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PSY 402 EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
Experimental psychology
Full Course Title:
Eksperimentalna psihologija
Course Code:
PSY 402
Course Level/BiH cycle:
undergraduate, III and IV year students
ECTS credit value:
6
Student work-load:
For the whole semester:
Lectures
Tutorial /
Practical training
Preparation
exams
Writing
reports
Individual
learning
TOTAL
30
15
30
40
35
150
Length:
Fall 2013
Faculty/School/Department:
FASS, Psychology Program
Course leader:
Assistant professor dr. Anela Hasanagić
Contact details:
Office:
Office hours:
Site:
F 1.6.
Monday 11.00 –
13.00, or by
appointment
e-mail:
ahasanagic@ius.edu.ba
Phone:
033 957 318
Lectures: IUS main campus building F2.3
Tutorial: IUS main campus building F2.3
Host Study Program:
Psychology Program
Course status:
Elective for PSY programme
Pre-requisites:
Research Methods is Psychology PSY 202, Statistics in Psychology II PSY 211
Access restrictions:
I cycle students only
Assessment:
Attendance, assignment, research paper (3 research papers), exams (I interim and final).
Date validated:
September, 2013
Enable students to:
Course aims:

Critically reflect on the psychological problems

Evaluate the original research reports, especially experimental

Critically evaluate some popular psychological content, such as news
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articles and sensational news

Demonstrate and apply experimental research methods to design their own
research questions in the field of psychology

Demonstrate and apply knowledge when creating their own bachelor thesis

Communicate ideas, methods and research findings
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
 Apply methodological principles in the process of design of own research
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
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Learning outcomes:
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Indicative syllabus content:
Learning delivery:
projects
Independently do research planning
Independently organise and demonstrate simple research in field of psychology
Distinguish scientific and non-scientific reports and critically evaluate some
findings.
Critically evaluate conclusions made during some psychological research
Apply ethical principles
Participate in a research project as part of a team
Use the technique of writing a research paper in a function of publication.
The course is designed to provide students with skills related to experiments in
psychology in order to be able to conduct their own experimental research from
different fields of psychology; from psychophysics to human factors. Students
will have opportunity to gain knowledge about scientific method and its
characteristics, about ethical issues and the ways of solving ethical dilemmas,
about basic steps in experiments, strengths and weaknesses of participants
design and within participants design, and they will have a practical work in
writing small research paper.
This course employs a range of teaching and learning methods (lecturing, like theoretical
introduction about topic, discussions and group discussions, exercises in a way of applying
theoretical knowledge , making conclusions, comparing own result with the similar research
results) Students have two hours lectures and one hour tutorial with exercising the practical
problems. Learning will consist of knowledge acquisition and practical use of that knowledge.
Students’ independent learning and activities will greatly influence the achievement of
learning outcomes. Consultations with staff should be used to its maximal potentials since
individuals have different background and learning styles. Regular homework assignments will
guide students’ individual learning and students’ progression in acquiring required knowledge
and practice will be additionally checked through quizzes and midterm and final exams.
Students will have I interim exam, and final exam. On exams students will have theoretical and
practical questions. Students who are not satisfied with their I interim result are able to
improve it by doing it again on final exam.
Final exam will include all chapters from after I interim till the end of semester.
Assessment Rationale:
30% of evaluation is for papers. In classroom we will do small experimental research, about
which students will have to write a scientific paper. We will have three of that kind.
Also, students will choose a topic for common project, on which we will all work together. We
will write the introduction part, do research and write the article which we will apply on some
current conference in region. Doing this, students will get their first reference.
Assessment Weighting:
Attendance and class contr.
10%
1ST scientific paper
10%
2nd scientific paper
10%
3rd scientific paper
10%
Participation in group research project 10%
I interim –
20%
Final exam
30%
TOTAL:
100%
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Essential Reading:
Recommended readings:
Intranet web reference:
Important notes:
Myers A. (2012). Experimental Psychology, Seventh edition, International Edition,
Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Chapters from 1 to 10, 11 to 12 and 16
Kantowitz B.H., Roediger III H.L., Elmes D.G. (2009.), Experimental psychology,
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
N/A
Students have to know and to understand the statistical techniques, main research methods
principals, which they will have apply during lecture, especially in their own projects.
Also, students will have to work continuously, because the assignments are going to be harder
and harder during the semester, so they have to work all the time. Group research project is
going to end with the research paper, that we will try to publish like article or for a student
conference (like the reference for all participants)
Course policies:
Academic Integrity: Any cheating on exams or offering the work of another as one's own in
an assignment is regarded as a serious offence to the academic integrity and will lead
to a ZERO for the assignment grade, or serious disciplinary actions, including possible
suspension.
Collaboration in Assignments: Students are encouraged to work together on homework
assignments, to the extent that it helps promote a productive learning environment for all
those involved. However each student must write his/her own solutions. Copied homework is
graded with ZERO.
Attendance: Student is considered to be present on lectures and tutorials when he/she is
there all the time.
Computer usage requirements: Sometimes they will need computer with SPSS programme, in
the classroom so that we are able to work on group project.
I interim, final exam, deadlines for bringing the reports for assessment.
Quality assurance:
Student surveys, discussion on course, student appeals, e-mails, direct (formal) feedback at the
end of the semester by students, assistants and other colleagues
Course schedule:
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Week
Lesson
/ Date
Topics to be covered
1
Introductory lecture
7th of
October
Class activities
Lab
activities
Introduction into course, information
about the policy of the course, materials
and equipment needed, exams, the
grading policy etc.
No
Problems/
Readings
Assignments
(Homework)
Learning objectives
(After this lesson
student will be able to:)
Make an insight in
topics they will need
for understanding the
lectures in this course.
Review of topics from Statistics I, II.
2
Eid al-Adha (26th will be
14th of
October working Saturday)
Experimental Psychology
and the Scientific Method
Discussion about the scientific method,
difference between scientific and
nonscientific method
Examples
of differed
research
papers, and
Objectives od science – how to realize all
their
goals, scientific explanation - discussion
objectives
Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages
3 - 33
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3
21th of
Research Ethics
October
Discussion about the ethical issues in
research. Review of APA’s standards,
comments about it and discussion.
Research on animals with discussion.
Ethical
dilemmas –
group
discussion
Case studies
Plagiarism and fraud – what it is and how
prepared by
to copy with it.
lecturer
Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages
36 - 66


Understand why we
rely on scientific
methods rather than
common sense to
explain behavior
Learn the principles
of the scientific
method
Learn the basic tools
of psychological
research
Understand how
“cause and effect” is
established by
experimentation
Understand the roles
of IRBs and the APA
Guidelines in the
ethical conduct of
research using
human participants
Learn the meaning of
animal welfare and
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
4
28th of
Alternatives to
October experimentation
Difference between experimental and
nonexperimental procedures,
introduction about Case studies, Field
studies, Qualitative Research, Survey
and Interviews,
Sampling, Correlational method and
quasiexperimental designs (review and
discussion)
Sampling
methods
Examples
of
qualitative
methods
Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages
68 – 132 and 147
- 160



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
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its protection as well
as rights of animals
Understand scientific
fraud and how to
avoid plagiarism
Learn about
techniques for
research that do not
manipulate
antecedent
conditions
Conduct new
research using data
already collected by
other researchers
Understand the main
principles about
qualitative research
Learn the factors
involved in designing
questionnaires and
devising good
questions, using the
standardized tests
Pros and cons of
different sampling
techniques,
Applying correlational
and
quasiexperimental
method where we
are not able to apply
experiment
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5
4th of
Basic steps in experiment
Novemb
er
Discussion about the group research (on
this example we will go through the steps
of research: selecting the topic,
variables, dependent, independent,
operational definitions, Hypothesis
,planning the method section
(instruments, participants, procedure),
statistical analysis, discussion
(references), controlling extraneous
variables
How to
write
introductory
part?
Literature
review
methods.
First step of
group
research:
literature
research and
writing the
theoretical
background,
deadline: 2nd
December

Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages
164 – 230 and
232 - 254
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6
I interim
11th of
Novemb
er
7.
18th of
Novemb
er
Between subject design
Lecture about basic things in betweensubject design: discussion about
selecting and recruiting subjects, one
independent variable: two group designs,
two independent groups, two matched
groups, multiple groups, more than one
independent variable – factorial design
Samples of
in-betweensubjects
designs:
group
discussion
and
analysis
Methodology
part about
group
research
project:
deadline 9th
December

Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages 
261 - 315

Chose the topic of
their interest and to
decide which method
they can use in
researching about it.
Make operational
definition of their
dependent and
independent
variables,
Learn the difference
between
experimental and
nonexperimental
hypothesis
Learn how to conduct
the literature search
Learn how to control
extraneous variables
Conduct the
experiments with more
than two groups
Understand why is
one design selected
over another
Conduct the research
with more than one
independent variable
in the same
experiment
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

8
25th of
National Day of BiH
Novemb
er
Nonworking day
9
2rd of
Within subject design
Decemb
er
Lecture about within subject design,
discussion about advantages and
disadvantages of within subject design,
examples of good and bad ways of using
it
10
9th of
Writing the research project Lecture and examples of written report:
Decemb
format, purpose, major sections,
er
discussion and review of examples
Samples of
withinbetweensubjects
designs:
group
discussion
and
analysis
Applying
instruments in
group
research
project
How to
Read and
Write
Research
Reports
Writing the
discussion
part and
finishing the
group
research
project:
deadline 23rd
of December
Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages
316 - 341




Myers A. (2012).
Experimental
Psychology, pages

484 - 498

Understand main
effects and
interactions between
variables
Understand how to
interpret effects from
factorial experiments
Conduct the research
in wich subjects
participate in more
that one
experimental
condition
Understand the pros
and cons of within
subject design
Control for problems
specific to these
designs
Conduct and write
the own research
paper
Understand the
components of each
section of an APA
style research report
Write the research
report using a
sample journal article
as a guide
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11
16th of
Time of reaction
Decemb
er
Time of reaction on sound and light,
laboratory research, making a scientific
report 0
Measuring
of time of
reaction
LAB 1
12
23th of
Stroop’s effect
Decemb
er
Demonstration of interference in the
reaction time of a task, laboratory
research, making a scientific report 1
Experiment: Scientific
Stroop’s
report 1
effect
13
30th of
Important facts about
Discussion about important facts in
Decemb research designs from
experiments form the field of Memory,
er
different fields of psychology Learning, Thinking and problem solving
Individual differences,
14
6th of
Janary
15
13th of
Review of the course
January
Common project – final
analysis
Puttin all parts of research together,
discovering the conclusions, writing the
paper
Scientific
report 0 (non
grading):
Experiment Scientific
Memory
report 2
and Koh’s
Experiment: Scientific
priming
report 3

Understand
differences between
published and typed
version of report

Conduct own
research from the
field of
psychophysics

Conduct own
research from the
field of perception

Conduct own
research from the
field of cognitive
psychology

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