PHLS 8334 Class 2 (Spring 2017)

Research Process Self-Efficacy Contribute an original idea What does that really mean…… Chapter p.106

Contribute to the Field Replication with different population Test a model Examine moderators/mediators of known relations Address limitations of previous studies 3

Conceptualizing a Research Question Three steps What do we know about the issue What we do not know about the issue. How will the study bridge the gap. Previous research questions lead to the question for my study

Testable Research Question Asks a Question About …… That ………… 5

Testable Research Question Asks a Question About the relation of two or more constructs (correlation/experimental) That can be measured in some way 6

How process unfolds: Describe research interests in general, broad terms. Identify testable research question(s) Identify the variables/constructs embedded in the question Provide conceptual definitions for variables. Provide operational definitions for variables How to assess/measure the construct Articulate a conceptual framework for proposed study

Experimental vs. Correlational Designs Purpose Types if IVs and DVs (categorical/continuous) Inferences Types of Analyses

Types of Variables Categorical Discrete groups: gender, diagnosis (depressed vs. not depressed) Continuous Ratio Scale (equal intervals) money, # of days, test score (0-100) Continuous Interval Likert Scales

Types of Research Questions Descriptive Difference Correlational

Types of Research Questions Descriptive- Describe what a phenomenon is like Collect/Categorize Information - Typically used in Surveys Requires large samples that are representative of the population of interest Do not involve generation of hypothesis No use of inferential statistics (no prediction involved)

Analyses: Descriptive Collect/Categorize Information - Survey Means, SD Mean score in standardized test by age groups Mean score in opinion survey by gender groups Proportions of populations/groups Percentage of high school graduates who attend college, by ethnic group, Percentage of college students who graduate in 6 years or less, by gender

Are descriptive questions, testable research questions? Yes -- No Why?

Types of Research Questions Difference Compare Means Between – groups Descriptive vs. Hypothesis testing purpose Independent variable: categorical Experimental (manipulated) or Status (cannot be manipulated) Dependent Variable: continuous

Stat. Analyses: Difference Compare means in continuous variables between two or more groups: t-test, ANOVA, MANCOVA- Experimental- IV is categorical and manipulated Stauts - IV is categorical and not manipulated The DV is always continuous

Difference Questions: descriptive vs. hypothesis testing Difference questions for descriptive purpose do not require rational/hypothesis eg. Proportion of men and women who favor the republican vs. the democrat nominee Difference questions for hypothesis testing require rational for expected differences

Type of Question: College students must make decisions about majors that will lead to careers in a relatively distant future. Therefore, the career making process may involve a great deal of ambiguity. Anxiety has been positively associated to perceptions of ambiguity. Therefore, career undecided students are expected to report higher levels of anxiety than their decided counterparts.

Types of Research Questions Correlation Extent to which 2 or more continuous psychological constructs vary together Pearson correlation coefficient r- bivariate correlation: strength and direction r = .35 r = -.35 r =. 50 Regression - multi IV’s test combined contribution of several IVs to one DV test unique contribution of each IV to the DV while controlling for the other IVs

Type of Question Individuals who have anxious personalities typically have difficulty making decisions. Anxiety has been positively associated to perceptions of ambiguity. The ambiguity inherent in making decisions about distant outcomes, exacerbates anxiety reactions. The higher the level of anxiety, the more difficult to commit to a choice. Therefore, we hypothesize that anxiety will be positively related to career indecision among college students.

Research Proposal Develop a research proposal that includes An introduction/literature review that provides conceptual framework for research question based on theoretical/empirical literature and/or reasoning Methods to conduct study Participants Instruments to collect the data Procedures Analyses

Research Proposal Describe your research interests in general, broad terms. Identify testable research question(s) Identify the variables/constructs embedded in the question. Provide conceptual definitions for variables. Provide operational definitions for variables

Readings Reports Class 3: Students 1-3-5 Class 4: Students 2-4-6

Annotated Bibliography Research Questions examined in your area of interest Weekly write-ups Classes 7-10 Dyads A: Sender/Reader: 1-2; 3-4; 5-6 Dyads B: Sender/Reader: 2-5; 4-1; 6-3

Science in Counseling Psychology Are our interventions effective? Empirically Validated Treatments Experimental studies- randomized controlled clinical trials Relations about psychological phenomena

Science Practice Knowledge for its own sake Academic freedom Seeks to understand populations: probability Individual differences: nuisance/confound Knowledge for what it can accomplish Public service Seeks to understand individuals – 0 or 100% Individual differences: focus of attention