Do men with excessive alcohol consumption and social stability have an addictive personality? Article Critique
The article, “Do men with excessive alcohol consumption and social stability have an addictive personality?” presents research findings on the effect of alcohol consumption on social traits of alcoholics. Through the use of various statistical tools, the authors have managed to disassociate the perception of addictive personality and alcoholism. Based on how the research content has been presented, it is clear that numbers have a great impact in differentiating facts, opinions, and perceptions on various subject matters under debate.
The debate on the personality of addictiveness has been debated for a long time. The study that was carried was aimed at studying whether the men with an excessive habit of taking alcohol have a personality that is addictive. The hypothesis for the study was based on the notion whether “addictive personality” really existed. Based on this hypothesis, the researchers ran advertisements using different channels, which got them a control group and alcohol addicts. The variation in the traits of the individuals affected with alcohol consumption and the control group would be determined then to ascertain the hypothesis (Berglund, 2011).
Based on the content of the article, it is clear how statistical tools have been applied in the presentation of the results that have been obtained from the study that was conducted. In the analysis of the article`s content, the number of variables used is limited and the researchers could have used more. This is because, character traits vary between individuals and based on the sample size that as used, sample size could be made bigger in order to obtain a wide range of character traits from the individuals. According to the content of the article, the assumptions made for the study were considerable but the limitations have had an impact on the study. Since an advertisement was used to collect the samples, it is likely that individuals with similar traits but multiple interests must have shown up for the study. This means therefore that, diversity in the samples was not applied: an aspect that might have marred the expected results of the study. As a researcher, it would be advisable to get the samples of the control group and the male individuals taking excess alcohol from different backgrounds in order to create diversity in the sample size. This eliminates any inconsistency in the observation of character traits from a particular class of individuals within the sample size.
The comparisons between the two sets of individuals were made using normative data. In addition, a principal component analysis was made in identification of traits and possibility of relationships between the control group and individuals with excessive alcohol consumption. The mean values for both sets of individuals were checked within the stipulated normative range of the KSP. In the results section of the study, no variation between the two sets was systematic. From the results, it was found out that “addictive personality” never exists regardless of the amount and frequency in which one took alcohol (Berglund, 2011).
In summation, the article on the “Do men with excessive alcohol consumption and social stability have an addictive personality?” presents research findings on the relation between an addictive personality and excessive consumption of alcohol between men. Even though the researchers have provided a close to perfect study, they could have used more variables and diversified the sample size in order to get better detailed findings of the research. Even in the lack of these few deficiencies, the research has given a clear picture of how numbers have a great impact in differentiating facts, opinions, and perceptions on various subject matters under debate.