Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Article Review 1


Link:
Marijuana Use and Depression

Summary
The study I will be using for my first article review is called Marijuana Use and Depression which was conducted by Brian E. Green and Christian Ritter.  I will use this study to help test my hypothesis:  Using marijuana helps to treat for stress and depression.
The goal of the study was to find an association between using marijuana and adult depressive symptomatology.  Variables being examined included “age of first marijuana initiation (values = age),” “frequency of current marijuana use (values = low, medium, high),” “the use of other licit and illicit drugs (values = yes and no),” and “whether marijuana was used to cope with problems (values = yes and no).”
Because of the differing reports of past studies on the effects of marijuana and depression – from showing that the effects of marijuana have little to no effect on depression to showing that marijuana users are more likely to experience symptoms of poor mental health – this study attempts to resolve the differing findings by exploring numerous aspects of marijuana usage.
The variables used come from the Young Men and Drugs Survey (n = 1,941).  Participants in the study were born between the years of 1944-1954. Because the study relied on a survey, the observational method was used in lieu of an interventionist one.

The sample was selected by using a “multistage stratified random sample of men” which was drawn from the Selective Service System.  The data was then collected using face-to-face interviews.  Participants were roughly between the ages of 65 and 75.  Measures used in the study include marijuana use, educational attainment, employment and marital status, other drug use, and depression. 
Results were shown through tables.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Possible PIP Topics

 
Link:
 
For this semester, I was asked to complete a Personal Inquiry Project (PIP).  The goal of this project is to use formal theory about causation to enhance decision making abilities in real life situations.  During the semester, I will conduct scientific research about a causal hypothesis that could be relevant to my future.  I will then evaluate the hypothesis based on research and decide how to act based on its conclusion.  After the break, I will begin the project by offering three decision problems that I might choose to investigate.