Assignment: Interpersonal Relationships In Psychology

Assignment: Interpersonal Relationships In Psychology

Assignment: Interpersonal Relationships In Psychology

Use this template to deconstruct your research articles

Number and answer each question separately

Focus on Research Template

1. What previous theory/research was known about this topic?

(be sure to cite at least 3 previous studies using APA referencing)

1. What did the authors hope to add to the existing literature that was either missing or not previously explored?

(In other words, what was their rationale for doing the present study?)

1. What specific hypotheses did the authors make, if any?

(if no clear hypotheses were made, state either the research question(s) or devise a plausible hypothesis of your own.)

1. Name the independent variable(s), their levels, and their operational definitions.

1. Name the dependent variable(s) and their operational definitions.

1. What were the significant findings and were the hypotheses confirmed?

1. What is the applied value of this study?

1. List and define any important terms integral to the study.

Here is an example of a good deconstruction. For your reference only.

Research Summary

Hicks, T., & Leitenberg, H. (2001). Sexual Fantasies about One’s Partner versus Someone Else: Gender Differences in Incidence and Frequency. The Journal of Sex Research, 38(1), 43-50. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.depaul.edu/stable/3813261

1. What previous theory/research was known about this topic?

(be sure to cite at least 3 previous studies using APA referencing)

Hicks utilized Leitenberg’s and Henning’s extensive review on the preexisting research literature on sexual fantasy. They found that sexual fantasy occurring during sexual intercourse was quite common for both men and women. This is unlike their findings on fantasies that occurred during masturbation which seemed to assert that men reported fantasying during masturbation more often than women. Overall they found very few differences in gender and frequency of sexually fantasying in heterosexual couples.

Leitenberg, H., & Henning, K. (1995). Sexual fantasy. Psychological Bulletin,117(3), 469-496. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.117.3.469

Hyde studied the way in which psychologist approach gender similarities and differences. She used the statistical method of meta-analysis to interpret how gender affected various domains such as cognitive abilities, communication, and social behavior. She was successful in providing evidence contrary to the existing literature at the time that men and women were vastly different. She concluded that although men and women vary on a few psychological variables; they are similar on most. Furthermore, she also concluded that while gender has traditionally been viewed an and individual-difference viable it can also act as a stimulus variable. Because gender has the capability to affect outcomes it should be treated as a stimulus variable.

Hyde, J. (2007). New Directions in the Study of Gender Similarities and Differences. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 16(5), 259-263. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.depaul.edu/stable/20183212

Bruce Ellis and Donald Symons studied sex differences in sexual fantasy through an evolutionary lens. The researchers had 307 psychology students fill out questionnaires containing questions regarding sexual fantasy, arousal, and demographic. They discovered that women’s fantasies were more emotional and personal than men’s. They tended to fantasize about their current or past partner. Women also reported being unusually emotionally and physically aroused by their fantasy partner. Men’s sexual fantasies were more frequent and dominated by impersonal and graphic images visuals such as genital. They were more likely to think of their fantasy partner as a sexual object, escalating the sexual encounter more quickly than women.

Ellis, B., & Symons, D. (1990). Sex Differences in Sexual Fantasy: An Evolutionary Psychological Approach. The Journal of Sex Research, 27(4), 527-555. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.depaul.edu/stable/3812772

2. What did the authors hope to add to the existing literature that was either missing or not previously explored?

(In other words, what was their rationale for doing the present study?)

Although there has been research on gender differences in sexual fantasies the authors noticed a dearth of information on whether men and women differed in their likelihood of fantasizing about their current partner or someone outside of the relationship.

3. What specific hypotheses did the authors make, if any?

(if no clear hypotheses were made, state either the research question(s) or devise a plausible hypothesis of your own.)

The author hypothesized that if men were more likely than women to be aroused by sexual stimuli outside of the relationship then they would be more likely to have sexual fantasies involving someone outside their relationships. He also hypothesized that women would be more likely to have sexual fantasies involving a former partner with whom they have/had an emotional connection. (Hicks, 2001, pg. 43).

4. Name the independent variables(s), their levels, and their operational definitions. The independent variables.

The independent variable this study is gender, and marital status/cohabitating. The operational definition of gender how the participant identified. The operational definition for married couples were couples that were either married or cohabiting with their partner or couples who lived apart from their partner.

5. Name the dependent variable and their operational functions

The dependent variables were extradyadic fantasies which can be operationally defined as “any erotic or sexually arousing mental imagery that a person has while awake” (Hicks, 2001, pg. 45). This variable was further divided to fantasies involving participants’ current partners, someone other than their current partner, and fantasies involving a former partner.

6. What were the significant findings and were the hypotheses confirmed?

One statistically significant finding was that 98% of men reported ever having extradyadic fantasies while 80% of women reported the same thing. However, men reported that of all their sexual fantasies, they were extradyadic in nature 54% of the time compared to the women’s 36% of the time. Their results also showed that 34% of women’s extradyadic fantasies involved a former partner compared to men’s 22% of extradyadic fantasies involving a former partner. Whether a couple was married or cohabiting together did not affect the frequency of extradyadic fantasies. Another significant finding is that men who engage in extradyadic fantasies are not more likely to have engaged in actual extradyadic behavior.

7. What is the applied value of this study?

This study shows that extradyadic fantasies are very common and a healthy aspect of human sexuality. Understanding this could help couples or single partners who feel guilty about engaging in extradyadic fantasies. Because there are delicate nuances that differ in how men fantasy compared to women it could help heterosexual couples relate more intimately and have a greater understanding of the differences and similarities in attitudes of sexual fantasy and eroticism due to gender. Women in heterosexual couples can also be happy to know that a man who indulges in extradyadic fantasy is not at a significantly greater risk at engaging in extradyadic behavior than a man who fantasizes about their current partner.

8. List and define any important terms integral to this study.

Although a common term it is important to note how Hicks and Leitenberg define Sexual Fantasy: “any erotic or sexually arousing mental imagery that a person has while awake…can take place outside of sexual activity, or they can occur during solitary masturbation or during sexual activity with a partner.

Extradyadic Fantasy- a sexual fantasy involving someone outside of the committed relationship