Explain how three different context effects might impact a study on a within subjects design looking at different types of mindfulness interventions. Mindfulness refers to being fully present in the here and now. One mindfulness intervention is practicing yoga, another is meditation, a third involves a mindfulness walk, and a fourth involves prayer focusing on a bible verse. Each would be done for 15 minutes a day for a week.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: While between subjects designs can be affected by context effects, within subjects are most at risk. These effects include practice effects, sensitization, and carryover effects. Mindfulness is one of those things that a lot of people find difficult at first, given our American tendency to always be thinking of the next thing, rushing, and worrying. So, as far as practice effects are concerned, this is a potential problem with this study. No matter what intervention was done first, participants might simply get better at being mindful, and then this would lead to people being more mindful on the later interventions regardless of what intervention is being given. Second, sensitization is that respondents might behave differently because they realize that they are going through a different intervention. In this case, these interventions are so different that participants have to realize they are undergoing a different treatment. They themselves might be predisposed to appreciate one intervention versus another because of individual biases. For example, someone who is religious might want to support the cause of religion and make sure they really do a good job of being mindful while they are in that stage (and someone who is antireligion might do the opposite). Regarding carryover, the researcher is concerned that the impact of one treatment lingers, or carries over to, subsequent treatments. In the case of mindfulness, if the earlier interventions work, the participant is going to be calmer, more mindful, and just plain healthier once they reach the later interventions so it will be difficult to determine if the later interventions have any effect at all. In conclusion, this design as it is described, would not work.