The masters dissertation in psychology - looking for volounteers

[Piotr]

Hello guys,

In 2015 I will be defending my masters dissertation in Psychology. Topic: correlation between personality and sense of meaning of life (based on Dąbrowski's theory (personality) and Frankl's (meaning of life)). First I'd like to ask hosts (administrators) of the forum if they don't mind me searching for people here on the forum for my research . If it's ok, then I will ask all of you if you would be willing to fill 2 questionnaires. I'm attaching questioners to this massage so you can check out what it is exactly and what kind of questions you will have to face eventually (especially for DRI - it's more demanding). I will give you my e-mail address on which you can send me back filled questionnaires. Polish members have polish version, for the rest english. Questionnaire PIL should be interactive - checkboxes. I will attach two versions "doc" and docx". If you will be having problems with checkboxes, put an x beside the number or make it red etc.

So, do you mind (administrators) if I will look for volunteers here?
I'm on FB so you can check me out :) https://www.facebook.com/piotr.alterego (I'm not an active member here)
It is important for me to have at least some of you in my research :)

You can send back filled questionnaires even till the end of 01.01.2015. If needed I can wait longer :)

Best regards,
Peter

 

[MusicMan]

I find it curious that you are looking in this forum for volunteers, unless you want to research those with a particular mindset.
Keeping in mind that people writing in a text format may not be giving you the truth of their situation, where face-to-face contact may give you more visual clues.
Are you looking for volunteers from a broad cross-section of the community?

 

[Piotr]

I find it curious that you are looking in this forum for volunteers, unless you want to research those with a particular mindset.

Yes, with particular mindset. The perfect (ideal ) scenario for me would be if I will have in my group of respondents full spectrum of levels which Dąbrowski described. Since Dąbrowski's theory have many common points with teachings of fourth way and (I assume) most forum members do work on themselves taking as guide lines teachings of the fourth way, and this work do provokes many characteristic inner states which are in people who are coming true positive disintegration, then there is a big chance I will be able to get broader range of results here, on the forum. I also do my research here at home (Poland), giving questioners to people around me. But as I said, the more differentiated group I will have the better for my research - that is, the material to work on will be richer, broader and more exhaustive, more possibilities of interpretations, and so the quality of my work higher in result.

Keeping in mind that people writing in a text format may not be giving you the truth of their situation, where face-to-face contact may give you more visual clues.

I assume you refer to DRI and by situation you mean their personality (inner situation - state) (facts of their life are less important for me if at all). Well if they lie about their sense of life, then what can I do? But yes, I know, that's common problem for such type of research - paper-pencil technique. Still, that's what I choose to do. Face to face contact may give some clues (or may not), the question though is, how much certain can I be of their quality (certainty)? The apparatus which I will be using in that situation (face to face) is to "tricky" :) (Though same problem appears during validation of results from questioners - thou there is a key to objectify the method). Time and distances is another factor which stands in my way. By the way, I think it is almost impossible to fake some of inner mechanism which Dąbrowski describes - even distorting and colorizing the fats (lying).

Are you looking for volunteers from a broad cross-section of the community?

I'm not sure if I do understand your question. By community you mean this community - forum members? Well, any way I would like to have a broad cross-section of society from the point of view of Dąbrwoski's theory of positive disintegration (so broad cross-section of this community to).

Peter

 

[davey72]

Hello Potr. I will wait to see the consensus of the forum on weather this is acceptable, but i would likely be willing to help.

 

[Piotr]

Hello,

Thank you davey72! I appreciate it.

p.

 

[gottathink]

Hello Piotr,
I am not sure if this is an appropriate avenue to recruit research participants. When recruiting for research a great deal more information about the study, requirements of the participants, time it would take, how privacy would be protected, expected risks and benefits of participating (including psychological), name and contact information of lead investigator as well as a name and contact for any questions about the study. And after all that does the study have ethics approval?

 

[Deleted member 4320]

In what way it has serve for people of the forum?

 

[Piotr]

Hello Piotr,
I am not sure if this is an appropriate avenue to recruit research participants. When recruiting for research a great deal more information about the study, requirements of the participants, time it would take, how privacy would be protected, expected risks and benefits of participating (including psychological), name and contact information of lead investigator as well as a name and contact for any questions about the study. And after all that does the study have ethics approval?

Hello Piotr,
I am not sure if this is an appropriate avenue to recruit research participants. When recruiting for research a great deal more information about the study, requirements of the participants, time it would take, how privacy would be protected, expected risks and benefits of participating (including psychological), name and contact information of lead investigator as well as a name and contact for any questions about the study. And after all that does the study have ethics approval?

Hello gottathink,
Thank you for touching on those subjects.
1. This is not a true study per se (it's not a scientific research, I don't have a grant for it or something), it's a study conducted for the needs of my masters dissertation. Conducted by me under the guide of my promoter. I can't reveal to much of details it may reflect on the research (from methodological point of view). I already said much :)
2. There are no requirements for the participants. I've made an assumption and based on it I decided to write here with my request and look for respondents.
3. Concerning time it's a little problem, because it may varied depending on a person. If I would estimate an average time to answer the questions I'd say it will take around 2 hours but it is really hard to say. Some will write more some less. The more you have to share the more time it will take statistically.
4. Access to results will have me and my promoter. In questionnaires you put only your code (let's say for me it will be PŁ1609 - first letters of your name and surname and for example day and month of my birthday). If someone will have an email address with his name and surname the only thing I can do is assure you that, as I said, the access to results will have only me and my promoter. It won't be passing this any further to third parties. There is no a legal protection so to speak. I am giving you my word and I don't want your personal data.
5. I don't see any risks. If someone after checking the question feels like he doesn't want to share with such information he doesn't have to. I even insist on not answering and filling the questionnaires if you feel like it will be hard for you or you feel endangered somewhat. You can also resign during when you already answering.
6. Benefits, well... only those which you can create yourself when writing and touching on matters moved by questionnaires. It is a practice of retrospection.
7. Contact to my promoter (investigator as you said, I assume that's what you meant)...well, that's Maria Straś-Romanowska (http://www.psychologia.uni.wroc.pl/?q=users/mstras-romanowska)
8. Any questions about research direct to me :)
9. I'm not sure what you mean by ethics approval. It has approval of my promoter. As far as I'm concerned students don't get a legal approval of PTP (Polish Psychological Association). I guess promoters somewhat watch over his students and are responsible to ensure the study is ethical and correct.

So, just to say it clearly. I ensure anonymity. Date will be used only for the sake of this research (for the need of my work to write a masters dissertation). As far as I'm concerned there are no risk of any psychological damage. If you don't feel strong enough to go deeper into yourself don't answer the questions. You can see question before answering and decide freely if you want to try. I am open to any conversation concerning the questions, that is your doubts, remarks, uncertainty etc. I am not a psychologist, I am a student of V year of psychology in University of Wrocław (http://www.psychologia.uni.wroc.pl/). Number of my student card is 240002 and my favorite color is violet :)

Peter

 

[Piotr]

In what way it has serve for people of the forum?

Hello lux,
You mean In what way it will serve? I didn't conduct my research with intention of benefiting the members of the forum. I'm doing it so I can graduate and get a masters degree. I'm simply asking you for a favor.

p.

 

[gottathink]

Hello Piotr,
Thats great I think you have provided sufficient information now for people to be able to make an informed decision.

 

[davey72]

I have participated in a similar type of questionnaire for a friend so would not exactly be going in blind although it wasnt for a degree in psychology. I think i would be interested in helping you. It may even be beneficial for me. In any case i dont think it would cause me any harm. I would enjoy doing this as a favor from one forum member to another so long as there are no objections from the moderators.

 

[Joe]

So, do you mind (administrators) if I will look for volunteers here?

Don't think there's a problem. And since you've already made the post here which is a request for volunteers, we can leave it at that and leave it to 'fate' as to how many offer to assist.

 

[Deleted member 4320]

In what way it has serve for people of the forum?

Hello lux,
You mean In what way it will serve? I didn't conduct my research with intention of benefiting the members of the forum. I'm doing it so I can graduate and get a masters degree. I'm simply asking you for a favor.

p.

People enjoy helping other one when they know that person and have preconceived some conviction. You say "Dąbrowski." At first I would ask: who are you? How do you see different things? What is the most interesting in "Dąbrowski" for you? What do you want to convey? What is your aim? In what way you want to help people?

You might consider that you would look different in other people eyes if you would open a thread where you share some part of your research for exemple.

I will be totally honest with you: I tend to help you, I know you from facebook, I am student too. But something blocking me to get involved - I don't really know why I feel that way.

But I feel that I am susceptible to be convinced by you if you fill the gap.

 

[obyvatel]

Hi Piotr,
I will fill up the questionnaires and send it to you by e-mail hopefully by the middle of this month.

 

[Piotr]

So, do you mind (administrators) if I will look for volunteers here?

Don't think there's a problem. And since you've already made the post here which is a request for volunteers, we can leave it at that and leave it to 'fate' as to how many offer to assist.

Thank you Perceval!

Ok, so now officially I would like to ask you for a favor and help by filling (answering) the questionnaires. The quality of my work depends on spectrum of levels of personality I will have in my data. As much as I know, I probably won't get (or have not enough) satisfying results if I will limit my research to group of people around me. I don't have access or know anyone from artistic spheres and so on to whom I could direct my request hoping to find the once with inner struggles and who are going through positive disintegration. So it's great I can ask you here on the forum.

This is my email address: piotr.alterego(at)yahoo.pl

If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer them.

Thank you...