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Psychology

1.How are these two studies similar? 2.Which study do you think has thestronger research methodology? Justify your response.

3.The study by Kiecolt-Glaser(1984) was done before the Human Genome Project was completed. Based on the research by Tung et al (2012), if you were to sit down with Kiecolt-Glaser and her team, how would you explain her results?

 

Tung et al(2012)looked at the effects of social statuson the health of macaque monkeys. Experience has shown that social hierarchies have the same effect onmonkeys as was seen in humans inthe Whitehall study. However, research up until now has only been correlational in nature. The sample was made up of49 middle-ranking female macaques. A group was created with two middle ranking monkeys, and then the other females were added over a period of time. The newly introduced monkeys almost always adopteda rolesubordinate to existing group members.In this way, the social status of the other females also increased. The researchers carried outblood testing to seehow rank influences the activity ofvarious genes.The researchers found that when a female's rank improved, her gene expression also changed within a few weeks, suggesting that social forces can rapidly influence genetic regulation.Tung found thatsomegenes were more active in high-rankingindividuals; others were more active in low-ranking ones. The difference was so distinct that theresearchers could predict the position of an individualmacaque simplyby examining a blood sample with about 80% accuracy.The genes that showed these differences are associated with the production the immune system. Tung et alfound thathigh-and low-ranking macaques showed different levels of responsiveness to stress hormones called glucocorticoids. Social environment is associated with gene regulatory variation in the rhesus macaque immune system.

 

Kiecolt-Glaser(1984)The aim of the research was to see if the stress of important exams could lead to a decrease in immune function. The sample was made up of 26 female and 49 male first-year medical students from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. The sample was a self-selected (volunteer) sample. All participants had to be free of any health problems in order to participate. The study was a natural experiment in that the independent variable -the stress of examinations -was "naturally" occurring and was not manipulated by the researcher.The participants were tested for their level of stress before the experiment began. One month prior to exams, the participants were given the Social Readjustment Rating Scale to account for life changes that occurred within the last year that would raise their level of stress. As a result of this test, the participants were divided into two groups: a high stress and a low stress group. Levels of loneliness were also measured and the participants were also divided into two groups: high loneliness and low loneliness.A blood sample was then taken. A second blood sample was taken after students had completed the first two examinations.Natural Killer cell (NK) activity was measured in the students' blood sample. NK cells are lymphocytes thatprovide rapid responses to viral-infected cells. A low level of NK activity indicates a poorly functioning immune system.There was a significant decrease in NK cell activity between the first blood test and the second blood test -which was taken during the stress of examinations. Those participants in the "high stress" group were more likely to have lower levels of NK than those in the "low stress" group. This means that stress experienced previous to the exams played a role in their immune systems' ability to cope with the stress of examinations. In addition, those participants in the "high loneliness" group had lower levels of NK than those in the "low loneliness" group. This confirms the role of social support as a protective factor for better health.Kiecolt-Glaser concluded that stress has a direct effect on the immune system by suppressing NK cell activity.

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