Gender and Altruism the Question Term Paper

Through this blind test, it is our hope to observe that there is a significant difference between the decision making of men and women when they are presented with different scenarios involving altruism.

Method

Participants:

The participants within this study will be comprised of students within the University Psychology Research class. In total there will be thirty three different students, with nineteen participating female students and fourteen male students. These students will be tested blindly and they are representatives of a collective pool of 321 University psychology students within the student population. The specific division in this case creates a random sampling based upon the N test population.

Materials:

The primary material necessary for this test is the principle questionnaire given to participants. The questionnaire are given in two different groupings that will create a test variable. The two versions of the test will provide the same scenario where the primary test is how the test subject reacts to the given scenario. However, in one version of the test the scenario will be elaborative, providing details of the life and intimate thoughts of the hypothetical victim, concluding with the situation that demands altruism. In the other version, no background information is presented, and a neutral tone is used to describe the same situation. Another key resource is the use of quarantined environment to take this test and at the same time reduce as much as possible outside influences. The use of randomized testing is imperative and therefore an isolated classroom where only one student is allowed to take the test at any given time is the ideal parameter.

Procedure:

The procedure adopted in performing this study is based upon a t-test of independence with two variables of measure (males and females). The first step is to stratify the existing sample of 33 students and divide them according to gender. Of the 19 female students, 9 of them will take the Version a scenario where background information is provided about the hypothetical situation and the "victim." The 10 other female students will be given Version B. Of the exam. Similarly, males will also be divided equally in taking the a and B.versions, with 7 men to each of the tests. The test are administered in random order to the entire class, meaning that although each individual takes the test in isolation, the order by which they take the tests (male or female) is randomly allocated. The goal is make sure that the test subjects do not realize the real purpose of the test as a gender study in order to eliminate any existing variables. The actual test will be anamously taken and answers are provided through a scantron rather than handwritten in order to create a completely "blind" test where the participants will have full anamonity. After all of the tests are administered, they will be run through a scantron machine and separated into eight different categories: men who acts altruistically with Version a, men who act altruistically with version B, women who act altruistically with a, and women who act altruistically with B, along with the corresponding negatives as the other four categories. The t-test will be on whether or not men and women acted differently when accorded version a or B. Of the test. With the ultimate goal of seeing if the t-test for significance at a 5% level shows if there is indeed a significant difference and relationship between gender and altruism.

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