Research Methods In Psychology

Goals of Psychology Describe Explain Predict Change

Limits to Human Intuition If you drop an arrow, and fire one straight, which hits the ground first? A wooden cube is 1 inch long on each side. How many cubes form a cube 2 inches along each side? WREAT WATER ETRYN ENTRY GRABE BARGE How long would it take you to complete these? OCHSA CHAOS 2% of college graduates say they won’t graduate. Nearly 50% don’t within 5 years.

Scientific Method Step 6 Build a Theory An operational definition is stated in observable, measurable terms that allow for duplication. Step 1 Review the Literature Step 6 Build a Theory Step 2 Develop a Testable Hypothesis (must be operationally defined) Step 3 Design the Study and Collect the data Step 5 Publish, Replicate, And Seek Scientific Review Step 4 Analyze the Data And accept or Reject the Hypothesis

Descriptive Research Naturalistic observation -observe behavior in a natural environment Surveys -Participants answer questions Case studies -in-depth study of one individual. Purpose is to observe, collect, and record data. Easy to collect data Little or no control over intervening variables. Researcher and participant biases are problems.

Surveys saying vs. doing What would you do if someone confessed to a murder in a chat room? 60% said they would notify the police When this actually occurred in a group of 200, 3 people responded. Wording Effects “government censorship” – (27%) “more restrictions on what is shown on TV” – (66%) Are you interested in plants and trees? (77%) Are you interested in Botany? (39%) Hillary Clinton – 57% favorable rating (1993) Hillary Rodham Clinton – 49% favorable rating (1993)

Surveys The false consensus bias – we think people hold similar opinions more than they do. 68% roll toilet paper over the spool 79% squeeze toothpaste from the top 7% look behind the shower curtain when using someone else’s bathroom 80% eat corn on the cob in circles, rather than side to side 50% eat Oreos whole, 18% twist in half, 15% dunk them

Correlational Research Correlation is the relationship between two variables. Positive correlation – both values increase Negative correlation – One variable increases, while the other decreases. Correlational Coefficient – strength of the relationship 0= no relationship + or – 1 = perfect relationship Examples: SAT scores and success in college; Red wine and heart attacks; Prejudice and age; length of marriage and hair loss, etc.

“CORRELATION does not mean CAUSATION!” It allows us only to predict!

Different Types of Studies Longitudinal Studies periodic tests on the same participants over a number of years. Cross-Sectional Studies Participants are of divided into subgroups. What are the disadvantages of each type of study? Too long. Delays Diagnosis High attrition rates Hard to predict causation Many intervening variables

Experimental Research Purpose is to identify cause and effect through the manipulation of variables. Independent Variables - what the experimenter manipulates Dependent Variables - what experimenter measures Experimental Controls - control group, experimental group, avoid extraneous variables Disadvantages: artificial setting, practical limitations experimenter and participant biases, and ethical concerns.

Bias in Research Bias is any condition that distorts data Experimenter bias – predisposed beliefs of the experimenter can confound the research findings. Creates a self-fulfilling prophesy Subject bias – subjects change behavior Hawthorne effect – a subject’s behavior changes because of awareness of being studied. Placebo effect – subject’s expectations lead them to believe some change has occurred.

Experimental Safeguards Experimenter Bias Participant Bias Blind (masked) observers – who’s not the researcher Single-blind (masked) study – either the experimenter or subjects are unaware of who is receiving the treatment. Double-blind (masked) study - neither experimenter or subject is aware. Random sampling Random assignment Confidentiality Placebo

Measures of Central Tendancy Interpreting the Data The goal is to find the number that best represents the data. Measures of Central Tendancy Mode The most common score, or the score with the highest frequency Median Divides the distribution in half 50% above and 50% below Mean Arithmetic average add up all the scores and divide by the number of scores

Ethics in Psychology

Ethics in Research Approval of American Psychological Association (APA) Informed Consent Confidentiality Minimize risk and discomfort Fairness and Deception Informed consent Debriefing Animal Research?

What have you learned? Who established the first psychology lab? Who used the research method of introspection? Who’s theory of natural selection contributed to functionalism? What perspective of Freud’s believes in unconscious motives? What perspective feels that we learn all behavior? What perspective says we must look at the whole? What model brings together many psychological perspectives?