Psychology 417A: Psychology and Developing Societies May 12 Class Meeting 3 Topic Research Methods: Community-Based/ Participatory Action Research 1

Student Questions from Last Class …. 1. What is the URL for the library research guide? See course website, Class Meeting Slides, Assignment 1 Library Research Guide. 2. Will the grades for Psychology 417A be scaled? 2

Agenda 1. Film: Qallunaat, Why White People Are Funny. 4. Reactions to questions from Sloan (1996): Small group activity Common research methods in community development: Small group activity. 3. Discussion questions.

4 Common Research Methods in Community Development Small group activity: Describe your research method to your group. Consider how your research method could be used in the context of the following community development project:

You are a psychologist working in Kampala, Uganda. You are a member of an interdisciplinary team engaged in participatory action research. The goal of the team is to develop an intervention that will reduce the risk of HIV infection in the uninfected partner of serodiscordant couples. Specifically, the team hopes to create an intervention for couples that focuses upon communication, problem solving, and negotiation skills to increase couples’ condom use. 5 How can the team use your research method to contribute to this goal?

6 Community development project based on: McGrath, J. W., et al. (2007). A group-based intervention to increase condom use among HIV serodiscordant couples in India, Thailand, and Uganda. AIDS Care, 19,

7 Qualitative methods: Non-numerical, emphasize words and narratives. Inductive. Allow for rich, “thick descriptions.” Contextualize participants’ experiences. Examples:

8 1. Participant observation: The researcher becomes a member of the community under study. The researcher records personal experiences and observations of the community. 2. Qualitative interviewing: The researcher conducts unstructured or semi-structured interviews with participants.

9 3. Focus groups: The researcher “interviews” or moderates a discussion among 6-12 participants. Focus groups, rather than individuals, are the unit of analysis. 4. Case studies: In-depth analysis of an individual, community, or change process. May employ multiple methods (e.g., participant observation, qualitative interviewing).

10 Quantitative methods: Numerical, emphasize measurement, statistical analysis, and control of extraneous variables. Deductive. Allow for the assessment of (a) individual differences, (b) correlations, and (c) cause-effect relationships. Generalize participants’ experiences. Examples:

11 1. Quantitative description: The researcher accumulates statistics (e.g., means, modes, variances, frequencies) to describe and compare samples or assess correlations between variables. 2. Interrupted time-series designs: Experimental program evaluation. The researcher compares scores on relevant “dependent variables” before and after an intervention. The pre-intervention assessment serves as a “control” condition.

Pre- DV scores An Interrupted Time-Series Design Intervention Post- DV scores Compare 12

13 3. Nonequivalent comparison group designs: Experimental program evaluation. The researcher compares scores on relevant dependent variables in a treatment group and a non-treatment group. The non- treatment group serves as a control condition. Participants are not randomly assigned to groups.

Group A Group B A Nonequivalent Comparison Group Design Intervention Post-DV scores Compare 14

15 4. Randomized field experiments (randomized control trials): Experimental program evaluation. The researcher compares scores on relevant dependent variables in a treatment group and a non-treatment group. The non-treatment group serves as a control condition. Participants are randomly assigned to groups.

Group A Group B Random Assignment of Ps A Randomized Field Experiment InterventionPost-DV scores Compare 16

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18 Reactions to Questions from Sloan (1996) Sloan, 1996, p. 39: “… one sees clearly how psychological theory and practice embody Western cultural assumptions to such an extent that they primarily perform an ideological function. That is, they serve to reproduce and sustain a societal status quo characterized by economic inequality and other forms of oppression such as sexism and racism.”

19 Small group activity: Consider responses to these questions with your group. Sloan, 1996, p. 44: “Given my skills, interests, and character, how can I be most effective in producing the sorts of change I most desire to see? Where are the people who can work on this with me? Where does my project coincide with the desires and needs of others?”

Agenda 1. Film: Qallunaat, Why White People Are Funny. 4. Reactions to questions from Sloan (1996): Small group activity Common research methods in community development: Small group activity. 3. Discussion questions.

For Our Next Class Meeting.… 1. Complete the assigned readings for May Student leaders: Jasmine, Samantha. 3. Non-leader students: Submit (via ) two discussion questions to me by 9:00AM on May 14.