Write 35 pages in which you critically review reliable media sources for information related to the implications of membership in a chosen group or community. Examine both scholarly literature and reliable media sources in order to identify the problems, conflicts, and issues where additional research is needed.

Today, the focus of scientific inquiry is on group dynamics, the appeal of groups, the benefits and consequences of group membership, and how groups recruit members.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 3: Evaluate the physical and psychosocial impacts of cyberpsychology.
Examine scholarly literature for information about the psychosocial implications of participation in online groups and communities.
Examine reliable media sources for information related to the implications of membership in a group or community.
Competency 4: Evaluate the methods, procedures, and techniques useful in the conduct of empirical research within cyberpsychology.
Explain the methods or procedures described in scholarly sources.
Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology used for the study.
Competency 5: Evaluate problems, conflicts, and unresolved issues in the study of cyberpsychology through critical thinking.
Evaluate areas of concern regarding participation in virtual groups or communities.
Recommend a specific issue requiring more research and provide a rationale.
Preparation

For this assessment, study the psychosocial effects of a specific online community or group. For example, perhaps you are interested in researching an online sobriety community for teensor an online group of people who love zombie films. The possibilities seem endless.

Choose a specific group or community to research. Note: Research judiciously. Do not choose a group or community that advocates hate, violence, or anything that might detract from the higher-education learning experience. Use caution as you research and do not reveal personal information.

Note the following:

References should be mostly scholarly in nature. In other words, you should direct your research to professional psychology journals and texts, as well as current articles from the media (for example, articles from PewResearch, professional journals, and respected media).
The library guide for this course will help you locate appropriate sources.
Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information for this purpose. Do not use Wikipedia.
Instructions

Finish each section of the APA Paper Template, linked in the Resources under the APA Resources heading, as you complete the following:

Examine scholarly literature for the psychosocial impact of membership in a virtual group or community.
Critically review reliable media sources for information related to the implications of membership in the group or community.
Explain the methods or procedures used in the studies.
Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology used for the studies.
Examine the problems, conflicts, and unresolved issues that require additional research and choose one issue to propose for further research.
Provide a rationale for the proposed research.
Additional Requirements

Written communication: Ensure written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Format resources and citations according to current APA style and formatting guidelines. Use Microsoft Word.
Length of paper: 35 double-spaced pages, excluding the cover page and references.
Number of resources: Use a minimum of three scholarly resources and three other reliable sources.
Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12-point font.