AP Psychology
Guided Notes #1
Fall Semester 2014
Bacile
Unit I: History, Approaches and Research Methods
Corresponding Chapter(s): Prologue/Chapter 1
Topic #1: History and Approaches (2-4%)
Topic #2: Research Methods (8-10%)
INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
“Not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts…”
The Basics
The real world is full of opportunities
for critical/scientific thinking…
 Four Basic Criteria (for critical thinking)
o There are very few “truths” that should not be subjected to scientific testing/evidence
 Exceptions to this rule?
o __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 How was it gathered?
 Does it provide adequate support?
o ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Are there any alternate explanations?
o ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for Laws: The Scientific Approach to Behavior
 Goals of the Scientific Enterprise
o _________________________________________________________________________
o _________________________________________________________________________
o _________________________________________________________________________
Remember, the scientific approach
assumes that events are governed by some
lawful order…PSYCHOLOGY is SCIENCE!
 Steps in a Scientific Investigation
o Step ONE
 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Translate a theory/intuitive idea into a hypothesis
 Allows us to ______________________________________________________________________________
 Will state both ___________________________________________________________________________, as well as operational definitions
o Step TWO
 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
 The hypothesis MUST be put to an empirical test
 The hypothesis will ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(i.e. experiment, case study, survey, naturalistic observation)
 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
o Number of participants, random sampling, random assignment, etc.
o Step THREE
 _________________________________________________
 The hypothesis will guide the chosen technique for data collection (i.e. direct observation, questionnaire, interview,
physiological recordings, psychological test, etc.)
o Step FOUR
 ___________________________________________________________________________________
 In order to determine whether the hypothesis has been supported, all research findings MUST be converted into raw
data
 ______________________________________________________________________
o Step FIVE
 _____________________________________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________
 _____________________________________________
 _____________________________________________
Looking for Causes: Experimental Research
 Experiment
o A research method in which the investigator ______________________________ a variable under _____________________________________________
conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result
 This is the ONLY research method that allows researchers to ______________________________________________________________________
 Experimental Variables
o Independent Variable
The independent
 The variable that _______________________________________________________________________;
variable (IV) is free
thought to cause a behavior
to be manipulated
o Dependent Variable
 The variable that represents ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Operational Definition(s)
The dependent variable
o Describes the ________________________________________ that will be used to measure
(DV) is thought to
or control a variable
depend on the
independent variable
Clark Kent, a world renowned psychologist, wants to study the effect of
violent cartoons in regards to the aggressive behaviors of children…
IV: __________________________________________________
DV: _________________________________________________
Operational Definition(s): _______________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
 Participant Groups
o Experimental Group
 The group that is ____________________________________________________________; receives the experimental treatment
o Control Group
 The group that receives either (1) _____________________________________ or (2) the ____________________________________________
 This group is used to control for the possibility that other factors ( _____________________________________________________ variables)
might be causing the effect that is being examined
Clark Kent, a world renowned psychologist, wants to study the effect of
violent cartoons in regards to the aggressive behaviors of children…
Experimental: __________________________________________________
Control: _________________________________________________________
Confounding Variables? _______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 Experimental Safeguards
o Random Assignment
 The random assignment of subjects to ____________________________________________________________________________________ group, so
that each subject has an _____________________________________________________________________________
o Single-Blind Study
 Subjects are _____________________________ of which group they are in
 ___________________________________________________________________________
o Double-Blind Study
 Both the _________________________________________________________________ are UNAWARE of group placement
 ____________________________________________________________________________
The ADVANTAGES of Experimental Research
The DISADVANTAGES of Experimental Research
Looking for Links: Descriptive & Correlational Research
 Naturalistic Observation
o Careful observation of behavior; NO intervention
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Case Study
o An in-depth investigation of an individual subject
Strengths
Weaknesses
 Survey
o Questionnaires and/or interviews that are used to gather information (i.e. attitudes, behaviors, etc.)
 Random Sampling: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Population: the entire group of people (or animals) in which the researcher is interested
Strengths
Weaknesses
 How does one analyze the results of a descriptive study?
o Correlation
 A measure of the ________________________________ between two or more variables (when researchers are ________________________
to manipulate the variables)
 ________________________________________________________________; CANNOT be used to determine cause & effect relationships
 Used to analyze descriptive research methods (naturalistic observations, case studies, surveys, etc.
***Remember, correlation is NOT causation! ***
 Correlation Coefficient (r)
o __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Example
 Researchers might be curious as to whether or not cigarette smoking is connected to life expectancy
 In this case, they are looking for the relationship between the number of cigarettes smoked per day & the age of the person
at death
o In other words, _________________________________________________________________________ may allow researchers to predict the value of the
other variable
 Correlational Scatterplots
The slope of points (x and y) indicates the direction of the relationship.
The amount of scatter shows the strength of the relationship.
The ADVANTAGES of Descriptive Research
For example, if r = +0.37, the correlational
relationship is positive and relatively weak.
The DISADVANTAGES of Descriptive Research
Psychological Research: Ethics
 Approving an Experiment
o ALL ethical guidelines are established by the __________________________________________________________________________________ (APA)
 Before any experiment is conducted, it must be reviewed and approved by the ethics board
 Basic Ethical Principles
o (1) A participant’s participation in a research study should be ______________________________________________________________________________
 __________________________________________________________________________
 Should be permitted to ___________________________________ from a study if they so desire
o (2) Participants SHOULD NOT be exposed to harmful or dangerous research procedures
 Includes protection against ____________________________________________________________________________
o (3) Deception is __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________ (without compromising the goals of the study)
 A “debriefing” is required
 Deception must _____________________________________________________________________________
o (4) Subjects’ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 All information acquired during a study must be treated as highly confidential and should never be made available to
others without the consent of the participant
 Exception to this rule?
o (5) Harm to animals is permissible if, and only if, it is for the ______________________________________________________; however, any use of
harm must be thoroughly justified
 Laboratory animals are entitled to _____________________________________________________________________________