Conducting Psychology Research
in the Real World
[Professor Name]
[Class and Section Number]
Let’s get started!
Do children like
sweets more than
adults like sweets?
Overview
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Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
Research in the Real World
“Experimentation in the laboratory occurs, socially speaking,
on an island quite isolated from the life of society”
- Kurt Lewin
Research in the Real World
Limitations of Experimental Research?
 Ethical
 Practical/Logical
 Realistic
Research in the Real World
Internal Validity - The degree to which a cause-effect
relationship between two variables has been
unambiguously established, or the degree to which a
study allows unambiguous causal inferences.
Research in the Real World
External Validity - The degree to which a study
ensures that potential findings apply to settings and
samples other than the ones being studied.
Research in the Real World
Ecological Validity - The degree to which an effect has
been obtained under conditions that are typical for
what happens in everyday life.
Overview
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Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
Studying Daily Experiences
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Location - “Where are you now?”
Social Environment - “Who are you with?”
Activity - “What are you currently doing?”
Experiences - “How are you feeling?”
Studying Daily Experiences:
Two Examples
Study 1
Study 2
Studying Daily Experiences
Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) – Participants
report experiences of a given day by systematically
reconstructing a day.
Overview
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Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
Studying Daily Behaviors
Electronic Activated Recorder (EAR)
Studying Daily Behaviors
Other ways of studying daily behaviors?
 Time-lapse photography
 Observing personal & professional spaces
 Garbage
Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Daily Physiology
Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
Studying Online Behavior
Studying Online Behavior
Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
Research in the Real World
Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
“Smartphone Psychology”
“Smartphone Psychology”
1. Store vast amounts of real-world data
2. Track physical and social context
Appendix A:
Physiological Symptoms of Anxiety
1. Pounding heart
2. Sweating
3. Stomach upset or dizziness
4. Frequent urination or diarrhea
5. Shortness of breath
6. Tremors and twitches
7. Muscle tension
8. Headaches
9. Fatigue
10. Insomnia
Appendix B:
A Survey: Psychology of Attraction
Experiment 1
Indicate if you think that this person is attractive (we
are going for objective good looks, so rate everyone)
A = Yes, very attractive
B = Yes, somewhat attractive
C = Neither Attractive no Unattractive
D = No, somewhat unattractive
E = No, very unattractive
Hot or Not?
#1
Hot or Not?
#2
Hot or Not?
#3
Hot or Not?
#4
Hot or Not?
#5
Hot or Not?
#6
What did you notice?
• Celebrities
• Quality of photos
• Gender
Experiment 2
Indicate if you think that this person is attractive (we
are going for objective good looks, so rate everyone)
A = Yes, very attractive
B = Yes, somewhat attractive
C = Neither Attractive no Unattractive
D = No, somewhat unattractive
E = No, very unattractive
Hot or Not?
#1
Hot or Not?
#2
Hot or Not?
#3
Hot or Not?
#4
Hot or Not?
#5
What did you notice?
• Contrast & ordering effects
• Personality
Photo Attribution
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