Perry et al. (personal space)

Perry et al. (personal space).

• Perry, A, Mankuta, D and Shamay-Tsoory, S G (2015), OT promotes closer interpersonal distance among highly empathic individuals. Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(1): 3-9.
• The study by Perry et al. investigated personal space (interpersonal distance). They tested how empathy and oxytocin affected the perception of personal space using a placebo to compare to oxytocin. Two experiments used different techniques to measure interpersonal distance and questionnaires were also used. Experiment 1 used a computerised version of the Comfortable Interpersonal Distance Scale. In Experiment 2, participants chose between pictures of different rooms.
• The psychology being investigated includes: interpersonal distance (personal space); social hormones; empathy.
• For this study, candidates should understand the background, aims, procedure and methodology as appropriate (research method, sample and demographics, sampling technique, experimental design, controls, question types, data-collection technique, and measured and manipulated variables), ethical issues, quantitative and qualitative results and their representation and interpretation, conclusions, and strengths and weaknesses; describe and evaluate the methodology; and relate the study to psychological issues and debates.

This matters because perry et al. (personal space) determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply perry et al. (personal space) to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: Perry et al. (personal space) is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.