Topic 4 – Bacon Causal Models

Class Activity 1 – Bacon’s Big Idea (20 minutes)

I believe strategy 3 is more applicable in cognitive psychology. E.g., explicitly manipulate
coloured and black-white pictures, and examine the effect (e.g., reaction time to perceive an
object)

Strategy 2 is more related to medical and clinical psychology when direct manipulation of the IV
(effect) is not possible. “E.g., Take the example of developmental amnesia (DA), a cognitive
deficit in a specific form of memory, usually diagnosed in children who have markedly poorer
episodic memory compared with semantic memory. In practice, they will remember facts, but
are unable to recall what they were asked to do five minutes ago.” (Allen, 2018, Chapter 5)

Do you agree with the aforementioned claims? (50 – 100 words)

Because strategy 3 demonstrates the scientific process, which is essential to cognitive

psychology, I agree with the first argument that it is the most suited to this field. I disagree with
the second claim because I think approach 3 is more appropriate for use in medical and clinical
psychology. Consider prescribing medication and then assessing the medication's impact on the
patient. Psychiatrists must be aware of the medication's effects on their patients because they
frequently prescribe it to patients. This method of treatment planning prioritizes strategy 3 over
strategy 2.
Class Activity 2 – Mixed Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative

What is the meaning of sequence and priority in mixed methods research? What are some
potential research questions that are more suitable to qualitative research? (50-150 words)

Within mixed methods research, sequence refers to the arrangement of quantitative and
qualitative approaches. While priority refers to how much significance each approach is given
and how that influences the depth of each method's findings. Here are a few hypothetical
questions that would be better suited to qualitative study: How do children and their parents
deal with the difficulties of raising an ADHD child? What distinct experiences do people with
depression have in terms of their thoughts, feelings, and everyday lives? How are sensory
sensitivities experienced by people with autism spectrum condition, and how do these
sensitivities impact their everyday activities and social interactions?