RESEARCH METHODS
PSYCHOLOGY AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Scientific method - system of gathering data so that bias and error in measurement are reduced.
Steps in the Scientific Method:
1. Perceive the question.
2. Form a hypothesis – tentative explanation of a phenomenon based on observations.
3. Test the hypothesis.
4. Draw conclusions.
5. Report your results so that others can try to replicate - repeat the study or experiment to see if the same
results will be obtained in an effort to demonstrate reliability of results.
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
The descriptive approach seeks to describe phenomena
A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing
the environment (i.e., nothing is manipulated).
It does not answer questions about how/when/why the characteristics
occurred.
Rather it addresses the "what" question (What are the characteristics of the
population or situation being studied?)
Methods of descriptive research:
Case studies
Observation
Survey research
CASE STUDIES
An in-depth study of the behavior of one person or a small
group.
One individual is studied in great detail.
Researcher learn everything they can about an individual.
Used when large numbers of subjects are not available
Often used in clinical research
Freud’s case study approach
Drawbacks include
Small sample size (limit to generalizability)
Proneness to researcher bias
OBSERVATION
Naturalistic Observation: In-depth study of a
phenomenon in its natural setting
Examples include:
Study of primate behavior in the wild
Piaget’s study of the cognitive development of his own children
Advantage: Naturalistic studies have good generalizability
Disadvantages:
Observer bias
Observational technique cannot understand cause of behavior
OBSERVATION
Laboratory observation: Researcher bring the subject in
the laboratory or equipment, controlling the type of
subject, number of subjects, and everything else that
goes on in the laboratory.
Advantage:
Degree of control
Drawbacks:
Artificial settings lead to artificial behavior
SURVEY RESEARCH
Survey technique asks questions of large numbers of
persons to gain information on attitudes and behavior
Two approaches:
Questionnaires
Interviews
Disadvantages of survey approach:
Sampling issues
People may not respond accurately
THE EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
PROCESS
DEFINING EXPERIMENTS
Experiments ask whether systematic variation in
one variable produces variation in another
variable
Independent variable (IV): Manipulated by experimenter
Dependent variable (DV): Participants response
ISSUES & CONTROL IN
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
ISSUES:
Placebo effect – expectations of participant influence their behavior
Experimenter Effect
Expectations of experimenter
Increased attention of experimenter
CONTROL:
Single blind study – subjects does not know
Placebo effect
Double blind study – experimenter and subject both does not know
Experimenter effect
CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH
Aim of the correlational approach is to determine the
degree to which 2 or more variables are related
Can determine association between data from
experiments, case studies, or surveys
Calculate the correlation coefficient (r)
Values range from -1 through 0 through +1
Negative correlations: High values of one variable are associated with low values
of the other variable
Correlational studies do NOT establish causality
THE ETHICS OF RESEARCH
a) Informed Consent
b) Debrief
c) Protection of Participants
d) Deception
e) Confidentiality
f) Withdrawal from an Investigation