Final draft due Weds., June 3

Pick ONE of the following options. **Important: This paper, unlike earlier ones, may draw on the entire range of course material.

Pick some problem (for example, a general social problem or something particular to your life) and discuss how the situation could be improved using findings from social psychology. In order to make a well-focused paper, it would probably be best to avoid picking too broad a problem (e.g., it would be difficult to tackle "prejudice" or "the environment"--try narrowing topics like these, or picking one facet of them, so that you can make specific recommendations). If you pick a problem that is particular to your life, be sure to provide enough context so that it is clear what the problem is, and how your recommendations would help solve it. As always, you should back up your ideas with research that is correctly cited. Consider developing solutions that draw from more than one area of social psychology. Novel solutions that seem feasible and effective are encouraged.

Did they manipulate X?
Do you know if they also looked at Z?
When they did this study, do you know if they took into account Y?
Yeah, but you'd never find these results for group Q.

Throughout the quarter, a number of you have asked questions like the ones above about particular studies or phenomena we have read about or discussed. In many cases, your questions involved suggesting a new variable, manipulation or measurement with new predictions. Now is your chance to design a social psychology study. Please note the following:

1) Your study must address a topic that could comfortably reside in the field of social psychology (after almost a quarter, you should have a developing idea of what the field covers).

2) You should justify why your study should be done (e.g., how does it go beyond previous work on the particular topic? Why is it an important question?).

3) Your study must be feasible (i.e., you cannot assign participants to the "invisible condition") and relatively ethical by current standards (no shocks!).

4) The methodology must be clear. If you are basing your study on a previous study, you can simply say you will use the same basic paradigm, and then include details about any alterations that you will make. If you are starting from scratch, the methodology does not have to be as detailed as an actual "Method" section (such as the kind you would write in Psych 303) but neither should it be vague how you will collect your data.

5) Say what results you would predict and WHY.

Note: If you are a graduate student and pick Option #2, your idea cannot be the same as the study you are proposing for your term paper.