1. Research Methods Critical thinking = actively questioning statements rather than blindly accepting them

2. Case study = in-depth study of one individual – Good for RARE cases Serial killers (Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer) Rare diseases (fatal familial insomnia) – Problem Can’t generalize Can’t say what caused the problem through a case study only

3. Naturalistic observation = observe subject/individual(s) in natural setting – One-way mirrors, cameras Useful for DESCRIBING behavior – Used with animals in the wild E.g., watch and record members of a Koala family in Australia

4. Surveys = answering questions E.g., political polls - Who will you vote for? Sexual behavior – do you cheat on your significant other? Problem – Not everyone is honest – Can you just invite people who want to answer the questions? – Can you just put it on the internet?

5. Ideally, obtain a representative sample =people who mirror the larger population. – E.g., if doing a study about college students, include Students of all ages Students who work Males and females Who else can you think of? Try to get a representative sample whenever you can (for surveys, experiments, etc)

6. The Experiment = SCIENTIFIC / EMPIRICAL – Empirical = the result of observation, measurement, and experimentation Develop a hypothesis = a specific, testable prediction about what you think will happen in your study e.g., adolescents are more likely to smoke if their parents smoke e.g. People who take Prozac will experience ________ depression (more / less?) The ONLY way to determine cause and effect*

7. First, obtain informed consent – E.g., this medication may not benefit you, may harm you…sign here _____________ – Choose your independent and dependent variables Independent variable = the variable that the experimenter manipulates/changes around Dependent variable = the variable that is measured at the end of the experiment

8. Exercise: Design a study on the Effect of Prozac on Depression – N= 100 – Control group = group that receives no treatment – Placebo = an inactive substance or fake treatment which is used as a control technique

9. What is your IV and DV? What is your hypothesis? (hypothesis = a testable prediction about the conditions under which a particular behavior or mental process may occur) What are your confounding variables? (Variables that could interfere with your hypothesis)

10. If findings are “statistically significant,” your hypothesis has been supported. E.g., People who took Prozac were less depressed. E.g., People who talk on cell phones are more likely to get into accidents. (It happens significantly more often) Statistical significance does NOT mean your information in necessarily useful or practical – A real study shows that people with spider phobias are afraid to touch spiders. (They got statistical significance/support for hypothesis, BUT they didn’t have to do the study to figure that out!)

11. In your study, include operational definitions – Precise – Objective – Measurable – Example: Teaching a rat to bar press

12. Correlational Studies Correlation = a relationship between 2 variables Positive correlation = as 1 variable ↑, the other ↑ – E.g., studying and grades Negative correlation = as 1 variable ↑, the other variable ↓ – E.g., heavy partying and grades

13. Correlation coefficient = describes the strength of the relationship. Ranges from -1 to 1 1 OR -1 = strongest, perfect relationship. 1 or -1 signifies 100%. e.g., the size of a balloon and the amount of air in a balloon (positive or negative?) 0 = NO RELATIONSHIP

14. Correlational research may reveal – The ability to predict one variable from another – A reliable relationship between variables – A numerical description of the strength between 2 variables BUT CANNOT SAY THAT ONE CAUSES THE OTHER!! – E.g., ice cream sales and crime