Question

Individuals experience various mood states or emotions at varying times every day, both subtle changes and obvious changes, that can result in attitude alternations with both negative and positive effects and impair or facilitate performance. The connections in the brain between emotion and memory have been particularly interesting to researchers given that neural networks that are activated by mood states are linked with neural networks that process basic perceptual functions such as word processing. Dr. Siebert has conducted a number of research experiments inducing various mood states through the use of music and then studying the effects of mood on lexical processing. (Dr. Pennie S. Siebert)

Research Topic: Mood Induction and Memory

Research Question: How does mood affect cognitive function through neural networks?

1. Develop a null and alternative hypothesis for this research question.

2. Describe the population and sample on which a research project might be based.

3. How would we operationalize the elements we want to test in the research question? What would be the independent and dependent variables?

4. What would be the measurement scale we would use to gather the data?

5. Describe the positive and negative impacts of doing a research project on this topic.

Answer 1

(1)

Null Hypothesis: H0: Mood and cognitive function through neural networks are independent.

Alternative Hypothesis: HA: Mood affects the cognitive function through neural networks.

(2)

(i) Population: Human beings

(ii) Sample: Volunteers who participate in the experimentation

(3)

(i) Independent variable: Inducing various mood states through the use of music (Mood induction)

(ii) Dependent variable: Lexical processing (Memory)

(4) Measurement scale:

(i) Independent variable: through qualitative measurement of music

(ii) Dependent variable: through qualitative measurement of Lexical processing (memory)

(5)

(i) Positive impact of doing research project like this: The results of the research study will be of immense use in increasing the memory of a person through music.

(ii) Negative impact of doing research project like this If the research is not carried out strictly as per the correct procedure laid down, the researcher may end up with wrong conclusion which may lead to incorrect suggestions for improving memory.