1. Psychology and Scientific Inquiry
Unit 1
Psychology and Scientific Inquiry
Day 3: Tools of Experimentation / Observation
Because HOW we measure, is as important as WHAT we measure

2. Objectives
Identify advantages and disadvantages to Laboratory Observation
Terms:
Laboratory Observation
Independent Variable
Understand the four types of variables in Scientific Inquiry and Experimentation
Dependent Variable
Scatterplot
Control Variable
Extraneous Variable

3. Remind Me…
What were the three procedures for Psychological Study we already talked about?
Advantages / Disadvantages to each?
What if we wanted the details of Case Study, the control of questions in a survey, but the observation of naturalistic?.... …

4. 3 Primary Methods of Studying Behavior
1) Case Study
2) Survey
3) Naturalistic Observation
Remember this?

5. 4 Primary Methods of Studying Behavior
1) Case Study
2) Survey
3) Naturalistic Observation
4) Laboratory Observation
Surprise!

6. 4) Laboratory Observation
Technique for observing behaviors of groups in a controlled environment (not natural environment)
With Participant Knowledge / Consent
i.e. CPT Curtis pulls in specific Cadets to observe them in a classroom.
What is GOOD about that?
What is BAD about that?

7. Control, Control, Control
The best part of Laboratory Observation is the level of control.
We can, for the most part control variables
Something that can change / be changed
There are four key types in Scientific Inquiry

8. 1) Independent Variable
4 Variables in S.I.
1) Independent Variable
2) Dependent Variable
3) Control Variable
4) Extraneous Variable

10. 1) Independent Variable
Factor manipulated by Experimenter
The focus of the study is its effect
i.e. the temperature in the classroom
Is that something I can control / change?
Can I control or change the effect?
Therefore it is the I.V.

11. 2) Dependent Variable
A factor that may change in response to the Independent Variable
Measuring this change is the focus of the study
i.e. the number of Cadets who fall asleep in the classroom
Can I control that?
Easy trick to remember, is that this one “depends” on the other

12. Mix ‘em Together Scatterplot
Temperature
# of sleeping Cadets
When you combine the I.V. and the D.V. you can graph them…
Scatterplot
A graph that shows the relationship between two variables
More on interpreting this Friday

13. 3) Control Variable A variable that is constant… unchanged
Should be anything NOT part of the experiment
i.e. the classroom itself, the time of day we have class, the Cadets…
Why would it be important to have those stay the same?

14. 4) Extraneous Variable
Variables that can influence the outcome, and may change, but are not intentional OR the focus of the study
i.e. What if we study over many days… what other factors change for Cadets?
Uniforms? How much you eat? Your mood? The amount of sleep you had before? Whether or not your name is Vawter?

15. So what’s the point?
Which Variables can we control (hopefully) in a Laboratory Observation?
Independent and Control
Hopefully that also means we can limit the Extraneous Variables
All of this we do, so that we can better measure the Dependent Variable
Thurs = What variables would exist in certain experiments.
Fri– Brain Games

16. Objectives
Identify advantages and disadvantages to Laboratory Observation
Terms:
Laboratory Observation
Independent Variable
Understand the four types of variables in Scientific Inquiry and Experimentation
Dependent Variable
Scatterplot
Control Variable
Extraneous Variable