Behavior Science
Research Design
Fall, 2015
Behavioral Science Research Design
[26 830 545]
Instructor:
Kent Harber
Meeting times:
Tu, Th. 11:30-12:50
Location:
Smith Rm. 371
Office Hours:
Tu., 2:00-4:00
Purpose and Goals Class
Provide a general toolbox for behavioral science
* Emphasis on experiment design
* Emphasis on social/personality research
Science Concepts
Nature of science
Logic of experiments
Experiment design
Statistics:
Basic Stats
T-Tests
Factorial ANOVA
Planned Contrast
Regression
Moderated Multiple Regression
Techniques:
Question design
Writing tips
FACTORIAL DESIGN
Self Esteem, External Support, and Height Judgments
Harber, Yeung, & Iacovelli, Emotion, (in press).
4
Subjects Have High or Low Esteem, and….
5
High or Low External Resources
6
Factorial Design
Factor 1: ???
Esteem: Low vs. High
Factor 2: ???
External resource: Present vs. Absent
How many questions does this design address?
1. Main effect Esteem
2. Main effect External Resource
3. Interaction of Esteem X Resource
Factorial Design
Height Perception Due to Use of Hands
and Self Esteem
Height Judgment
120
100
80
Low Esteem
High Esteem
60
40
20
0
Hands on Rail
Hands Taped
Course Content
Sept. 3
Logic of experiments
Sept. 5
Research Ethics
Sept. 10
Generating research ideas
Sept. 12
Philosophy of Science
Sept. 17
Science and Society
Sept. 19
Problems and hypotheses
Sept. 24
Constructs, variables, definitions
Sept. 26
Moderators and mediators
Oct. 1
Independent variables
Oct. 3
Dependent variables
Course Content,continued
Oct. 8
Experimental designs
Oct. 10
Challenges of behavioral science
Oct. 15
Avoiding bias
Oct. 17
Mid Term
Oct. 22
Statistics review
Oct. 24
Analyses of Differences: t-Tests
Oct. 29
One way ANOVA I
Oct. 31
One way ANOVA II
Nov. 5
Two way ANOVA I
Nov. 7
Two way ANOVA II
Course Content, cont.
Nov. 12
Nov. 14
Nov. 19
Nov. 21
Nov. 26
Nov. 28
Dec. 3
Dec. 5
Dec. 10
Dec. 12
Dec. 19
Planned contrasts, post hoc tests
Correlation and regression
Regression
Moderated multiple regression
Survey methods: Question design I
THANKSGIVING
Survey methods: question design II
Non-experimental designs
Writing up research
Final exam review
Final exam [date subject to change]
Course Material
Aronson, et al. Methods of research in social psychology.
Course Reader: Front Office Text + Reader Cost = $8.00
Recommended:
1. APA Manual, Sixth Edition
2. The Compleat Academic: A Career Guide, Second
J. M. Darley, M. P.Zanna, and H. L. Roediger, III
3. Multiple Regression: Testing … Interactions.
L.S. Aiken and S.G. West
4. Regression Analyses for Categorical Moderators
H. Aguinis
5. Discovering Statistics Using SPSS
A. Field
6. Powerpoint Slides: Available on Webpage
http://psychology.rutgers.edu/~kharber/
Course Grading
Grazing Task
5%
Phil. of Science Debate
5%
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
5%
5%
5%
Stats Take-Home
15%
Mid-term
25%
Final
35%
Loyalty in Organizations
Measures
 Observations
 Relationships
 Hypotheses
 Theory

Develop Theory
Explain Human Nature
Cognitive Dissonance: drive to
align experience with beliefs.
“WHY”
Test Hypotheses
Severe Initiation

Liking of fraternity
"HOW"
Reveal Relationships
Frat boys:
Severe Initiation

Liking of fraternity
mad  glad???
Observe Behav.
Liking of fraternity
Initiation rites
“WHAT”
How are the Elements of Science
Organized?
Relationships
Experiments
Observations
Theory
Hierarchy Model of Science
Theory
Hypothesis
Experiment
Measures/
Observations
Where Does the Fly Belong on the Hierarchy?
Mandela (Recursive) Model of Science
Theory
Observations/
Measures
Hypotheses
Experiments
Cross Chatter of Science
Theory
Observations/
Measures
Hypotheses
Experiments
Experiments
Hypotheses
Observations/
Measures
THEORY--DEFINED
A theory is a set of interrelated constructs
(concepts), definitions, and propositions that
present a systematic view of phenomenon by
specifying relations among variables, with
the purpose of explaining and predicting
phenomena (Kerlinger & Lee, p. 11).
Jigsaw Puzzle Model of Science
Data
=
Pieces
Correlations
=
Joining of pieces to form larger pieces
Hypotheses
=
Ways of organizing pieces:
“All same- colored pieces go together.”
Theory
=
The entire puzzle, or enough of it to predict
where missing pieces go and connect
AND NOW WE WILL TEST A HYPOTHESIS …..
THEORY AND SEEING
HMAS Sydney Sunk in Indian Ocean 1941;
Found (in part) Via Cog. Psychology 2008
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/27/140816037/how-psychology-solved-a-wwii-shipwreck-mystery
Bartlett's War of the Ghosts schema research, ca. 1930
Create "deviation maps" from Bartlett's original subjects
Apply same method to German sailors' stories
Theories As Organizers of Behavior
Behaviors
Behaviors
* People will help a fellow
shopper pick up spilled groceries
after they, themselves, break a
stranger’s camera.
* People who form ambivalent
romantic relationships tend to be
unsure about the existence of a
supreme being.
* Paying children to do a task
that they already like doing will
make them like the task less.
* Young children are more likely
to freely explore if they have nondepressed mothers.
* People become more loyal
believers in a cult if the cult’s
own predictions don’t come true.
* People who tend to avoid close
relationships also tend to be
more mentally rigid.
Cognitive Dissonance
Attachment Theory
Non Scientific Explanatory Systems
The Bible
 Astrology
 Folk Wisdom
 Philosophy
 US News and World Report

Hypotheses Unburdened by Data
Each [social psychology] deception study leads to a
breakdown in [societal] trust.
Sissela Bok
Our most important protections in a new world will be our
old values.
David Gergen, Editor at Large,
U.S. News and World Report
January 3, 2000