C81MPR Practical Methods Dr. Danielle Ropar & Dr. Jonathan Stirk

Why do experiments? To test our theories about how the mind works To test our theories about how the mind works To explore a new phenomenon To explore a new phenomenon To strictly control the experiences of the participants To strictly control the experiences of the participants

How do we conduct experiments? To conduct experiments successfully we have answer a number of questions To conduct experiments successfully we have answer a number of questions –What does the theory predict? –How can that prediction be tested? –What will the experimental task be? –What kind of data can we collect? –How will the data be analyzed? –What kind of experimental design will we need? –Do we need to conduct a pilot study? –etc.... The aim of the practical and statistics course is to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to be able to answer these questions The aim of the practical and statistics course is to provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to be able to answer these questions

What kinds of predictions can psychological theories make? There are many different kinds of prediction that can be made by psychological theories There are many different kinds of prediction that can be made by psychological theories –e.g. reading low frequency words takes longer than high frequency words Predictions fall into three basic kinds Predictions fall into three basic kinds –predictions of direction –predictions of magnitude –predictions of both direction and the magnitude What each of these different kinds of predictions have in common is that the underlying theory describes a mental process. What each of these different kinds of predictions have in common is that the underlying theory describes a mental process.

Studying mental processes In Psychology it is sometimes difficult to establish what the mental process is that is responsible for some behaviour because we can rarely, if ever, look at it directly. In Psychology it is sometimes difficult to establish what the mental process is that is responsible for some behaviour because we can rarely, if ever, look at it directly.

Advances in studying mental processes New technologies, e.g. PET & MRI scans, have made it possible to look more directly than we could even as little as 10 years ago New technologies, e.g. PET & MRI scans, have made it possible to look more directly than we could even as little as 10 years ago

Making inferences about mental processes We have to examine behaviour and try to infer what mental processes led to that behaviour We have to examine behaviour and try to infer what mental processes led to that behaviour