Write an introduction talking about people’s attitudes towards individuals with depression and if/how it’s predicted by traditional gender role beliefs and attitudes towards same-sex marriage.
The Introduction provides the context for the study, and should contain:
-A review of the psychological theories and findings (the psychological literature)
relevant to the topic being investigated.
-The aim and rationale for the study.
-The experimental hypothesis(es). –> People with high levels of cortisol stress responses will have a higher score in the multitasking task.
The literature review should proceed from the general literature in the area to literature specific to the current study. Only that literature which is directly relevant to the topic being investigated should be included. Avoid non-essential details and instead emphasise the major conclusions and findings of previous studies and the relevant methodological issues. As well as reviewing previous literature, the introduction could also include, if appropriate, the relevant real-world issues that led to the study being conducted.
Provide an aim and rationale for the current study. The rationale is a line of reasoning that, in the context of the existing literature, suggests that doing the study is worthwhile. For example, the study might be important in terms of filling a gap in the research, extending previous work by repeating a study with a different population, or the findings may have potential theoretical or real-world implications. The latter is often stated briefly in the first paragraph.
The material covered in the Introduction should form a coherent and logical line of argument leading to your experimental hypothesis(es), which should be clearly stated at the end of the final paragraph.
In the Introduction, cite the source of all your points according to APA guidelines, keep direct quotes to a minimum and list all of your sources in the References section. Do not rely on a single textbook or journal article – there should be evidence of wider reading.