Plan and Timetable
The preliminary plan for the proposed research includes three stages. During the preparation stage, equipment will be procured and online questionnaires sent to the students of the UAE universities. Based on the received feedback, a group of participants will be formed and divided into two parts depending on their experience of using digital drugs. In the second stage, tests will be conducted to measure brain reactivity, concentration, and attention, and the group that reported digital drug use will take a survey to test the addiction hypothesis. In the third stage, the results will be analyzed and interpreted, and conclusions will be made that will either confirm or reject the initial hypotheses. The project is expected to take four months: one month for each stage, and one month for the final paper preparation.
Conclusion
Summary of Proposal
Digital drugs have gained popularity in recent years, and their increased distribution has raised the need for detailed research. Digital drugs are audio tracks that are believed to affect the cognitive perception of listeners and cause changes in consciousness, which are similar to the effect of substance abuse (Irwin, 2016). The impact of digital drugs is not well understood, and there are different hypotheses in the literature on whether they are harmful and cause addiction.
The primary purpose of the dissertation is to determine the impact of digital drugs and electronic addiction on the youth of the UAE. Based on the literature research, the following hypotheses are identified: Digital drugs cause addiction, reduce attention and concentration, and increase brain reactivity in youth. Quantitative research methods will be used to test each hypothesis, with the participants selected among the students of the UAE universities using anonymous online questionnaires. The study is expected to take four months and provide results on the impact of digital drugs on the human body and their role in the development of addiction. The limitations of the study are connected with the availability of equipment, sample size, and survey method.
Anticipated Problems / Difficulties
The research is anticipated to face a number of difficulties, primarily connected with the preparation and testing stages. The first is the unpredictability of the initial survey results, based on which the group of participants will be selected. It is difficult to predict how many responses will be received and how large the experimental group will be. This problem can be addressed by determining the desired size of the experimental group and its possible variations.
The second problem is the organization of the testing process. A strategy needs to be developed that will ensure the uniformity of testing, set a comfortable schedule, determine necessary health measures, and help to test all participants within the established timeframe. A procedure needs to be designed for addressing the possible disruptions in the testing process, such as equipment failures, human errors, and force majeures.
The third possible problem is connected with the issue of anonymity. Due to the sensitive nature of the study, the participants need to remain anonymous, and their test and survey results need to be protected. Relevant measures should be taken to ensure the confidentiality of personal information and prevent participants’ anonymity from being compromised during testing. The anticipated problems should be addressed at the project preparation stage to avoid serious complications during the actual research.
Reference
Irwin, S. O. N. (2016). Digital media: Human-technology connection. Lexington Books.