Research Methods in Psychology PSY 100 Fall 2013 B Empirical Approach To Study Human Behavior 1 Inference Conclusion based on observation I Is Psychology a Science A Yes C Scientific Method II Four Basic Objectives A Describe B Explain Theory C Predict D Control III Step 1 Developing a research question A How do we develop research questions 1 Observe human behavior 2 Look at previous research 3 Testing commonly held beliefs 4 From Theories a i An explanation that organizes observations into meaningful patterns and accounts for relationships among observed events in terms of b ii Theories can be supported but can t be proven once they are proven underlying mechanism they become facts IV Step 2 Hypothesis A State research question in terms of hypothesis 1 Predictions that can be tested through research B A statement about the predicted relationship between variables 1 Factors measurements that vary within an experiment or individuals C Variables can be 1 independent manipulated by researcher 2 dependent the outcome or the one that changes as the result of research V Step 3 Gathering Evidence A Descriptive Research 1 Case Study a In Depth of one or more individuals b Method used by 1 Piager 2 Freud c Close observation and or interviewing of participant d iv Problems 1 rely on memories 2 withholding of important information 3 experiments are bias 2 Naturalistic Observation a based on careful observation of people s behavior b problems 1 no informed consent from participants 2 experiments observer bias 3 Correlational Method a examines the link between two variables b Benefits 1 Offers clues to underlying cause a relationship between smoking and lung cancer b Identify groups of people at high risks for physical or behavioral problems b alcohol use during teen years and adult life 2 increases understanding between variables or events c Problems 1 can t tell cause and effect relationship 2 third variable 4 Survey Method a structured questionnaire interviews to get information from a group of people 1 structured interviews 2 Questionnaires b Survey population 1 sample 2 random sampling c Problems 1 social desirability bias 2 volunteer bias observing the change in others a independent variable b dependent variable B Experimental Method 1 Investigate a cause and effect relationship by manipulating variables and 2 Operational definition 3 random assignment a defining variable based on the procedures used to measure it a method of randomly assigning subjects to experimental or control 4 control vs experimental groups a control control group baseline b experimental receives the manipulation of independent variable VI Step 4 drawing conclusions A Statistics 1 using math to summarize organize interpret numerical data B Descriptive Statistics 1 Measures of central tendency 2 variability 3 Correlations C Central Tendency 1 Mean Average 2 Median middle 3 Mode occurs the most D Variability 1 how much scores vary from each other and from mean 2 Standard deviation a numerical deception of variability b high variability high standard deviation c low variability lower standard deviation E Correlation 1 a description of relationship between two variables a Measured 1 strength how closely two variables are related 2 direction has to do with positive or negative signs