Assignment Overview
This assignment is designed to develop important skills in research methods, critical thinking, and writing a short APA-style journal article (referred to as a lab report in psychology units). In this lab report, you will review the relevant literature, present hypotheses, describe the results, and discuss the implications of the findings. We will help you to develop the relevant skills and knowledge necessary to complete this assignment in our weekly Collaborate Tutorial sessions and through additional posted resources.
APA-style journal articles (and, thus, psychology lab reports) typically consist of four main sections: Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion. Reports also include a brief Abstract at the start of the paper and a list of References at the end. I include a brief summary of each section here, but please also see the Requirements and Grading Guide section for more detailed information and key probes to guide you in this assignment.
Introduction
You should include a short literature review summarizing relevant past research, explain the research question(s), and develop a logical argument that informs your hypotheses about your predicted results of the study. To write the introduction, you will need to use relevant research articles (I provide two “starter” articles; you will need to find and integrate at least three additional articles into your introduction). You will need to correctly cite and reference all articles that you use in your lab report.
Method
The method is like a formula for how the study was conducted. On the following pages you are given the key information relating to the method, and will need to use this to write your method section.
Results
You should include a figure representing the data (see the Summary Statistics section) and a written description of what was found in the study.
Discussion
You should briefly summarise your results as they relate to your hypotheses, integrate the findings of this study into the relevant literature, discuss the implications of your findings, critique the study, and propose possible future directions for this line of research.
Abstract
Once you have a draft of your lab report, you should write the abstract (presented at the beginning of the lab report) as a brief overview of the entire report. • References: Include all papers that you cited in your lab report. Your References list does not count toward your word count (but the in-text citations do count).
Study Overview and Research Questions
1. This study aims to explore attitudes towards the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychological practice amongst undergraduate psychology students. AI is being incorporated into many occupations, including psychology. Although AI may offer numerous advantages, such as increased access to low-cost mental healthcare, there are fears that it may change the role, importance, or need for psychologists. As a student potentially considering a career in mental healthcare, this study examines your attitudes towards AI and how it may influence your career choices.
2. Imagine you were considering a career in a profession that was traditionally well-respected, but you are told that due to AI, that profession will likely drop in demand and esteem. Would this knowledge cause you to rethink your career choice? It may or may not, depending on a number of factors. One factor is how likely you think it is that the profession will be adversely affected by AI. If you believe it will, you may be more likely to reconsider your career path. Another factor is how important that career path is to you. If it is very important, you may not be as easily discouraged by the impact of AI as if it is not very important to you.
3. This study examines these dynamics in the context of the impact of AI on psychological practice. The Dependent, or outcome, variable is participants’ commitment to pursuing a career in psychology. The independent variables are
- Identification as a psychology student and
- the perceived threat that AI poses to psychologists.
Participants completed an online survey assessing, amongst other things, their social identification as a psychology student and how committed they are to pursuing a career as a psychologist. To manipulate the perceived threat AI poses, participants read a short article discussing uses of AI in psychology, and the impact this may have on the profession. Half of participants were randomly assigned to an article portraying AI as a threat to psychology, while the other half read an article portraying AI as complementary to the delivery of mental healthcare.
Assessment Requirements Summary
This assignment is a psychology lab report in APA style designed to develop skills in research methods, critical thinking, and academic writing. The report requires students to conduct a study examining undergraduate psychology students’ attitudes toward AI in psychological practice. Key assessment requirements include:
- Abstract: A concise overview of the report, written after completing all other sections.
- Introduction: Literature review summarizing relevant research, explaining the research question, and developing hypotheses. Minimum of five sources (two provided + three additional).
- Method: Clear description of participants, design, procedure, and measures used in the study.
- Results: Presentation of data (including figures) and a written description of findings.
- Discussion: Summary of results relative to hypotheses, integration with literature, implications, critique, and suggestions for future research.
- References: List of all cited studies in APA style.
Research Focus:
- Dependent Variable: Commitment to pursuing a career in psychology.
- Independent Variables:
- Identification as a psychology student.
- Perceived threat posed by AI (manipulated via reading articles depicting AI as either a threat or complementary).
- Participants: Undergraduate psychology students completing an online survey assessing their social identification and career commitment.