1. Descriptive Methods & Ethical Research
Psych 231: Research Methods in Psychology

2. Correlational Methods
Measure two (or more) variables for each individual to see if the variables are related
Used for:
Predictions
Reliability and Validity
Evaluating theories
Problems: Can’t make casual claims

3. Causal claims We’d like to say: To be able to do this:
variable X causes variable Y
To be able to do this:
The causal variable must come first
There must be co-variation between the two variables
Need to eliminate plausible alternative explanations

4. Causal claims Directionality Problem: Third variable problem:
Airplanes and coffee spills
Happy people sleep well
or is it that sleeping well when you’re happy?
Third variable problem:
Do Storks bring babies?
A study reported a strong positive correlation between number of babies and stork sightings

5. Theory 1: Storks deliver babies

6. Theory 2: underlying third variable

7. The experimental method
Manipulating and controlling variables in laboratory experiments
Must have a comparison
At least two groups (often more) that get compared
One groups serves as a control for the other group
Variables
Independent variable - the variable that is manipulated
Dependent variable - the variable that is measured
Control variables - held constant for all participants in the experiment
Experimental control will be discussed in more detail in a later lecture. It includes keeping the value of a variable constant for all conditions as well as allowing the variable to vary randomly (and hopefully equally across the experimental conditions)

8. The experimental method
Advantages
Precise control possible
Precise measurement possible
Theory testing possible
Can make causal claims
The ability to make causal claims comes from the use of control:
Holding variables constant
Selecting the levels of the independent variable
Random assignment to conditions

9. The experimental method
Disadvantages
Artificial situations may restrict generalization to “real world”
Complex behaviors may be difficult to measure
The ability to make causal claims comes from the use of control:
Holding variables constant
Selecting the levels of the independent variable
Random assignment to conditions

10. Ethical research Two basic categories of ethical concerns:
need to consider the rights of our participants in our research
need to behave ethically as scientists and practitioners

11. Ethical research Consider ethics at each step
What measurement techniques will be used
How are participants selected
What methods may be used on the participant population
What design is appropriate
How are the data analyzed
How are the results reported

12. Using humans in research
For the most part the researcher has the power:
you know what is going to be done to the participants
participants may feel like they have to do it

13. APA’s code of ethics Basic courtesy
Institutional review board approval
Informed consent

14. Informed consent
Information to allow a person to decide if they want to participate
Basic purpose of the study
Risks involved
Benefits involved
Rights to refuse or terminate participation

15. APA’s code of ethics Basic courtesy
Institutional review board approval
Informed consent
Avoiding deception

16. Using deception in research
Passive deception
Witholding information about the study
Active deception
Deliberately misleading participants

17. Using deception in research
Avoid it when possible
When not possible – won’t work without it
Make sure that you are up front with all possible risks
Potential results must be worth it
Must debrief participants as soon as possible (either right after participation or as soon as project is over)

18. Using deception in research
Alternatives to deception
Role-playing
Simulation studies
“honest” experiments

19. APA’s code of ethics Basic courtesy
Institutional review board approval
Informed consent
Avoiding deception
Freedom from coercion
Protection from harm

20. APA’s code of ethics (cont.)
Debriefing
Confidentiality
Costs vs. Benefits

21. Costs/Benefits analysis
Costs: all potential risks to the participants
Physical harm
Psychological harm
Loss of confidentiality
Benefits: the “good” outcomes
Direct benefits to participants
Benefits to knowledge base
Benefits to world at large

22. Ethical responsibility to science
Dirty tricks (this will get you thrown out)
Questionable tricks (these are a little fuzzier, but be wary)
Neat tricks (accepted as okay, and sometimes necessary)

23. Ethical responsibility to science
Fabrication of results
Little or no attempt to minimize demand biases
Reformulating your theory as you go
Falsifying credentials
Plagiarism
Little or no attempt to minimize confounds
Deliberately hiding (significant) errors in published work
Little or no attempt to minimize demand characteristics DT QT NT DT DT QT DT QT

24. Ethical responsibility to science
Throwing out data
Reorganizing order of report of experiments
Violations of underlying statistical assumptions
Strategic graphing of the data
Duplicate publications (presented as new)
Selective reporting of the results
Leaving out some bad experiments (not bad results)
QT or DT depending
on situation (reason for throwing out)?? NT QT QT DT QT NT

25. Using animals in research
Why use animals in research?
Same building blocks (e.g., nervous systems)
Control
often we can’t control the relevant past experiences of our human subjects, but we can with animals
easier to control certain experimental factors with animals
Irreversible and/or harmful effects

26. Using animals in research
Why use animals in research (cont.)?
Some unique, special characteristics
Simpler systems
May allow you to focus on particular variables (IV’s and DV’s), easier to do the experiment without a lot of complex interactions

27. Using animals in research
But animals and humans are different
Well, there are strong similarities
evolution - common ancestry - as a result, things may work in similar ways
But, we do need to be aware that there are differences, and always keep that critical eye, think of alternative explanations

28. Animal ethics: What rights do animals have?
If animals are so similar to humans, then shouldn’t they have similar rights that humans have? Isn’t it unethical to do things to them that we wouldn’t do to ourselves?
There is no simple answer, no clear right or wrong. Each individual must decide for themselves.
However, animal research has certainly helped our (humans) lives

29. Next time
Exam 1 is one week away.
Review chapters 1,2,3,6, & 7