DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIAS

College of Liberal Arts and Communication

Psychology Department

PSYM404a- Experimental Psychology

Name: Date: Schedule:

Laboratory Activity # 4 Finding Research Question and Developing a Hypothesis

Objectives:
1. Identify psychological phenomena in the real world.
2. Identify psychological theories that relate to real world phenomena.
3. Develop testable hypotheses.
Instructions:
Be mindful of the following:
1. Research Question. The research question describes the phenomenon that the research will
address.
2. Research Hypothesis. A hypothesis is a testable statement. In an experimental research,
the hypothesis is viewed this way: that the independent variable will result in changes in the
dependent variable to make a cause-and-effect statement, (e.g., securely attached children
develop stronger friendships in elementary school than children with other types of
attachment to parents.)
NOTE: Select a Research Journal (attach here) related to your TOPIC.

1. TOPIC: Effects of Volunteering Experiences and Motivations on Attitudes Toward Prisoners:

Evidence from Hong Kong

Identify the: Independent Variable/s =Volunteering experiences and motivations

Dependent Variable/s =Attitudes towards prisoners
Participants =Hong Kong prison-volunteers, non-prison volunteers
And non-volunteers
Theory = Intergroup Contact Theory

2. Research Questions:

2.1 Do prison volunteering experiences, measured in terms of time spent, influence volunteers
perceptions of inmates?
2.2 Do volunteers satisfaction with their volunteering experience impact volunteers attitudes
toward prisoners?
2.3 Do motivations of the volunteers affect their attitudes toward prisoners?
2.4 Is there a significant difference between the three participant groups with respect to their
attitudes toward prisoners?
2.5 Do the positive attitudes that prisoners can develop be affected by volunteers satisfaction
or motivation in pursuing a personal agenda?

3. Hypotheses:
3.1 Ho: There is no relationship between volunteers attitudes toward prisoners and volunteers
satisfaction and motivation.

Prof. Jemerson N. Dominguez | 1

 DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIAS
College of Liberal Arts and Communication
Psychology Department

PSYM404a- Experimental Psychology

Ha: There is a relationship between volunteers attitudes toward prisoners and volunteers
satisfaction and motivation.

3.2 Ho: There is no relationship between volunteering experiences and volunteers attitudes
towards prisoners.
Ha: There is relationship between volunteering experiences and volunteers attitudes
towards prisoners.

3.3 Ho: There is no significant difference between the prison-volunteer group, non-prison
volunteer group and non-volunteer group.
Ha: There is significant difference between the prison-volunteer group, non-prison
volunteer and non-volunteer group.

4. Create your own introduction to explain the nature of this journal article (75 to 100 words).

The role of prison volunteers in correctional institutions is getting bigger in terms of

providing emotional, spiritual, educational and rehabilitative services to inmates. Because of
this, having wider understanding of the factors affecting the attitudes of people, especially the
prison volunteers, toward prisoners are important. This research journal was made for this
reason and to gather the needed data, the researchers measured the attitudes toward
prisoners of prison volunteers, non-prison volunteers, and non-volunteers based on their
volunteering experiences, satisfaction and motivations. As expected, prisoner volunteers
displayed the most positive attitudes toward prisoners, followed by the non-prison volunteers
and the non-volunteers.

Reference:

Chui, W. H., & Cheng, K. K.-y. (2012, August 1). Retrieved August 30, 2016, from Asian
Criminology:file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/MASTER1/My%20Documents/Downloads
/art%253A10.1007%252Fs11417-012-9148-9.pdf

Criteria (10 pts.):

5 Content (Facts, Details, Structure); 3 Coherency of thoughts; 2 Grammar

Prof. Jemerson N. Dominguez | 2