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Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi
Sara RichterLearning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates
Helpful and Not so Helpful Quantitative Research Methods
In “Psychometric properties of the Beliefs about Emotions Scale in a normal population,” Sohrab Amiri and Abolghasem Yaghobi describe testing the Beliefs about Emotions Scale (BES) for “internal reliability and validity” and finding a three-factor fit (2018). “After collecting data, the reliability of the inventory was assessed by Cronbach’s α, retest, and split-half coefficient, then the criterion validity with other questionnaires was assessed to determine the psychometric properties of the BES. The factor structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis” (Amiri, 2018). The article claims believing one should not express so-called “negative” emotions can lead to psychological and behavioral difficulties. An instrument such as the BES, if it can accurately assess such beliefs, can help mental health professionals better help their patients. The research described in the article indicate the BES yields consistent results.
One of my main concerns in applying quantitative research, even when it is done honestly and with correct statistical methods, is being certain the mathematical results answer the question the researcher intended to ask. I believe the researchers in the article I read did, in fact, answer the question they intended to answer. My own experience with the efforts of the community college for which I work to measure student engagement has been very different. Although there have been several measures of “student engagement” throughout the years, none of them, in my opinion, truly encapsulate the essence of the idea. I offer this as one example of the premise that if one cannot come up with a good, testable or measurable understanding of how to word the hypothesis or question, then the research, however well-intentioned or well-executed it is, will not be helpful.
Here is an amusing Youtube video describing some of the dangers of believing every “scientific” study you hear.
Sources:
Amiri, S., Yaghobi, A. (2018). Psychometric properties of the Beliefs about Emotions Scale in a normal population. Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychylogia 13(3) 85-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/nan.2018.81248
HBO. (2016). Scientific Studies: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rnq1NpHdmw
Neuroscience provides us with extremely valuable information which is unmatched by all the traditional processes of retrieving information, say with a questionnaire or interview (self-reports which have limited reach for obvious reasons). It can also be said that since the study of neuroscience is so complex, the results of it are sometimes difficult to be applied to real-life learning situations. New discoveries in the neuroscience have shown us variations in individuals and how different parts of the brain respond differently to say, the activity of reading. Another big finding is that selective attention is a powerful brain modulator. Just the act of intentionally focussing selectively on phonology activates brain activities that are crucial for learners.
However, at no point can a neuroscientist be a 100% sure of what a brightly colored spot on the brain imagery means. Because, more often than not, the brain has several parts which don’t necessarily correspond to one type of emotion or mode of thought. The brain is extremely complex. Just because a certain type of condition has seemed to have manifested in the brain, its exact cause (even whether it is biological or external) cannot be determined.