1. Philip G. Zimbardo Robert L. Johnson Ann L. Weber

2. How Do Psychologists Develop New Knowledge?
Psychologists, like researchers in all other sciences, use the scientific method to test their ideas empirically

3. How Do Psychologists Develop New Knowledge?
Empirical investigation – An approach to research that relies on sensory experience and observation as research data
Scientific method – A five-step process for empirical investigation of a hypothesis under conditions designed to control biases and subjective judgments 18

4. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Performing a controlled test
Gathering objective data
Analyzing the results
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results 19

5. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Hypothesis – A statement predicting the outcome of a scientific study
Performing a controlled test
Gathering objective data
Operational definitions – Exact procedures used in establishing experimental conditions and measurement of results
Analyzing the results
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results 19

6. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Independent variable – The variable manipulated by the experimenter
Performing a controlled test
Gathering objective data
Randomization –
Using chance alone to determine presentation order of stimulus
Analyzing the results
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results 19

7. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Performing a controlled test
Data – Information gathered by researcher and used to test hypothesis
Gathering objective data
Analyzing the results
Dependent variable – The measured outcome of a study; the responses of participants in a study
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results 19

8. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Performing a controlled test
Gathering objective data
Based on statistical analyses of results, the hypothesis is accepted or rejected
Analyzing the results
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results 19

9. The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
Developing a hypothesis
Performing a controlled test
Gathering objective data
Analyzing the results
Publishing, criticizing, and replicating the results
Click to continue on to
Types of Psychological Research 19

10. Types of Psychological Research
Experiments
Experimental condition
Control condition
Correlational studies
Correlation coefficient
Survey
Naturalistic observations
Case studies 24

11. Sources of Bias Personal bias Observer bias Expectancy bias
Bias could affect the way an experimenter designs a study, collects data, or interprets results
Researchers must also attempt to control confounding variables 25

12. Controlling Bias
Blind control
Double-blind control 26

13. Ethical Issues in Psychological Research
Deception
Debriefing
Animal research 27

14. Questions Science Cannot Answer
The scientific method is not appropriate for answering questions that cannot be put to an objective, empirical test
Ethics
Morality
Religious beliefs
Preferences

15. Next Steps
Please close this PowerPoint and then click Assignment 1 in the course to continue. 27