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What is the methodology & method?

The methodology of Krosss et al study was surveys of various methods. The study is broken up into
three separate phases. Eighty- two participated in the study, fifty-three of which were women through
flyers around Ann Arbor around Michigan. People needed a Facebook account and a smartphone to
participate in this study. Given the ubiquity of smartphones and having a Facebook account it seems
that eighty-two people for a study is a rather low amount. Possibly the reward of $2 for completion of
the survey and a chance to win an ipad wasnt enough an incentive for people to partake. Then again,
perhaps the advertising of the survey wasnt done well enough.
Data collection

First phase
In the first phase the participants were asked to complete a set of questionnaires from various
psychological testing instruments. These were the Beck Depression Inventory., the SWLS, Rosenberg
Self-Esteem Scale and the Social Provision scale. The first on further research is a self-completion
questionnaire that is multiple choice and 21 questions that looks at measuring the severity of
depression (Wikipedia). The SWLS is a 5 question unit questionnaire that assesses the global
cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one's life (Illinois psychology) and as such is another self-
completion questionnaire. The Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire is also a self-completion
questionnaire that measures self-esteem which employs a Likert scale (eg strong agree, agree , neither
agree or disagree etc) which is used in both in qualitative and qualitative research. This study would
be considered a quantitative research study as it involves the collection of numerical data including
analysis of correlations. The Social Provision scale from further research also employs the Likert
Scale and is also self-completion questionnaire.
Since this phase is about self- completion (or otherwise known as a self-administered questionnaire)
there are some significant advantages to this method of collection. The most relevant factor to this
study would be the lack of interviewer effects of the participants. Because participants have questions
set out in front of them and on some of the sliding scales due to a Likert scale, possible inferences
from interviewers about their expectations of the study including any predictions about the studys
results would be kept to a minimum. Another advantage of this form not having an interviewer would
be the participants potentially being more honest with their responses vs. being interviewed for a
study by a researcher. This would lead to be a more comprehensive and in-depth study. On the other
side, the disadvantages of these methods of collection of data for this phase would include not being
able to ask further questions from the questionnaire instruments, especially if something was of
particular to the researchers such as a strong correlation between their hypotheses (if Facebook
influences someones well-being over time) and what the results showed. Since the study does not
highlight if the first phase was administered by post, done as a group in a set location, or completed
online it is difficult to judge any other disadvantages (or advantages for that matter) of this part of the
research.
Second phase
In this phase, participants were asked to complete an online survey of an interval ratio nature after
being text-messaged 5 times a day between 10a m and midnight over a fortnight period. Each text
message contained an online link to the survey. This is a self-completion questionnaire but contains
elements of structured and semi-structured interviewing as the affect question was answered first but
the next questions the worry and loneliness were answered in random order. The other questions
about Facebook use and social interaction were also presented in random & asked last. By asking
questions in a semi-set order the study benefits by the questions and their responses having
consistency. In saying that though since its an online survey as Bryman (2010) points out you would
only want your respondents to answer see a few questions at a time so they only wouldnt answer out
of order even if they only to able to answer a worry question after an affect question. Since this
phases was focused on analysis of the affect question foremost you wouldnt want viewing of the
whole questionnaire to distort your results.
Third phase
The third phase of this study was focused like Phase 2 on questionnaires with the SWLS scale (5 unit
questionnaire) being one of them. Apart from using a revised UCLA Loneliness questionnaire and
counting the amount of Facebook friends they participants no other information is provided to analyse
the last phase of research. If it was a set questionnaire then this would be beneficial to results as it
restricts variability when participants fill out the questionnaires as to their responses, especially in
correlation with questions before and after it. Perhaps a disadvantage could be that if participants
knew their amount of Facebook friends were being viewed as they were answering these
questionnaires that could impact on the answers as opposed to them unaware of this fact. Another
disadvantage could be by using the UCLA Loneliness questionnaire with its correct title might prompt
participants to feel they need to project an image that is the opposite to loneliness. This could be
particularly true if they knew their Facebook friends were being viewed.

Validity of design: internal & external validity

I nternal validity
The study examined link between Facebook use and the effect of this in life satisfaction over time.
There were two aspects to their subjective well-being which were how people felt from moment to
moment and how happy they were with their lives. The hypothesis (though not explicitly stated) is
whether Facebook have a great impact on someones subjective well-being over a period of time. I
would say this study has high internal validity. Kross et al (2013) used various psychological emotion
tests such as the Beck Depression Inventory to determine participants mood throughout the study in
relation to Facebook use and for what purposes they used Facebook. This is stated and appears
through in both phase one and two. Also, Kross et al (2013) thought another reason that well-being
went down was that any social interaction could negatively affect ones social wellbeing. As
opposed to Facebook, direct social interaction (face-to-face or phone) did not lead to social well-
being being negatively affected.

External validity
I dont believe this study has high external validity as there were only eighty-two participants in the
study which again seems to be a very small amount for a looking at a website that as Kross et al
(2013) mention is used by five hundred million people on a daily basis. Kross et al (2013) also makes
it unclear whether this sample is supposed to be a representative of Michigan Facebook users or a
larger group. Given it was advertised on flyers around a harbour it would appear the study is not
supposed to be representative of a population. This studys results could be used in a larger study
aimed utilising a large representative sample, eg: what relationship lie with subjective well-being of
Facebook users and the population of Michigan.

Overall assessment of research design

What type of approach is taken to this study?
Krosss et al (2013) study is done from a deductive approach as the data of this study was done after
the theory was designed. Since the approach is deductive, it has an element of ontology as it
objectivist which is concerned with social phenomena deriving from external facts (Bryman, 2013)
with social rules and forces that exert people to conform. The study fits this approach perfectly as
the social phenomena being examined are Facebook which is affecting the participants well-being.
Since it also as quantitative study it also has an element of Epistemology about it as quantitative
research has an element of positivism about it. Though the natural science methods (as per positivism)
arent always followed in quantitative research

Sampling error/confidence interval (if random)

Positivism: Apply natural methods to social science research, testing an established theory

Overall assessment of research design positive/objectivist, deductive approach,

Sampling error/confidence interval (if random), if longitudinal (difference of proportion test),
Bias
What the study contains and what is does not? Limitations?

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