PSYX 100 1st Edition Lecture 6 Outline of Last Lecture I Empirical Research II The Scientific Approach III The Scientific Method IV Steps of Scientific Investigation V Experimental Research Outline of Current Lecture I Analyzing Data II Reporting Findings III Think like a Scientist IV Descriptive Correlational Research V Correlations VI Three Methods of Research Current Lecture I Analyzing data a Inferential statistics making inferences i Interpret data draw conclusions ii Statistical significance ruling out chance b Descriptive statistics describe i Organize summarize c Flaws in Research i Sampling bias when a sample is not representative of the population from which it was drawn ii Placebo effects participant s expectations yield flawed results iii Experimenter bias when researchers expectations influence the results of the study iv Self report errors 1 Social desirability bias a tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute II III IV V VI 2 Response set a tendency to respond to questions in a way that is unrelated to the questions 3 Halo effect one s opinion of an individual object or institution may spill over to specifics Reporting Findings in experimental research a Journal periodical that publishes scholarly material How to think like scientists a Ways to avoid biases personal judgments based on beliefs rather than facts i Be skeptical 1 Recognize your biases and limitations in thinking 2 Don t believe everything you read hear see 3 Be leery of anecdotal and personal accounts ii Consider the source 1 All evidence is not equal in quality 2 An expert isn t necessarily right iii Consider alternative hypotheses consider the opposite iv CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION Descriptive Correlational Research a Goal to describe patterns of behavior b Can tell us about relationships between variables c Advantage explores questions that experimental research cannot d Disadvantage can NEVER show cause and effect Correlations a Exist when two variables are related b Positive correlation i Two variables co vary in the same direction ii Example higher temperatures cause increased aggression 1 When temperature increases so does aggression so they move in the same direction causing a positive correlation c Negative correlation i Two variables co vary in the opposite direction ii Example depression and sociability 1 When people have an increase in depression they may have a decrease in sociability these two variables move in the opposite direction causing a negative correlation d Limitations i Problem of direction direction may vary on a person to person basis ii Third variable problem there may be another variable that has not been looked into Three Methods of Research naturalistic observation case study and surveys a Naturalistic observation observing behavior without intervening i Example sitting in a bathroom and observing people s hand washing behaviors ii Pros 1 2 3 iii Cons 1 2 3 Natural setting Generate new ideas Good alternative to lab research Time consuming No scientific control Some may deem as unethical because you are not getting the consent of those you are observing b Case Study individual participant in depth i Usually take place in clinical settings ii Pros 1 In depth iii Cons 1 Cannot generalize from case to case c Surveys used to gather specific information i Example Do you fall asleep with your phone in your bed ii Pros 1 Fast 2 Cheap 3 Easy iii Cons 1 Unrepresentative sample because surveys are not usually accessible to everyone 2 Self desirability bias
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