1. Do Now
What are the pros and cons of using a case study as a means to gather information for describing behavior

2. Unit 2 : Research Methods
How do psychologists ask and answer questions PART 1: The Scientific Method & Description

3. The Scientific Method Theory Hypothesis Research and Observe
Mere hunch
EX: Low self-esteem feeds depression
Hypothesis
Can be confirmed or refuted
EX: people with low self esteem with score higher on a depression scale (this can be tested)
Research and Observe
EX: administer test and determine results which will confirm your hypothesis, reject it, or make you revise it

4. The Scientific Method Process

5. Ensure Quality of Research
Operational Definitions
Clear definitions of operations and variables
EX: children = people age 123 or younger
Replication
To do the same study with new participants
EX: give the same survey about self-esteem and depression to a new group

6. Operational Definitions – Practice
Needs to be measurable
Needs to be manageable
Create operational definitions for the following terms
Happiness
A smile
Intelligence
Popularity
Good music

7. The Scientific Method – Good Theory
A good theory is useful if it
Effectively organize a range of self-reports and observations
Implies clear predictions that anyone can use to check the theory
The replication piece
Operational definitions

8. Lego Activity Name your group
school appropriate please!
You will have 10 minutes to make something with all of the pieces I give you and write instructions for the next team to follow.
Instructions should be step by step and detailed!
When finished, let your instructor know so she/he can take a picture for evidence!
Take apart what you made, leaving your instructions and all pieces at your station
As a group, move to a different station. When told to start, you will have 10 minutes to follow the instructions on the table to try and recreate the original structure.

9. Lego Reflection
Did you correctly assemble the structure(s)? If no, what did you do incorrectly?
What made the task easy? What made the task difficult?
What would you change about the instructions to make your assembly task easier?
How do you think this task applies to conducting research in psychology or any other scientific field (hint: think about the scientific method)?
Reflect: What did you learn about procedural replication and planning research studies from this task?

10. 3 Ways to observe/Describe Behavior
The goal is to describe behavior and then draw conclusions from there
Case study
Survey
Naturalistic observation

11. Case Study Case Study Looks at one person In depth
Usually over a longer period of time
Suggests further study
Cannot detect general truths
EX: Watching Billy from ages 2-6 to see physical development

12. Survey Survey Word effects Random sampling
Looks at many cases at one time
Usually a questionnaire
EX: a questionnaire about how good of a teacher your AP Psych teacher is
Word effects
the wording on a survey needs to be specific and not misleading
EX: Should cigarette adds or pornography be ALLOWED on TV vs. should cigarette ads or pornography by FORBIDDEN from TV?
Random sampling
Representative sample

13. Survey – Sampling Sampling Population Random Sample
All possible participants
EX: high school students in PUSD
Random Sample
All member of the population have an equal opportunity of being chosen to participate in the survey/experiment
EX: all students at PHS have there names put in a hat and 100 are drawn to take the survey
What are some other ways to generate a random sample? (HINT- if you’ve taken stats this could be easier for you)

14. Naturalistic Observation
Watching in the natural environment- observers presence is limited or unknown by those being observed
Describes behavior
Do NOT explain behavior

15. Question What are some of the pros and cons of each type of research?
Can you think of situations where one would be better than another?

16. Today
Questions?
HW = How do psychologists ask and answer questions PART 2 – Correlation (due Friday)