traits (namely his likability, attractiveness, mannerisms, and his accent), in either the warm condition (the professor was friendly and open) or the cold condition (the professor was factual and impersonal). Continue reading “Nisbett & DeCamp Wilson (1977) Critique: “The Halo Effect—Evidence from Unconscious Alteration of Judgments””

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Clark & Clark (1947) Critique: “Racial Identification and Preference”

Racial Identification and Preference
Clark, M.P. & Clark, K. (1947). “Racial Identification and Preference”.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods and Statistics, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 4, 2023

Before Clark & Clark’s (1947) groundbreaking study on the impacts of segregation on young African American children’s sense of self, the ‘Doll Study’ originated from Mamie Phipps Clark’s Master’s thesis at Howard University. Together, Clark & Clark created a study that aimed to illustrate that even the youngest subjects were aware of the weight of segregation. To do this, the Clarks designed a study where African American children were asked to pick between two identical dolls (with the exception of skin tone—one was White and one was Black) to highlight preference for skin color. Continue reading “Clark & Clark (1947) Critique: “Racial Identification and Preference””

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Milgram (1963) Critique: “Behavioral Study of Obedience”

Behavioral Study of Obedience
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral Study of Obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(4), 371-378.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods and Statistics, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
April 4, 2023

Milgram’s 1963 study was conducted as social commentary on the strength of obedience, and its connections to recent atrocities in the author’s era. Particularly, Milgram made connections between the fascist state of Nazi Germany and the element of fear-driven compliance. The study utilized a technique to test obedience that involved a naive subject administering false shocks to an actor, while the researcher continually pushed the subject to administer higher powered shocks. With this, the subject was increasing the power level from light shock to “XXX” level shock meant to injure or kill the actor. Continue reading “Milgram (1963) Critique: “Behavioral Study of Obedience””

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Darley & Batson (1973) Critique: “‘From Jerusalem To Jericho’: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior”

Darley, J. M., & Batson, C. D. (1973). “From Jerusalem To Jericho”: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 27(1) 100-108.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods and Statistics, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
March 23, 2023

This study was conducted after the incident in New York where a woman was attacked by a man and no witness had the will to help her. The main consequence of this renowned attack was the impact that the bystander effect, as a concept, was the reason why Kitty Genovese was murdered in 1964. Due to this event, Darley & Batson aimed to understand whether religiosity and notions of being a good samaritan can affect whether someone succumbs to the bystander effect.

Continue reading “Darley & Batson (1973) Critique: “‘From Jerusalem To Jericho’: A Study of Situational and Dispositional Variables in Helping Behavior””

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Ekman & Friesen (1971) Critique: “Constants across Cultures in the Face and Emotion”

Ekman, P., & Friesen, W.V. (1971). Constants across Cultures in the Face and Emotion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 17(2), pp. 124-129.

Arhe Vaninetti
Research Methods and Statistics, PSY301, Pacific University, Oregon
March 20, 2023

In Ekman & Friesen’s (1971) study on the universality of facial expressions and emotionality, they aimed to build off of pre-existing research on facial emotions with the additional aim of establishing universality. Within the introduction, the researchers claim that literate subjects in prior studies may have benefitted from media knowledge of facial expressions. Additionally, the researchers stated that other literature argued that universality in facial expressions was either impossible, or established due to specific cultural needs in certain areas (but not others). Ekman & Friesen chose to refute these claims in their 1971 study based on preliterate subjects’ knowledge of associated facial expressions in reaction to a story. Continue reading “Ekman & Friesen (1971) Critique: “Constants across Cultures in the Face and Emotion””

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