1. Lesson ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
In your Interactive Notebook: Unit.Lesson 1.2 Surveys, Correlations, & Basic Research
Lesson ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
­­­How do researchers conduct scientifically valid surveys?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various psychological research methods?
DAILY COMMENTARY
Complete link in google classroom
SUBMIT: PT 1.1
Today’s Goals:
I can define the criteria for a valid survey
I can design sample survey questions
Today’s Plan:
Readings for this Lesson: Myers 20-35
Due this Lesson: PT 1.2
Readings for NEXT Lesson: Myers 36-39
Due NEXT Lesson: PT 1.3
UNIT TEST: 9/20

2. Performance Task 1.2:
Students work with a partner to develop five survey questions on a topic of their choice (or assigned topic). Survey should include a memo explaining why the research being conducted lends itself to survey research and the considerations that went into the survey construction, as well as instructions for how to administer the survey in a scientifically valid manner.

3. The Need for Psychological Science
Intuition & Common Sense
Many people believe that intuition and common sense are enough to bring forth answers regarding human nature.
Intuition and common sense may aid queries, but they are not free of error.
Psychology 7e in Modules

4. Limits of Intuition
Personal interviewers may rely too much on their “gut feelings” when meeting with job applicants.
Taxi/ Getty Images

5. Errors of Common Sense Try this !
Fold a piece of paper (0.1 mm thick) 100 times. How thick will it be?
800,000,000,000,000 times the distance between the sun and the earth.
Psychology 7e in Modules

6. Hindsight Bias is the “I-knew-it-all-along” phenomenon.
After learning the outcome of an event, many people believe they could have predicted that very outcome. We only knew the dot.com stocks would plummet after they actually did plummet.
OBJECTIVE 1| Describe hindsight bias and explain how it can make research findings seem like mere common sense.
“Anything seems commonplace, once explained.” Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes.
Two phenomena – hindsight bias and judgmental overconfidence – illustrate why we cannot rely solely on intuition and common sense.
Psychology 7e in Modules

7. Sometimes we think we know more than we actually know.
Overconfidence
Sometimes we think we know more than we actually know.
How long do you think it would take to unscramble three anagrams of common, five letter words?
Anagram
WREAT
WATER
ETYRN
ENTRY
OBJECTIVE 2| Describe how overconfidence contaminates our everyday judgments.
People said it would take about 10 seconds, yet on average they took about 3 minutes (Goranson, 1978).
GRABE
BARGE
Psychology 7e in Modules

8. False Consensus Effect
A tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.
Example:

9. Psychological Science
How can we differentiate between uniformed opinions and examined conclusions?
The science of psychology helps make these examined conclusions, which leads to our understanding of how people feel, think, and act as they do!

10. Scientific Method
Psychologists, like all scientists, use the scientific method to construct theories that organize, summarize and simplify observations.
OBJECTIVE 4| Describe how psychological theories guide scientific research.
Psychology 7e in Modules

11. For example, low self-esteem contributes to depression.
Theory
A Theory is an explanation that integrates principles and organizes and predicts behavior or events.
For example, low self-esteem contributes to depression.
If we were to observe that depressed people talk about their past, present, and future in a gloomy manner, we may theorize that low-self-esteem contributes to depression.
Psychology 7e in Modules

12. People with low self-esteem are apt to feel more depressed.
Hypothesis
A Hypothesis is a testable prediction, often prompted by a theory, to enable us to accept, reject or revise the theory.
People with low self-esteem are apt to feel more depressed.

13. Research Observations
Research would require us to administer tests of self-esteem and depression. Individuals who score low on a self-esteem test and high on a depression test would confirm our hypothesis.

14. Research Process

15. Is language uniquely human?
Description
Case Study
A technique in which one person is studied in depth to reveal underlying behavioral principles.
OBJECTIVE 5| Identify the advantages and disadvantages of case studies in studying behavior and mental processes.
Susan Kuklin/ Photo Researchers
Is language uniquely human?
Psychology 7e in Modules

16. Case Study Clinical Study
A clinical study is a form of case study in which the therapist investigates the problems associated with a client.

17. Naturalistic Observation
Observing and recording the behavior of animals in the wild and recording self-seating patterns in a multiracial school lunch room constitute naturalistic observation.
OBJECTIVE 7| Identify the advantages and disadvantages of naturalistic observation in studying behavior and mental processes.
Courtesy of Gilda Morelli
Psychology 7e in Modules

19. Lesson ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
In your Interactive Notebook: Unit.Lesson 1.2 Surveys, Correlations, & Basic Research
Lesson ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
­­­How do researchers conduct scientifically valid surveys?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various psychological research methods?
DAILY COMMENTARY
Complete link in google classroom
PLEASE PASS FORWARD PT 1.1 TO TURN IN
Today’s Goals:
I can define the criteria for a valid survey
I can design sample survey questions
Today’s Plan:
Readings for this Lesson: Myers 20-35
Due this Lesson: PT 1.2
Readings for NEXT Lesson: Myers 36-39
Due NEXT Lesson: PT 1.3
UNIT TEST: 9/20

20. Performance Task 1.2:
Students work with a partner to develop five survey questions on a topic of their choice (or assigned topic). Survey should include a memo explaining why the research being conducted lends itself to survey research and the considerations that went into the survey construction, as well as instructions for how to administer the survey in a scientifically valid manner.

21. Other Research Methods
Cross Sectional Study
Selects cross sections of population as test groups for the same question. For example:
Adolescents
Middle aged
elderly
Longitudinal Study
Follows same group of subjects over extended period of time
Infancy
Adolescence
Adulthood
Etc.

22. (positive or negative)
Correlation
When one trait or behavior accompanies another, we say the two correlate.
Indicates strength
of relationship
(0.00 to 1.00)
Correlation
coefficient
r = +
0.37
OBJECTIVE 8| Describe positive and negative correlations and explain how correlational measures can aid the process of prediction.
Correlation Coefficient is a statistical measure of the relationship between two variables.
Indicates direction
of relationship
(positive or negative)
Psychology 7e in Modules

23. There is a positive correlation between eating ice cream and dying at the beach.
Why?

24. Correlational Study Researches the relationship between two things
Identifies patterns and frequency
Does not signify causation

25. Positive Correlations
The more AP classes I take the more stressed I am
The less sleep I get the less my friends like me
The less chocolate cake I eat the less weight I gain

26. Scatterplots
Perfect positive
correlation (+1.00)
Scatterplot is a graph comprised of points that are generated by values of two variables.
The slope of the points depicts the direction
the amount of scatter depicts the strength of the relationship.

27. Negative correlations
The more I eat the less weight I lose
the more time I spend bowling the less time I spend studying
As x goes up y goes down

28. Scatterplots
Perfect negative
correlation (-1.00)
No relationship (0.00)
The Scatterplot on the left shows a negative correlation, while the one on the right shows no relationship between the two variables.

29. Data showing height and temperament in people.

30. Scatterplot
The Scatterplot below shows the relationship between height and temperament in people. There is a moderate positive correlation of

31. Correlation and Causation
OBJECTIVE 9| Explain why correlational research fails to provide evidence of cause-effect relationships.
Psychology 7e in Modules

32. Disconfirming evidence
Illusory Correlation
An illusory correlation is the perception of a relationship where no relationship actually exists.
For example, take the idea that parents often manage to conceive children after adoption.
Confirming evidence
Disconfirming evidence
Do not
adopt
Adopt
Do not conceive
Conceive
OBJECTIVE 10| Describe how people form illusory correlations.
Michael Newman Jr./ Photo Edit
Psychology 7e in Modules

33. Given random data, we look for order and meaningful patterns.
Order in Random Events
Given random data, we look for order and meaningful patterns.
Your chances of being dealt either of these hands is precisely the same: 1 in 2,598,960.
Psychology 7e in Modules

34. Order in Random Events
Given large numbers of random outcomes, a few are likely to express order.
Jerry Telfer/ San Francisco Chronicle
OBJECTIVE 11| Explain the human tendency to perceive order in random events.
Angelo and Maria Gallina won two California lottery games on the same day.
Psychology 7e in Modules

35. Survey Research
A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes, opinions or behaviors of people usually done by questioning a representative, random sample of people.
OBJECTIVE 6| Identify the advantages and disadvantages of surveys in studying behavior and mental processes, and explain the importance of wording effects and random sampling.
Psychology 7e in Modules

36. Wording can change the results of a survey.
Wording Effect
Wording can change the results of a survey.
Q: Should cigarette ads and pornography be allowed on television? (not allowed vs. forbid)

37. Survey
Population
The total # of people in the world that could take the survey.
For example, if the survey seeks to understand the behaviors of people trying to quit smoking, the population would be EVERY smoker in the world

38. Survey Random Sampling
If each member of a population has an equal chance of inclusion into a sample, it is called a random sample (unbiased). If the survey sample is biased, its results are not valid.
The fastest way to know about the marble color ratio is to blindly transfer a few into a smaller jar and count them.

39. Survey Questions Should:
Be clearly defined with answer options, not open ended
Avoid biased wording that could skew the results
Be written clearly and avoid terminology that many in the population would be unfamiliar with

40. PT 1.2 – Survey Design
Read the article (linked in classroom) about survey questionnaires.
Use the links to the right to learn about different types of survey questions & survey design.
Review the rubric for PT 1.2, & complete it:
work with a partner to develop five survey questions on a topic of your choice (or assigned topic).
Submit, along with your survey questions, a memo explaining why the research being conducted lends itself to survey research and the considerations that went into the survey construction, as well as instructions for how to administer the survey in a scientifically valid manner.

41. Application Exercise
Brainstorm research questions that you are interested in.
Something you want to learn about!
For example, what causes the differences in student achievement at HHS?
Work with partner to create a 10 question survey

42. DQ’S, Updates & Reminders
BIG PICTURE
Friday Quizzes
TOMORROW & September 6
Projects Due
Thursday, September 5th
Experiment Project
Unit Exam:
Monday, September 9th
Tonight’s Homework:
RJ 1.5
Griggs 14-19
Myers 36-39