Research Methods in Psychology 9th Edition Part I General Issues 1 Introduction 2 The Scientific Method 3 Ethical Issues in the Conduct of Psychological Research Part II Descriptive Methods 4 Observation 5 Survey Research Part III Experimental Methods 6 Independent Groups Designs 7 Repeated Measures Designs 8 Complex Designs Part IV Applied Research 9 Single-Case Designs, and Small-n Research 10 Quasi-Experimental Designs and Program Evaluation Part V Analyzing and Reporting Research 11 Data Analysis and Interpretation: Part I. Describing Data, Confidence Intervals, Correlation 12 Data Analysis and Interpretation: Part II. Tests of Statistical Significance and the Analysis Story 13 Communication in Psychology

Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences, 9th Edition Part I: INTRODUCTION AND DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS. 1. Introduction to Statistics. 2. Frequency Distributions. 3. Central Tendency. 4. Variability. Part II: FOUNDATIONS OF INFERENTIAL STATISTICS. 5. z-Scores: Location of Scores and Standardized Distributions. 6. Probability. 7. Probability and Samples: The Distribution of Sample Means. 8. Introduction to Hypothesis Testing. Part III: USING t STATISTICS FOR INFERENCES ABOUT POPULATION MEANS AND MEAN DIFFERENCES. 9. Introduction to the t Statistics. 10. The t Test for Two Independent Samples. 11. The t Test for Two Related Samples. Part IV: ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE: TESTS FOR DIFFERENCES AMONG TWO OR MORE POPULATION MEANS. 12. Introduction to Analysis of Variance. 13. Repeated-Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). 14. Two-Factor Analysis of Variance (Independent Measures). Part V: CORRELATIONS AND NON-PARAMETRIC TESTS. 15. Correlation. 16. Introduction to Regression. 17. The Chi-Square Statistic: Tests for Goodness of Fit and Independence. 18. The Binomial Test. 19. How to Decide Which Statistics Technique Is Appropriate for a Given Data Set.

Psychology as a Science Use of theories and research to understand behavior, emotion, motivation, cognition Generate useful knowledge that can be applied to individual and societal problems –For example research on the effects of media violence use of science in clinical psychology studies on attention blindnessattention blindness Use of the scientific method –Ways of asking questions –Logic and methods to get answers –Two important characteristics Empirical approach Skeptical attitude

The Scientific Method Scientific Method nan abstract concept not a particular technique or method ways in which scientists ask questions the logic and methods they use to gain answers Two important aspects of the scientific method reliance on an empirical approach skeptical attitude For Example How Do You Know ?How Do You Know Empirical approach observation of behaviors experimentation in which scientists employ systematic control in the situation to be observed

Science in Context Three influences of context Historical Social/Cultural Moral Science is embedded in cultural influences Researchers are influences by culture Types of questions they study Willingness to accept findings Methods used to collect information

Science in Context Historical –scientific psychology has increased dramatically in 100 years –Psychology influenced from Philosophy, Physiology and Physics Psychophysics was an early important area in Psychology –Early psychologists adopted the empirical approach to emulate other sciences such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics –Separated from Philosophy although progress in Psychology has been hampered by publics interest in supernatural, metaphsical events.

Science in Context Social/Cultural –Research –Research questions, resources, and acceptance of evidence are influenced by the current cultural –Research done primarily within Western cultural Most subjects are college students which is a biased sample referred to as WEIRD: White, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic (Henrich, 2010) –Susceptible to the potential bias of ethnocentrism A bias in which we try to understand the behavior of individuals in a different culture For example examine questions of aggression and race rather than nurturance and race For example: stereotype people based on their dress or hairstyle

Science in Context Moral –High standards for integrity and ethical conduct –Integrity is important Research findings can impact individual and societal problems Acceptance of controversial findings is difficult –Some obvious issues such as fabricated data, plagiarize, or selectively report research findings. –However other difficult issues related to risk/benefit, deception and use of non-human animals in research –Follow the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association for guidance

Thinking Like a Researcher Be skeptical Regarding claims about the causes of behavior and mental processes Even claims made on the basic of “published” scientific findings Make decisions based on objective evidence not subjective judgement Problems with being Skeptical "They simply insist on being allowed to test all claims and to reject those that are inherently untestable." p15 from SZ&Z “Researchers and juries both seek the truth, but their conclusions are ultimately probabilistic. Certainty is often beyond the grasp of both jurors and scientists." p17 from SZ&Z

Thinking Like a Researcher Use converging evidence across many studies similar to detectives and others in the legal system. seek to make decisions based on evidence Strength of the Evidence description of behavior prediction about behavior evidence for the cause of a behavior replications (repetitions) of findings for the cause of behavior The stronger the evidence, the more confident we can be about the claim about behavior.

Evaluating Reports of Psychological Research Don’t confuse pseudoscience or non-science with science Be skeptical Be aware that scientists may disagree Keep in mind that research is generally about averages Whenever possible, go to the original source For example in the article People Like Us in the Atlantic MonthlyPeople Like Us

Getting Started Doing Research Choose a research topic based on information from psychology journals, textbooks, and courses. Working with a hypothesis a tentative explanation for a phenomenona tentative explanation for a phenomenon stated in the form of a predictionstated in the form of a prediction together with an explanation for the predictiontogether with an explanation for the prediction For ExampleFor Example Research participants who play violent video games are predicted to behave more aggressively after exposure than participants who passively view television violence Because video game participants’ aggression is reinforced (rewarded) while playing the game.

How do I develop a hypothesis to test in my research?How do I develop a hypothesis to test in my research? Think about deviations (oddities, exceptions) from a general trend or principle. Imagine how you would behave in a task or when faced with a specific problem. Consider similar problems with known solutions. Make sustained, deliberate observations of a person or phenomenon (e.g., perform a “case study”). Generate counterexamples for an obvious conclusion about behavior. Borrow ideas or theories from other disciplines. Read reports of psychological research. Getting Started Doing Research

The Multimethod Approach to Psychological Research There are many psychological research questions and research methods. No single research method or technique can answer all of the different questions Obtain a more complete understanding of complex behavior and mental processes. There is no perfect method for answering questions each method or measure of behavior has flaws may be incomplete in its ability to answer research questions

References Joseph Henrich, Steven J. Heine and Ara Norenzayana. (2010) The weirdest people in the world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences / Volume 33 / Issue 2-3 / June 2010, pp Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Meet and greet your group members Group One Anamelechi, Olachi E. Callans, Molly G. Goode, Jackson Lecka, Trevor J. Selters, Charlotte E. Group2 Blish, Kimberly G. Chin-Martin, Lilian S. Guntupalli, Siri Matsumoto, Erin S. Shiffman, Andrew K. Group3 Brakeman, Kylie M. Dewey, Magdalen B. Heile, Lisa M. Munet, Matthew P. Siegel, Raina D. Group Four Byrne, Robert W. Fields, Raven B. Kho, Tiffany L. Rowshan, Kiana Yee, Samantha A.