Research on Social Media Representation of Mentally Challenged People

This report presents a quantitative research proposal and field study on the representation of mentally challenged people on social media platforms, specifically within the context of Canada and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. The research explores the frequency with which mentally challenged individuals are represented and the language used in these portrayals. The study includes anticipated observations, a checklist of activities, and descriptions of social situations observed, focusing on the morning and evening engagement of mentally challenged people on social media. The research addresses ethical considerations, the need for informed consent, and the importance of appropriate language to avoid causing offense or harm. The report also reflects on the researcher's experience, emphasizing the importance of understanding the needs of mentally disabled individuals. The conclusion highlights the importance of rationality in portraying disabled people on social media. The report concludes with a bibliography of related research.

Running head: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Research on representation of mentally challenged people on social media
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Table of contents
Part A (Research proposal)........................................................................................................3
Research questions.................................................................................................................3
Venue of the field study.........................................................................................................3
Time for observations............................................................................................................3
Additional information...........................................................................................................3
Part B (Field study)....................................................................................................................5
Description of the field site....................................................................................................5
Checklist of anticipated observations.....................................................................................5
Description of the social situations observed.........................................................................7
Address for the research questions.........................................................................................8
Reflection as a researcher.......................................................................................................8
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................10

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Part A (Research proposal)
Research questions
 How frequently mentally challenged people are represented in the social media
platforms in Canada?
 What are the terms used for portraying the mentally challenged people in social media
of Canada?
Venue of the field study
I would conduct the field study on the representation of mentally challenged people
on social media in Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Permission would not be necessary,
as my research is being sponsored by the association itself.
Time for observations
I would be observing the behavioural approach of the people during the lectures and
sessions, which is scheduled to take place in the morning. My focus would be on the response
of the mentally challenged people. In the evening, I would observe the involvement of the
disabled people on the social networking. Their response to the newsfeed and posts would
help me to deduce important fact about the psychology of the mentally disabled people.
Additional information
Currently, I am pursuing a Masters course in Social, Cultural and Media Studies from
University of Fraser Valley. In my free time, I surf social networking sites to upgrade my
knowledge about different cultures. Once I was reading a post on impact of religion on
freedom and liberty. One of my friends was mentally challenged, so he commented without
understanding the depth of the issue. This comment adversely affected the individual
sentiments of a friend, who belonged to a different religion. Therefore, it resulted in religious

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
conflict, which took the form of quarrel. This issue was a touching one for me, as it acted as
interplay with the personality of the mentally disabled people.
Degradation of culture and religious values was the major reason for which I wanted
to conduct research especially on the portrayal of the mentally disabled people. Admission
into the course proved beneficial for me in terms of upgrading knowledge horizons on the
character of the mentally disabled people. I have learnt that mentally disabled people need
specially trained experts for providing the necessary care and support. Therefore, I need to
take training on handling the mentally disabled people. This is in terms of exposing rational
approach in using them as the samples of research.

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Part B (Field study)
Description of the field site
The field site chosen for the research is Canadian Association of Broadcasters.
Located in Ottawa, the broadcasting association airs commercial issues in radio and
television. The Broadcasting Association functions under the supervision of Canadian
Broadcast Standards Council. I think conducting the research on the representation of
mentally challenged people on social media would be a productive one in this site.
Psychology experts would be hired for briefing the people on the representation of the
disabled people on social networking sites. Along with this, specially trained volunteers
would be hired for making the disabled people understand the programs.
Checklist of anticipated observations
Activities Time
taken to
complete
Persons responsible Anticipated
outcomes
Visiting the field
site
2 days Researchers and
supervisors
Assessment of the
feasibility of
proposed data
collection method
Receiving grants
from higher
officials
3 days Researchers Averting the
illegal instances
Sessions 5 days Volunteers and researchers Enhancing the
awareness of the
mentally
challenged people

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about the vastness
of social media
Training by
experts
6 days Trainers Making the
mentally
challenged people
acquainted with
the dynamics of
social media
Quizzes 1 day Volunteers Observing the
capacity of the
mentally
challenged people
to intake the
lectures and
respond
Health check up 2 days Doctors and researchers Gaining an insight
into the health
needs of the
mentally
challenged people
during the data
collection process
Session on
website
3 days Psychology and IT experts Enhancing the
awareness of the

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
involvement mentally
challenged people
about cyber
crimes
Evaluation 5 days Researchers Assessment of the
drawbacks, which
needs to be
modified for
exposing better
care approach
towards the
mentally
challenged people
Table 1: Checklist for anticipated observations in the field study
(Source: Created by the researcher)
Description of the social situations observed
Social media is one of the biggest platforms, resulting in the assemblage of people
from different socio-cultural background. In most of the cases, it is seen that
commercialization exposes the disability of the people. This is a challenge in their existence.
Conducting the field study in the morning proved beneficial for me in terms of gaining an
insight into the opinions of the mentally challenged people. In the evening, I observed the
response of the mentally challenged people on the social networking sites. This observation
helped me in deducing relevant results about the care and support of mentally challenged
people.

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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Address for the research questions
Frequency in representing the mentally challenged people reflects the approach
towards caring and supporting these people in fulfilling their needs, demands and
requirements. This frequency is assistance in terms of excavating the approach towards the
wellbeing of this people. Language used for describing the mentally challenged people is
more important as compared to the frequency in their representation. This is because the
words used for describing the mentally people enhances the awareness of the audience about
their representation. Using provocative words for representation would act as mocking and
taunt. Uploading provocative words for describing the mentally challenged people uncovers
the mask of their privacy. This is a challenge in terms of their personality.
Reflection as a researcher
Social media has revolutionized the business in the current context. This is through
the means of transmitting the information to large number of audience. Mostly it is seen that
the companies target the influential people. Consistent approach in this direction deprives the
mentally disables people from fulfilling their specific needs, demands and requirements.
According to me, ethical considerations would be important in terms of ensuring the
wellbeing of the mentally disabled people. Therefore, prior to the process of sampling
technique, I need to take the permission from the hospitals and care homes. Possession of
written approvals and grants would act assistance in terms of averting the illegal instances.
Counselling, discussion and open forums would help me in delving deeper into the mindset
of the mentally disabled people. I feel assuring the mentally challenged people are vital in
terms of averting the instances of commercializing their responses. Here, I feel that courses
on effective handling of the disabled people on broader platforms, is essential.

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Conclusion
Social media is an effective medium for reaching to large number of audience.
However, rationality is needed in terms of portraying the people, especially the disabled ones.
Research in this subject is an effective step in terms of projecting ethical approach. This
approach, in turn, would be effective for ensuring the wellbeing of the disabled people.