In this activity you will be describing how you would use statistics (both descriptive and inferential) to address your research question.Now that you’ve developed a research question as well as the methods by which you would answer the question, it is now time to turn your attention to how you would analyze data that would be collected in the process. In 1-3 pages (double-spaced, 12 point font, one inch margins), indicate what your variables of interest are, the type of scale of measurement the data represent, how you will make use of descriptive statistics, and what inferential approaches would be most appropriate for your data. When considering the inferential statistics that would be most appropriate make sure to identify your research (or alternative) hypotheses as well as the null hypothesis that would be tested for each analysis. For the purposes of this activity, you’re not actually doing any analyses, you are just making it clear what analyses would be done if you had actually collected data and what you’d expect to find if the null hypothesis was rejected.
Having a clear sense of what statistical analyses are most appropriate and interpretation of possible outcomes is paramount to any successful research proposal, and laying out your expectations provides an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you have synthesized how the data generated from a given research approach is best analyzed.
Once complete, please upload a word compatible file or pdf to Brightspace.
Proposed Research Question: “What makes some people more susceptible to cult influence than others?”
This is a sample of the work I have submitted thus far:
According to the study, cultic activities are psychologically influenced by economic, family, and emotional susceptibility. Community members might be vulnerable to such cycles because of the stress they encounter, trauma, and cognitive problems. Consequently, they may start practicing indoctrination and religious beliefs when they are not assisted in getting out of these groups in the long run (Windsor, 2020). Some of the suggested interventions are to provide family support for vulnerable individuals to avoid exposing them to cultic happenings. Family support through psychological, financial, and emotional presence can assist susceptible people in making the right decisions and being psychologically stable enough to understand the implications of the current situation for them and their families. Through familial guidance and psychological assistance, individuals will weigh the implications of cult membership, understand its effects, and identify ways of surviving economic and emotional problems to avoid exposure. This approach leads to the development of critical thinking skills. Critical thinking leads to less of a “follower” mentality and is crucial in aiding those who may be susceptible to such influence.
People are susceptible to indoctrination because of psychological manipulation, trauma, and a lack of emotional support. Some researchers confirm that women are more susceptible than men because of their gender position in the community. Vulnerability to cultic groups is critical because it exposes individuals to indoctrination and other religious practices that are not conversant with the community’s values. In such a state, people can suffer psychologically and emotionally because of activities attached to cultic indoctrination and the shame associated with conformity to such values. Family members can avoid being susceptible by obtaining support through psychological counseling, financial help, and emotional understanding. The right interventions may help vulnerable people deal with the ebb and flow of life in a healthy way independent of cult influence.