1. Basic Research Methods
Aim:
What are some of the research methods psychologists use in their work?
Homework :
In a paragraph or two answer the following questions:
If you were conducting a study on the use of cell phones (texting) while driving, which research method would you use and why?
2. Which method would you be most likely to stay away from and
why?

2. Research Methods

3. Types of Research 1. Descriptive Research 2. Correlational Research
characterizes the who, what, when, where, and how about a certain population or phenomenon
To observe and record behavior
2. Correlational Research
To detect naturally occurring relationships
To assess how well one variable predicts another
a correlational study is a quantitative method of research in which you have 2 or more quantitative variables from the same group of subjects, & you are trying to determine if there is a relationship between the 2 variables
3. Experimental Research
Experimental research involves manipulating the independent variable in some type of controlled situation (preferably a laboratory) so that precise measurements can be taken. It is used to advance our knowledge to give us a better understanding of behavior.

4. Case Study (Descriptive)
An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth
sometimes used to reveal universal principles
typically used to examine exceptional or rare instances of a certain phenomenon
Examples:
Dramatic stories, personal experiences,
School violence

5. Case Study
Pros:
Allow for detailed understanding of an individual’s psychology
Can suggest ideas for future research
Cons:
Any given individual may be atypical, nonrepresentative of the general population

6. Surveys (Descriptive)
A set of questions, typically about beliefs, attitudes, preferences, or behaviors
Intended to draw conclusions about the opinions or behaviors of a certain population by surveying a sample from that population
population: the entire group of interest
sample: a smaller subset of the population that participates in the research
random sample: every member of the population has an equal chance of inclusion

7. Surveys Pros: Cons: inexpensive easy to do quickly
If the sample is truly random, surveys can provide a representative depiction of the population as a whole.
Cons:
sources of bias
social desirability
unintentional incorrect answers
wording effects (e.g. “restrictions” vs. “censorship”)

8. Naturalistic Observation
Watching and recording the behavior of organisms in their natural environment
unobtrusive measure, no intervention by researcher
e.x. Jane Goodall’s studies of chimpanzees in the wild
use of tools

9. Naturalistic Observation
Pros:
allows understanding of behavior in a natural setting (avoids artificiality of laboratories)
Cons:
Like other descriptive research, observation describes behavior rather than explaining it.
can be difficult to be unobtrusive in some cases
ethical concerns

10. Correlational Research
Correlation: a measure of how closely interrelated two sets of measured variables are related.
Measures how much two variables correlate with each other
Does a change in the value of one variable predict a change in the value of the other?
Ex: Does exposure to media violence and aggressive behavior co-occur? How likely are you to see one when you see the other?

11. Correlational Research
Direction: Is the correlation positive or negative?
Positive (between 0 and +1): an increase in one variable predicts an increase in the other
e.g. height and weight
Negative (between 0 and -1): an increase in one variable predicts a decrease in the other
e.g. self-esteem and depression
Correlation of 0: no relationship between the variables

12. Correlational Research

13. Correlational Research

14. Correlational Research

15. Correlational Research

16. Correlational Research
Pros:
Cheap and easy to do
They point to possible causes of behavior and they predict behavior

17. Correlational Research
Cons:
Correlation does not imply causation (VERY IMPORTANT) ?

18. Experimental Research
Experimental research involves manipulating the independent variable in some type of controlled situation (preferably a laboratory) so that precise measurements can be taken. It is used to advance our knowledge to give us a better understanding of behavior.

19. Experimental Research
Pros
Can carefully control and manipulate one or more treatment conditions while preventing interference from other factors
Cons
Setting may be so controlled or artificial that its results don’t translate to real-life situations

20. Being a Critical Consumer of Psychology
Psychologists strive to conduct research that is reliable, valid, and bias-free.
reliability: finding the same results in repeated experiments (consistency)
validity: the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to
Internal Validity: the extent to which a study is methodologically adequate
External Validity: the extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to situations outside the laboratory
Are the findings from the study applicable to other groups?

21. In a paragraph or two, answer the following questions:
If you were conducting a study on the use of cell phones (texting) while driving, which research method would you use and why?
2. Which method would you be most likely to stay away from and why?