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Research Methods

This chapter explores the scientific method in psychology, including types of research, analyzing data, ethical research, and critical thinking. It also covers descriptive, correlational, and experimental research methods.

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Research Methods

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  1. Research Methods AP Psych – Chapter 2 Psychology’s Scientific Method Alice F. Short Hilliard Davidson High School

  2. Psychology Majors • 2 Most Commonly Required Classes: • Research • Statistics A SHORT Time to Ponder Why would these be the two most required classes for psychology majors across the country?

  3. Chapter Preview • Psychology’s Scientific Method • Types of Psychological Research • Research Samples and Settings • Analyzing and Interpreting Data • Conducting Ethical Research • Thinking Critically About Research • Scientific Method and Health and Wellness

  4. A SHORT Time to Ponder • As a society, do we value critical thinking? • Is critical thinking uncomfortable sometimes?

  5. Scientific Method • Science is a method. • (It’s a VERB) • It’s not what you study, but how you study it. • any objective person can use the scientific method • observe some phenomenon • formulate hypothesis and predictions • test through empirical research • draw conclusions • evaluate the theory

  6. Scientific Method – 1. Observe • Step 1: Observe some phenomenon • curiosity • variables • theory

  7. Scientific Method – 2. Hypothesize • Step 2: Formulate hypotheses and predictions • testable prediction • derived from theory

  8. Scientific Method – 3. Research • Step 3: Test through empirical research • operational definition of variables • analyze data using statistical procedures

  9. Scientific Method – 4. Conclusions • Step 4: Draw conclusions • replication of results → reliability • If other people cannot replicate your study, then your result are unreliable. • What could this potentially mean for your study? (Think critically!)

  10. Scientific Method – 5. Evaluate • Step 5: Evaluate the theory • change the theory? • peer review and publication • publish or perish • meta-analysis – method by which researchers combine results across studies to establish the strength of an effect • theory = broad umbrella category which can either be supported or refuted by testable hypotheses

  11. Descriptive Research • Goal: Describing a phenomenon • observation • surveys and interviews • case studies • Descriptive research does not answer questions about how and why things are the way they are

  12. Correlational Research • Goal: Identify relationships (does not mean there is a causal relationships) • correlation coefficient: r • -1.00 ≤ r ≤ 1.00 • strength of relationship: magnitude • direction of relationship: + / -

  13. Correlational Coefficients

  14. Scatter Plots

  15. Correlational Research • Positive Correlations • factors vary in same direction • ↑ and ↑ … or … ↓ and ↓ • Negative Correlations • factors vary in opposite direction • ↑ and ↓ … or … ↑ and ↓

  16. Correlation and Causation • correlation does not equal causation • third variable problem • Why would some people not WANT to consider a third variable problem? • longitudinal design

  17. Experimental Research • Goal: Determine causation • random assignment – extremely important in experimental design • independent variable(s) – manipulation • dependent variable(s) – measurement • All of these vocabulary terms are very important to KNOW!

  18. Experimental Research • Experimental Group • independent variable is manipulated • Control Group • treated equally, except no manipulation of independent variable

  19. Validity • External Validity • representative of real world issues? • do results generalize to the real world? • Internal Validity • are dependent variable changes the result of independent variable manipulation? • bias? logical errors?

  20. Bias and Expectations • experimenter bias • demand characteristics • research participant bias • placebo effect • double-blind experiment

  21. Example of Experimental Research:Self Esteem • Baumeister’s research findings: • “high self esteem leads to aggression” • Donnellan & Trzesniewski’s research findings: • “low self esteem leads to aggression” • What accounts for these different findings? • lab-only aggression? • type of self esteem?

  22. Applying Different Research Methods to the Same Phenomenon • Example: Election of President Barack Obama • Possible Research Methods: • observation • survey and interview • case studies • correlational research • experimental research

  23. Research Sample • Population • entire group about whom conclusion drawn • Sample • portion of population actually observed • Representative Sample • characteristics similar to population • opposite of “biased sample” • Random Sample • equal chance of being selected

  24. Research Settings • “Artificial” world – laboratory setting • controlled setting • Real world - natural setting • naturalistic observation • DISCUSSION: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each setting?

  25. Analyzing and Interpreting Data • Statistics • mathematical methods used to report data • Descriptive Statistics • describe and summarize data • Measures of Central Tendency • mean • median • mode • Measures of Dispersion • range • standard deviation • Inferential Statistics • draw conclusions about data • does data confirm the hypothesis? • statistical significance • α = 0.05 (confidence level) • bridge between sample and population

  26. A SHORT Time to Ponder • What is the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics?

  27. Research Ethics • research participants have rights • Institutional Review Board (IRB) • APA Guidelines • informed consent • confidentiality • debriefing • deception

  28. Animal Research in Psychology • animal research has benefited humans • used by 5% of researchers • rats and mice used 90% of time • standards of care in animal research • housing • feeding • psychological and physical well being

  29. Reality TV – Ethical Issues? • informed consent? • Deception? • psychological and/or physical risk? • is the behavior real? • DISCUSSION: What do YOU think?

  30. A Wise Consumer…is skeptical yet open-minded! • Cautions • exercise caution in applying group trends to individual experience • avoid overgeneralizing results • look for converging evidence • question causal inferences • consider the source

  31. Expressive Writing and Health • Results of study on suicide v. accidental death • different survivor health • different survivor rate of talking about the loss • Results lead to study on writing • those assigned to write about a trauma experienced better physical health

  32. Chapter Summary • Explain what makes psychology a science. • Discuss common research settings and the main types of research that are used in psychology. • Distinguish between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. • Discuss some challenges that involve ethics, bias, and information. • Discuss scientific studies on the effect of writing about ones trauma.

  33. Chapter Summary • Steps of the Scientific Method • observe • hypothesize • research • conclude • evaluate • Research Methods and Settings • descriptive, correlational, and experimental studies conducted in natural settings or the lab

  34. Chapter Summary • Data Analysis and Interpretation • descriptive and inferential statistics • Challenges: Research Ethics and Bias • APA guidelines and the IRB • Expressive Writing and Health and Wellness • benefits of writing about trauma

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