Module 2
Research Strategies: How Psychologists Ask & Answer Questions
The Scientific Attitude
 “Anything seems commonplace, once explained.”
Dr. Watson to Sherlock Holmes
 “The scientist…must be free to ask any questions, to doubt any assertion, to seek for
any evidence, to correct any errors.”
J. Robert Oppenheimer
Critical Thinking
 Thinking that examines assumptions, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

 Involves being _______________________
The Scientific Method
 The Steps:



Testable prediction about the relationship between two _______________
 anything that can vary and be measured




Want to advance the body of knowledge
The Psychological Theory
 Simplified explanation or summary
 Explains through an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts behaviors
or events (p.22)
 May lead to other testable hypotheses
Research Methods
I. _______________________ Method
 Describes behavior
II. _______________________ Method
 Predicts behavior
III. _______________________ Method
 Explains behavior
Descriptive Methods
A. Observation
 Naturalistic
 Participant
 Laboratory
B. Case Study
C. Survey
A. Observation
 ___________________Observation
 Watching and recording behavior in the organism’s natural environment
 Behavior will naturally occur
 Advantages:
 Disadvantages:
 Example:
 _______________________Observation
 Become a member of the group you are studying
 Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Example
 _______________________ Observation
 Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Example:
B. Case Study




Study of one individual in great depth
Sample size = ____
Get a historical view of the individual
Used for unique circumstances
 Advantages:
 Disadvantages:
 Example:
C. Survey
 Used for gathering ______________________ information
 Behaviors, attitudes, opinions, etc.
 Multiple formats

 Advantages:
 Disadvantages:
 Example:
Populations and Samples
 POPULATION

 SAMPLE



Must be _________________________ of population
Should be _____________________ (volunteer problem)

A good sample allows you to _____________________ results to the entire
population
Correlational Method
 Takes data on two different variables and determines how closely they are related
 Data might come from a survey, psychological test, or other source
 Relationship is represented by a number
 ________________________


Sign…
Number…

Closer to 1 = stronger the relationship
 REMEMBER…correlations do not indicate _______________________relationships!
Positive Correlation

Examples:
 +.45
 +.81
 Variables are changing in the same direction
 ↑A = ↑B
 ↓A = ↓B

Variables positively correlated…
Negative Correlation

Examples:
 -.44
 -.79
 Variables are changing in opposite directions
 ↑A = ↓B
 ↓A = ↑B

Negatively correlated variables…
Experimental Method
 Only one type of research method is truly called an _________________________
 All others are generically called _______________
 Involves control or the _____________________________of variables
 Able to determine ___________________________relationships
The Question:
How do changes in Variable X affect Variable Y?
X=
Y=
Experimental Definitions
 Independent Variable



 Dependent Variable



Examples of IV and DV

Experiment that determines how the dosage of drug ABC affects symptoms of
depression

Experiment that determines how sugar intake affects preschoolers activity level

Experiment that determines if listening to music improves math scores
 Experimental Condition/Group


Group that is exposed to ______________________________
Can be more than one per study
 Control Condition/Group


Group that is _______________________________
Serve as a ____________________________________
* Random Assignment to groups…
 ___________________________Variables

Get in the way and prevent the researcher from isolating the independent variable
 _________________________________

Both participants and researchers are unaware of group assignments

_____________________________
 Power of thinking…
Can all hypotheses be tested using the experimental method?
 There are times when ethical concerns prevent us from determining if true cause and
effect relationships exist
 Need to use __________________________ instead

Examples:


Describing Data: Statistics
 Measures of Central Tendency
 Mean
 Median
 Mode
 Measures of Variation
 Range
 Standard Deviation
 Making Inferences about data
 Statistical Significance
 Statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
Research Ethics
 Purpose of Ethics in Research

 ______________________________________________
 Sets up ethical guidelines
 Studies need to be approved by institutional review boards (IRB)
Some Ethical Guidelines
 Avoid _______________________________________
 Informed _______________________ (parental consent)
 ___________________________________
 Voluntary participation
 Right to __________________________ at any time
 ____________________________ (at conclusion)
An Ethical Concern
 _______________________________
 Is it okay to lie to your subjects?
 If two conditions are met, it is:
 If there is no other way to complete study
 If information gained advances the body of knowledge in psychology

Example:
 Milgram’s study of ____________________________