Research Synthesis paper

Psychological studies are often aimed at filling an existing research gap. Some areas areunder-researched, and others are often totally neglected when it comes to research. Some studiesare aimed at confirming results from previous researches. Researchers thus conduct a study byreplicating a similar study to truly and corroborate the findings of the study. Other studiesanalyze existing […]

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Psychological studies are often aimed at filling an existing research gap. Some areas are
under-researched, and others are often totally neglected when it comes to research. Some studies
are aimed at confirming results from previous researches. Researchers thus conduct a study by
replicating a similar study to truly and corroborate the findings of the study. Other studies
analyze existing literature and draw comparisons or contrasts. All these add to existing studies.
This paper explores three journal articles and analyzes the important elements covered in each
article.
Research conducted by De Clercq et al. (2021) identified such a knowledge gap in
research on children with autism. The researchers conducted a nine-year longitudinal study in
which they sought the extent to which a child’s personality and negative controlling parenting
affect psychosocial outcomes in children with ASD. The researchers believed that it was
important to study other factors such as parenting which are outside the “Autism-Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) specific sources”. They realized that other related studies have found that
adolescents with ASD struggle more during this phase of development compared to their peers
without ASD. This is because, during adolescence, there is an increasing focus on social
interactions outside the familiar sphere. Thus, the researchers wanted to understand whether
other factors have an effect on the psychosocial outcomes among children with autism.
The study b De Clercq and other researchers differ in approach from the one conducted
by Hommel (2020). Hommel’s research is analytical in that it explores existing studies and
approaches used by psychologists. In the study, Hommel (2020) examines the extent to which
theories and studies conducted in psychology provide mechanistic explanations. He argues that

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most articles in cognitive neuroscience and in psychology do not provide the “mechanisms
underlying” the specific psychological phenomenon that they seek to study or explore. Most of
the explanations provided fail to provide readers with the context conditions under which the
phenomenon under study is likely to occur or even the specific neural activity that is correlated
to the phenomenon. The researcher characterizes the problem and discusses its implications to
the study and understanding of the psychological phenomenon as well as possible solutions.
Hommel believed that the contribution is important as a wake-up call to psychological scholars
to provide explanations to the “mechanisms underlying” the psychological concepts or
phenomenon that they study so as readers and other scholars can get a deeper understanding of
the neural activity or the particular brain areas that are activated when for example a person is
anxious or happy.
On the other hand, Langhout et al. (2021) conducted a qualitative study in which the
study analyzed reactions of students in a classroom. It is a rather subjective study, and the
conclusions on the effectiveness of the healing justice model are based on only one group of
participants, which happen to be the researcher’s class. In the study, the researchers explore the
facets of a healing justice model and the extent to which it facilitates radical healing in a trauma-
informed region. The study is on an intervention that was adopted and implemented in a class
that was in progress during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The study was important
because the students who were in session when the pandemic struck would have their normal
learning programs disrupted. The researchers hypothesized that a trauma response was necessary
mainly because the student’s normal schedule had abruptly changed, there would be no in-person
connection as lessons would be taken online, there would be loss of control, and the pandemic
posed a threat to collective morality. The intervention was also necessary because it implemented

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a healing justice approach which is a powerful tool when dealing with communities of color.
Additionally, the intervention allowed the researcher to take on a protective factor and helped
build hope during disruptive episodes in life. Besides, a contextually and relevant approach is
necessary for ensuring that the healing justice is specific to the needs of the community.
All three researchers are similar in that they contribute to psychological research. They
are different in the sense that each conducts research related to a different area of research. The
studies are different in approach. While some are very objective, like the one conducted by De
Clercq and the group, there is a lot of subjectivity in Langhouts’ study. Additionally, the
conclusions drawn differ significant.ly. For example, Langhouts et al. (2021) concluded that
community psychologists should be serious about implementing the healing justice model,
especially when dealing with minority communities, the people of color, indigenous
communities, the queer, transgender, poor people, those living with disabilities, as well as those
who have experienced systemic violence and other major disruptions in life. The study
conducted provided first-hand that the students who received the healing justice intervention
experienced a higher quality of life and were able to adjust well to the disruptions to normal life.
The approach led to transformations in the classroom setting, especially during a period that was
particularly difficult for everyone. The adjustments during the pandemic took a toll on almost
everyone. The approach proved effective and should thus be implemented o help communities
adjust well to life changes and situations.
On the other hand, Hommel (2020) concluded the study by asserting that scholars do not
provide a truly mechanistic explanation just by assigning empirical observations to certain
functional systems or linking them to specific areas of the brain. For scholars to provide true
mechanistic accounts, they must provide specific components that comprise a mechanism and

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the processes that organize these components to generate the concept or phenomenon under
study. I agree with the researcher on the fact that psychological explanations need to go beyond
the postulation of hypothetical systems. Researchers need to go beyond providing explanations
on observations and explain their studies using the Galilean approach, which encourages the
provision of mechanisms underlying different phenomena under study.
Hommel’s conclusion is different from that made by DeClercq et el. (2020), who
concluded that both personality and negative controlling parenting are related to the development
of children with ASD, specifically the psychosocial aspect. The two factors interact in unique
ways. They found that low benevolence, low emotional stability, controlling parenting
(negative), and high extraversion was consistent with higher levels of externalizing behaviors.
On the other hand, extraversion and low emotional stability were associated with higher
externalization of behaviours. Further, psychosocial strengths were associated with high
imagination and benevolence. When children with conscientiousness and lower scores on
emotional stability were in the presence of parents with negative controlling behaviours, they
demonstrated higher externalizing behaviours. I agree with the conclusions. The researchers
were thorough in their study. Also, their findings are collaborated by findings in similar studies.
The motivations, findings, implications and conclusions differ significantly. Hommel’s
work is aimed at shaping the world of psychological research. The implication of the article is to
have psychologists strive to provide insight into the actual mechanisms and thus help readers
understand the neural activities and mechanisms associated with certain psychological
phenomena. In contrast, the implication of Langhouts’ study is to have community psychologists
implement healing justice interventions when dealing with trauma-related issues. Overall, the
different researcher’s unique contributions to existing psychological literature.

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Overall, the analysis of the three articles shows disparities and not outright
contradictions. In his article, Hommel discusses the importance of discussing the mechanisms
underlying the psychological studies conducted by psychologists. The two other articles omit the
underlying mechanisms related to the psychological phenomenon being discussed. In the De
Clercq et al. article, the researchers do not explain the neural activities related to psychosocial
outcomes, negative parenting controlling and personality. The explanations are mainly based on
observations, and this is also the case in Langhout’s article. Remarkably, each article explores a
different psychological issue.

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References

De Clercq, L. E., Dieleman, L. M., van der Kaap-Deeder, J., Soenens, B., Prinzie, P., & De
Pauw, S. S. W. (2021). Negative Controlling Parenting and Child Personality as
Modifiers of Psychosocial Development in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A 9-
Year Longitudinal Study at the Level of Within-Person Change. Journal of Autism and
Developmental Disorders, 51(8), 2891–2907. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04761-
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Hommel, B. (2020). Pseudo‐mechanistic Explanations in Psychology and Cognitive
Neuroscience. Topics in Cognitive Science, 12(4), 1294–1305.
https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12448
Langhout, R. D., Rodriguez Ramirez, D., Vaccarino, R. S. S., Alonso Blanco, V., Quinteros, K.,
Copulsky, D., & Lopezzi, M. A. (2021). Teaching and learning during a pandemic: How
one graduate community psychology class quickly incorporated healing justice into our
practices. American Journal of Community Psychology, 68(1–2), 249–265.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12524

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