Chapter 2 Psychological Research 01 23 2012 Module 4 The Scientific Method Scientific method approach used by psychologists to systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interest 1 Identify questions of interest 2 Formulate an explanation 3 Carry out research designed to support or refute the explanation 4 Communicate the findings Theories Specifying Broad Explanations Theories broad explanations and predictions concerning phenomena of interest vary in breadth and detail Hypotheses Crafting Testable Predictions Hypothesis a prediction stemming from a theory stated in a way that allows it to be tested Operational definition the translation of a hypothesis into specific testable procedures that can be measured and observed scientific method helps psychologists pose appropriate questions Module 5 Conducting Psychological Research Research systematic inquiry aimed at the discovery of new knowledge Archival research research in which existing data such as census documents college records and newspaper clippings are examined to test a hypothesis Naturalistic observation research in which an investigator simply oberseves some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in the situation Survey research research in which people chosen to represent a larger population are asked a series of questions about their behavior thought or attitudes drawbacks are falsifying answers Case study an in depth intensive investigation of an individual or small group of people drawbacks are that it makes generalizations Correlational research research in which the relationship between two sets of variables is examined to determine whether they are associated or correlated o Variables behaviors events or other characteristics that can change or vary in some way o Correlation provides a measure of the strength of a relationship from 1 0 to 1 0 positive means that as one variable increases so does the other negative means that as one variable increases the other decreases Experimental research o Experiment the investigation of the relationship between two or more variables by deliberately producing a change in one variable in a situation and observing the effects of that change on other aspects of the situation o Experimental manipulation the change that an experiment deliberately produces in a situation o Treatment manipulation implemented by the experiment o Experimental group any group participating in an experiment that receives a treatment o Control group a group participating in an experiment that receives no treatment in order to rule out other factors that may have produced the results in the experiment o Independent variable the variable that is manipulated by an experimenter o Dependent variable the variable that is measured and is expected to change as a result of changes caused by the experimenter s manipulation of the independent variable o Random assignment to condition a procedure in which participants are assigned to different experimental groups or conditions on the basis of chance and chance alone o Significant outcome meaningful results that make it possible for researchers to feel confident that they have confirmed their hypotheses o Replicated research research that is repeated sometimes using other procedure settings and groups of participants to increase confidence in prior findings The Ethics of Research o Informed consent a document signed by participants affirming that they have been told the basic outlines of the study and are aware of what their participation will involve o Exploring diversity many college professors use college students as their participants meaning that most are white middle class participants Should Animals Be Used in Research o Researchers take measures to prevent animals from suffering o Easier to control and also have shorter life spans o Animal research has greatly benefitted humans helped detect eye disorders in children reducing chronic pain and helped to communicated with severely retarded children Threats to Experimental Validity o Experimental bias factors that distort how the independent variable affects the dependent variable in an experiment Experimenter expectations Participant expectations o Placebo a false treatment without any significant chemical properties or active ingredients o Double blind procedure neither the participant or experimenter know whether it is the true drug or a placebo Becoming an Informed Consumer Thinking Critically About Research o What was the purpose of the research o How well was the study conducted o Are the results presented fairly 01 23 2012 01 23 2012
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