For the first part of the written assignment, you should analyze the claims being made
according to two of the six principles of scientific thinking (see Written Assignment
1 for a list of these). It is up to you to select the most relevant principles but in every
case, try to find the principles that the research description fails to follow. Just like in
Assignment 1, when writing this part of Assignment 2 you should first define the general
principle, then provide a detailed response showing how the research description
specifically fails to follow the principle. Finally, try to say what would need to be done to
make sure the research description follows the principle. (For this part of Assignment 2,
please pick two of the six scientific principles to discuss – do not use any of the
three warning signs of pseudoscience for Assignment 2.)
For the second part of the written assignment, analyze the research description and
the claims it makes to identify two different problems (or flaws) with the research
methods that were used. In our class, a number of issues related to research methods
have been discussed and six different types of problems with research are described
below. Discuss how two of these problems occur in the research description. When you
identify the problem or flaw in the research methodology, make sure to define the
problem (e.g., reactivity) in your own words, provide a comprehensive explanation of
how the problem might have affected the research, and also say what would need to be
done to improve the research methodology (to fix the problem) in the research
description.
If you’re unhappy and you know it, scream out loud! Screaming, an integral part of
“primal” therapies developed in the 1960s by Dr. Arthur Janov, is believed to help
people release psychological trauma and emotional pain that plagues our happiness
and well-being. Although controversial, scream therapy used to be just a “first step”
when treating mental illness, and other therapy was needed. But now, recent evidence
suggests that screaming is related to lower symptoms of depression and anxiety all by
itself.
Just today, new research out of the University of Southeastern Idaho (USI) released the
results of a stunning 6 month-long study conducted during Winter of 2021–2022, right at
the peak of the Omicron wave of the pandemic. The study showed the amazing
relationship between scream therapy and mental wellness. In this study, the research
team selected 10,000 people from the United States, who despite their above average
household income level, were struggling with mounting debt due to rising living costs, as
well as rising anxiety due to the pandemic. When USI researchers came calling, these
10,000 participants, taken from an initial pool of 50,000 individuals, volunteered to take
part in the study to investigate the beneficial effects of screaming.
Each week in the 6-month study, participants were to spend at least 5 minutes of their
day at home screaming. At the end of each week, participants were asked to fill out
several mental health questionnaires on anxiety, depression, and overall well-being
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under the direct supervision of USI researchers. The results were sensational. Within 2
months, 4,000 of the 10,0000 participants reported significant improvements in their
anxiety, well-being, and depression questionnaires. They felt less anxious, less
depressed, and had better senses of well-being despite their financial and
environmental pressures. After three months, 5,000 of the participants reported having
better mental health as assessed across the questionnaires.
One of the participants in the study, Yelena Lot, even when on to be promoted to the
CEO of NeuroEdge technologies, where they had worked for 20 years. This was a
lifelong dream for Ms. Lot. In their first day on the job, Ms. Lot sent out a memo to the
entire company that stated: “To be the CEO of NeuroEdge was an ambitious but
seemingly unreachable goal of mine. It would not have been possible without Scream
Therapy that allowed me to improve my mental health and focus, and I am forever
grateful!” Another of the study participants, who wishes to remain anonymous, started a
new cryptocurrency and became a millionaire overnight. This participant did provide a
statement: “I majored in computer science and statistics and have a Master’s degree in
machine learning from Stanford. But I was never in a healthy and clear headspace
during my studies because I was carrying negative emotional baggage from my past.
The incredible scream therapy unburdened me from life’s pressures and allowed me to
realize a vision of happiness I had deep inside of me. By not having to worry about my
incredible debt and an inability to find an affordable house, I was able to unlock my full
potential!”
After the full 6 months of scream therapy, more than 60% of the participants reported
improved mental health. To measure mental health, the researchers calculated the
change in 3 mental health questionnaires (one on anxiety, one on depression, and one
on overall well-being) from the start of the study to the end of the study. The study
began in December 2021 (when the Omicron wave of the pandemic was at its highest
and restrictions were greatest) and ended in May 2022 (after people were getting back
to normal life). The independent research team found that on average, participants had
improved their overall mental health scores by over 60% when screaming regularly! The
researchers claimed that this is valid measure of overall mental health because these
questionnaires are used by top clinical psychologists around the country. According to
the independent team, these effects suggest an association between screaming and
changes in mental health. The USI research team is currently doing a study to replicate
the findings, and preliminary data suggest that the effects are stable.
The study team also used the power of modern technology to show the effects of
screaming on the brain. The study team took a random sample from the 10,000 initial
volunteers to measure changes in brain activity using EEG. The research team
measured participants’ brain activities before and after scream session. Remarkably,
the brain activity showed a “slowing” of brainwaves, which can be associated with
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calmness and relaxation! The company has made the research methods for the 6-
month study and EEG study freely available for other researchers.
Given these results, USI hopes to develop a for-profit therapy app to help people use
scream therapy in their daily life. The company did not release a price for its app but
estimated to cost $200 annually for a subscription. But this yearly cost is a small price to
pay for reducing the major mental health burdens due to modern day stressors. Don’t
forget the story of Yelena Lot and the anonymous cryptocurrency entrepreneur – the
benefits of screaming could lead to major career advancements