1. Psychology Life Hack of the Week
How can you find a career that will truly satisfy you? Research suggests you should search for a job that fits with your beliefs and values in life rather than a job that you think you’ll enjoy (Jachimowicz, 2018).

2. Experimental Research Methods Assessment
Top Tips
Read the front of the exam paper and the questions carefully – underline key information.
Apply your knowledge to the context – if a question says “in this study”, you MUST contextualise your answer.

3. Read and complete the information on the front sheet.
You will have 30 mins to complete the exam. Those who have extra time will have + 7 mins.
When you finish, close your paper and place it on the desk in front of you.

4. The Sign Test: Recap

5. Two from:
The hypothesis predicts a difference: There will be a difference in the number of absences from work in the year following treatment as compared to the year before.
The experimental design is repeated measures : The records of the same participants are compared before and after treatment.
The data is nominal: Patients are assigned to categories of ‘improved’, ‘deteriorated’ and ‘neither.
S = 5 – the least frequent sign. There are 5 minus signs, 12 plus signs and 3 0s (which are disregarded).

6. The calculated value of S = 5 is more than the critical value of 4 where N = 17 (20 minus the three 0 scores).
Therefore the calculated value is not significant at the 0.05 level for a two-tailed test.

7. Experimental vs Non-experimental Research Methods
Lab
Field
Natural
Quasi
Non-Experimental
Correlation
Observation
Interviews
Questionnaire
Case Studies
Content Analysis

9. Discuss: What do you know already about correlations?
What is a correlation and what types are there?
How does a scattergram show the strength of a correlation?
How would you write a directional and a non-directional hypothesis for a correlation?
What are the differences between correlations and experiments?
What does a correlation co-efficient tell us?

10. What is a correlation and what types are there?
‘Correlation’ refers to the relationship between two co- variables:
Changes in one variable go along with changes in the other.

11. How does a scattergram show the strength of a correlation?

12. What does a correlation co-efficient tell us?
A correlation coefficient is a number that tells us …
+ O.3
Whether the correlation is POSITIVE or NEGATIVE
How STRONG the relationship is.
What does a correlation co-efficient tell us?

13. How would you write a directional and a non-directional hypothesis for a correlation?
“There will be a correlation between number of cans of Red Bull consumed and anxiety score.”
Directional:
“There will be a positive correlation between number of cans of Red Bull consumed and anxiety score.”

14. What are the differences between correlations and experiments?
Experiments have an IV and a DV, whereas correlations have two co-variables.
Experiments establish cause and effect whereas correlations show the strength of the relationship between co-variables.
Experimental hypotheses predict differences whereas correlational hypotheses predict relationships.
What are the differences between correlations and experiments?

17. Over to you …
Read through the lesson handout and, as you go, complete tasks 1-5.
Work on your own or with your neighbour(s).
Finished? Ask me for the additional sheet, so you can self-mark your answers.

18. Design a Study Design a study using correlational analysis
Identify the operationalised co-variables
State the aim of the study
Write an appropriate directional or non-directional hypothesis
Choose a sampling technique and justify your choice.
Identify potential extraneous variables that could affect you study.
Identify any ethical issues and say how you would deal with them.
Possible studies: The correlation between exercise and happiness; the correlation between chocolate price and how much people like it. .