Chapter Two

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Chapter Two:

Research Methods in Psychology

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Basic Concepts of Research

Scientific method:– making observations in a systematic way,

following strict rules of evidence and

thinking critically about that evidence

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Basic Concepts of Research (cont.)

Empirical evidence:– evidence from observations of publicly

observable behavior

Operational definitions:– describe the observations in terms of the

operations of measurement

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How Do We Measure Some Things That Seem Immeasurable?

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Basic Concepts of Research (cont.)

Theories:- tentative explanations of observations in

science

Hypothesis:- prediction based on a theory

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Basic Concepts of Research (cont.)

Representativeness of samples:–sample:

- participants must be representative of

the total group

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Basic Concepts of Research (cont.)

Importance of replication in research:- replication:

- testing a hypothesis in more than one study

- research is more sound if outcome is

similar in more than one study

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Research Methods

Descriptive studies:- survey method

- naturalistic

observation

- clinical method

- correlational

method

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Descriptive studies

– Simplest method of scientific inquiry

– Describe behavior and mental processes

– Most widely used

Survey method – ask people’s opinions

Naturalistic observation – watch, describe

Clinical method – observe in clinic setting

– All have advantages and disadvantages

Research Methods In Psychology

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Research Methods (cont.)

Descriptive studies (cont.):- correlation:

- statistical relations between quantitative

variables- variable:

- can be assigned a numerical

value- quantitative measures: - amount

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Research Methods (cont.)

Descriptive studies (cont.):- correlation coefficient:

- measures the strength of the correlation

between two quantitative variables

in statistical terms

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Research Methods (cont.)

Formal experiments:- allow researcher to

draw conclusions

about cause-and-

effect relationships

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Research Methods (cont.)

Elements and logic of

formal experiments:

- independent variable

- dependent variable

- experimental group

- control group

- placebo control

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Research Methods (cont.)

Elements and logic of formal experiments (cont.):- blind formal experiments:

- experimenter bias

- double blind

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Research Methods (cont.)

Describing and interpreting

data:

- descriptive statistics: - mean

- median

- mode

- normal distribution

- standard deviation

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Ethical Principals of Research

Ethics of research with human participants: - freedom from coercion

- informed consent

- limited deception

- adequate debriefing

- confidentiality

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Ethical Principals of Research (cont.)

Ethics of research with nonhuman animals:

- necessity

- health

- humane treatment

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Ethical Principals of Research (cont.)

Human diversity: equal representation in

research– The U.S. National Institutes of Health require

that all new research grants involving human

subjects study diverse samples that include

both sexes and members of the major racial

and cultural groups.