Strengths and Weaknesses (Perry et al.)
Using PEEL method (Point-Explanation-Example-Link)
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AS Level
Paper 1 Evaluation Essays
Strengths
- P – The study has high level of standardisation
- E – This is to ensure that all participants experience the same circumstances
- E – For example, in experiment 1 all participants had to look at a fixed 3-second window for stopping the approaching figure. While in experiment 2 all participants were given forced-choice pictures of rooms to choose from to ensured consistency.
- L – The study can be replicated easily supporting reliability
- P – The study collected quantitative data
- E – Quantitative data allowed for easier statistical analysis and comparison. Percentage was used as a measure for mean interpersonal distance in this study.
- E – For example, the study shows that mean percentage of participants’ preferred distance in the treatment x empathy interaction in high empathy oxytocin group is 23.29% compared to low empathy oxytocin group that is 30.20%
- L – Researches can draw more valid conclusions due to lower chances of misinterpretation
Weaknesses
- P – The use of questionnaire in this study might have limitations
- E – Participants might give social desirability answers to exaggerate or downplay their empathy state
- E – For example, all participants were assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) consisting of 28 items, with 7 items for each subscales
- L – Lower validity of findings as the findings does not truly reflect the participants empathy
- P – The study lack mundane realism
- E – Findings cannot be applied to a range of situations as the task performed is not a usual task in real life
- E – In normal life participant will not be asked to judge their preferred interpersonal distance using CID but rather our choice of interpersonal distance is influenced by complex cues such as facial expressions and gestures
- L – Findings have lower ecological validity