1. Unit 1: Science of Psychology
WHS AP Psychology
Unit 1: Science of Psychology
Essential Task 1-5:
Describe descriptive research studies taking into account random sampling, wording-effect and applicable biases.
Logo Green is R=8 G=138 B= Blue is R= 0 G=110 B=184
Border Grey is R=74 G=69 B=64

2. The Science of Psychology
Approaches to Psych
Growth of Psych
Research Methods
Statistics
Descriptive
Experiment
Case Study
Survey
Naturalistic Observation
Inferential
Ethics
Sampling
Central Tendency
Variance
Correlation
Careers
We are here

3. Essential Task 1-5: Describe descriptive research studies
Outline
Describe descriptive research studies
Naturalistic Observation
Observer Bias
Can not replicate or generalize
Case Studies
Surveys
taking into account random sampling,
Wording-effect
Social Desirability Bias
Non-response Bias

5. 3 Types of Descriptive Research
Naturalistic Observation
Survey
Case Studies

6. Descriptive Research DESCRIBES

7. Naturalistic Observation
What is it? A descriptive research method involving the systematic study of animal or human behavior in natural settings rather than the laboratory
Huh? Researcher describes the behavior of the human or animal in their natural settings

8. Naturalistic Observation
Strengths
The behavior is more natural than if they were in the lab
Weaknesses
Can not replicate. Replication involves the process of repeating a study using the same methods, different subjects, and different experimenters. If you can’t replicate you can’t retest the results or apply them to new situations to see just how generalizable it is.
Can not generalize (apply them to new situations) your findings.
Observer bias - occurs when the observers (or researcher team) know the goals of the study or the hypotheses and allow this knowledge to influence their observations during the study

9. Naturalistic Observations

10. Case Studies
What is it? Study of a single individual or just a few individuals in order to describe their situation.
Purpose? Take advantage of situation that you can not replicate (make happen again)
How? Gather as much evidence as you can: Observation, scores on psychological tests, interviews, medical records etc.
Outline

11. Case Studies Strengths: Weaknesses:
Takes advantage of nonreplicable situations
You get a lot of in-depth understanding
Weaknesses:
Observer bias is a problem
Can not generalize (apply your findings to other individuals or groups)
Can not replicate 11

12. Two most famous case studies in psychology
Genie
Phineas Gage

13. The Lost Children of Rockdale County
Case Study of a syphilis epidemic at a high school in an affluent suburb of Atlanta 13

14. Survey
What is it? Descriptive research technique in which questionnaires or interviews are administered to a selected group of people.
Huh? To describe a large group of people you ask them carefully worded questions.

15. Survey
Hingham
High School
Strengths
You can generate a lot of information for a fairly low cost
Overcomes the false consensus effect
If you randomly sampled then you can generalize your findings to the population from which you sampled.
Weymouth
High School

16. Survey Weaknesses Wording Effect Social Desirability Effect
Wording can change the results of a survey.
Should cigarette ads be allowed on television?
Should cigarette ads be forbid on television?
Social Desirability Effect
If directly asked about a sensitive subject, we may alter our answer to what we think is socially acceptable.

17. Sampling from a population
“The root of the problem is that in real life, all scientists ever observe are samples.  And, in real life, all they want to know about is populations” Nancy Darling, Ph.D. 17

18. Random Sampling
Sampling in which each potential population member has an equal chance of being surveyed.
Can’t just pull names from a hat
Alphabetical list and pick every 10th name.
Outline

19. But to all of those who were mailed surveys only 4% responded.
Non-response Bias
Women and Love study done by Shere Hite 1974
98% Dissatisfied by their Marriage
75% Extramarital Affairs
But to all of those who were mailed surveys only 4% responded. 19

20. When randomly sampled 93% of women are satisfied in their marriages
Only 7% had affairs 20

21. Comparison Research Method Advantages Limitations Naturalistic
Observation
More accurate than reports after the fact
Behavior is more natural
Observer can alter behavior
Observer Bias
Not generalizable
Case Studies
Depth
Takes advantage of circumstances that can not be replicated
Time consuming and expensive
Observational Bias
Surveys
Immense amount of data
Quick and inexpensive
Generalizable
Replicable
Poor sampling can skew results
Wording Effect
Social Desirability Bias
Comparison 21