Enhancement of Interaction: Countering Social Isolation & Depression - Essay Sample

Introduction

Enhancement of the interaction level in the society is crucial in bringing ng about cohesiveness, coordination and unity in the community. Various elements hinder the interaction level with isolation being prominent among them. Social isolation entails lack of contact that emanates between individuals and society. It can also be referred to as loss of the social relationship on the personal level or how individuals disengage from the societal level. Depression is a critical catalyst in social isolation than any other element, and depressed individuals are socially withdrawn (Michelle, 2019). The research aims at is to establish whether depression leads to social isolation compared to other variables such as rules and regulations. In this case, the dependent variable is social interaction, and this is influenced by depression and the social norms and rules that act as the independent variables.

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Research Methods

Ascertaining the contribution of depression towards social isolation is critical and requires research methods that enhance the quality of the findings. Data collection will be aimed at ensuring the respondents feel comfortable, and their security is guaranteed at all times. The data to be analyzed will be collected through direct observation, that is qualitative and structured interviews, quantitative, administered to the targeted samples. These methods are vital in ensuring the data collected is more reliable. The method of direct observation entails the researcher taking certain positions and watching the behaviours and reactions of the individuals under study. In the participant observation method, I will form part of the selected group to be observed through fitting in and gaining their trust. At the same time, I will remain detached I order to conduct the observation. Through the observation, I will be able to understand when and why people become depressed and how they withdraw from the group gradually. My approach is aimed at making me part of the community in order to understand their behaviours. To enhance the effectiveness and the ability of the findings to be generalized, I will take part in a different community set up me the region and chose the group randomly to be observed.

The data will also be collected through structured interviews that will require the researcher to be present to administer the questions. The questions are generally similar and follow the same sequence and applied to different respondents who are deemed to be under continuous depression. Related predetermined questions will be administered to selected individuals from diverse communities. The questions asked during the interview are aimed at examining the daily experience of the individuals, and to establish the reason for their exclusion from the rest of the community members. The critical question will bet determine why they prefer isolation, and whether there are experiences they encounter that contributed to their low self-esteem.

Reasons for Choosing the Research Methods

There are numerous reasons for choosing participant observation as an appropriate data collection method for this research. The method is essential in analyzing the nonverbal cues that te depressed individuals use to indicate their state, and aid in grasping how the targets interact with the rest in society. Observation of events that contribute to the depression of the target hence leading to their isolation can be identified clearly and in real time. The experience creates validity thus giving confidence in the data collected, allows for the detailed description to be made on the intentions, behaviours and the situations leading to the social isolation. The method is, therefore, crucial in bringing more clarity on the social practices that are catalysts to social isolation.

The structured interview research method is crucial as it eliminates biasness since the same set of questions are administered to different targets. Here the researcher is able to compare responses based on the same variables. Through the method, the participants get the same treatment hence enhancing fairness during the research. Additionally, consistency and effectiveness are enhanced through the process as the decision-maker has similar information for each participant. There is also a higher response rate among the participants as they know the questions being asked are not biased and does not jeopardize their security.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Ideally, participant observation is qualitative in nature as it involves observing the event as they unfold and recounting the occurrences. The researcher then gives a qualified account based on the merits of the observations made with the aim of influencing decisions regarding the subject and research. Although participative research is largely qualitative, the method is also deemed to be quantitative in nature and include the dimensions of quantitative research. The observation is undertaken over a period of time under which the participants are observed and data collected regarding their behaviour to aid in coming up with a conclusive finding. The time period allowed will be three months in order to get accurate data. A given number of participants will be involved in the research.

Structured interviews are mainly quantitative in nature, and they are commonly applied when it comes to surveying research with the aim to ascertain that interviews are conducted using similar questions. The interview has questions that are closed-ended and are in a numbered schedule indicating the sequence to be followed. The aim is to ensure the provided answers can easily and reliably be aggregated, and be used to draw a comparison among the sample groups and be applied in various periods. The data is mainly collected for the statistical survey purpose hence the need to administer the questions personally rather than using the questionnaires that are self-administered. The structured interviews can also be qualitative in nature.

Ethical Considerations

All the ethical issues associated with the research will be adhered to. The key concern to be noted and handled well is the confidentiality of the information provided by the participants as to the reasons for their isolation. To protect their confidentiality, I will ensure the interview is conducted and the agreed place and the voice recording only done by the permission of the participants. Invasion of the privacy of the participants should also be avoided during the participant observation. The exercise will be conducted only to the extent that the rights of the participants are not infringed by ensuring they know the intention of involving in their day-to-day activities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social isolation continues to disintegrate the society hence the need to identify the catalysts such as the depression level in the society and work towards correcting the social behaviour. The study of the relationship between depression and social isolation is, therefore, crucial in understanding the social changes and behaviour among individuals. In order to achieve the desired result, the research utilizes both participant observation and the structured questions as the best methods to collect the required data for analysis. The aim is to incorporate both the qualitative and the quantitative aspect of the study. The research sample is picked from various sections of the society randomly, observed, and administered the questions during selected interview times to examine the reason for the behaviour change and the consequent isolation. Evidently, depression is a key catalyst to the social isolation and the disintegration of the social norms and structures within society. The depressed individuals avoid interacting with others in the society, and this tends to be dangerous to the progress of social development hence the need to strongly work towards strengthening social interactions and cohesiveness in the society.

References

Szabo, Michelle (2019). Principles of Sociology, Distance Learning, Fall 2019