Paper #2: How Close Do You Want To Be?
Interpersonal distance can be
defined as a zone of space surrounding a person that is felt to belong to
that person. The size of this zone is related to various factors such as
cultural background, social status, personality, age and gender.
Furthermore, the amount of interpersonal distance people prefer depends on
the nature of the relationship and the situation. For example, the
interpersonal distance will be much smaller between two friends than between
two strangers.
For paper 2, you will be
working in groups of 4-6 students conducting an observational research study
on interpersonal distance.
To receive credit for paper
2, you must do the following:
1. Decide what variables you
want to study. For example, you may want to see if there are gender or
cultural differences with regards to interpersonal space. Or, you may want
to measure personal variables such as facial expressions, eye contact, body
language, or touch. Just make sure that you operationally defined your
variables so it is clear what you will be observing and measuring.
2. Each student in the group
will need to make a minimum of 5 observations. The data collected by each
member of the group will be analyzed together as a group.
3. The criteria for paper 2
includes:
a) An APA title page.
b) An abstract page.
c) A 3-4 page introduction
section that includes a definition of interpersonal distance, operational
definitions of the variables under investigation, a research question and
research hypothesis. A minimum of four references is required!
d) A methods section that
includes a description of the participants, materials, and procedures.
e) A results and discussion
section that describes the collected data and the major conclusions and
implications of the study.
f) An APA reference page.