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FieryErudition8764

Uploaded by FieryErudition8764

Western University

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research methods psychology scientific method social psychology

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This document is a presentation on research methods in psychology. It covers topics including the scientific method, variables, types of research designs, and data analysis. The presentation is intended to teach psychology students about the different methods used in research.

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CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH METHODS Kitty Genovese ______________ Kitty Genovese March, 1964 ___________stabbed repeatedly, raped in New York on her way to her apartment 3 AM attack lasted 30 mins, screams and pleas for help heard by 38 neighbours No one a...

CHAPTER 2 RESEARCH METHODS Kitty Genovese ______________ Kitty Genovese March, 1964 ___________stabbed repeatedly, raped in New York on her way to her apartment 3 AM attack lasted 30 mins, screams and pleas for help heard by 38 neighbours No one assisted … why? Moral decay ? or Diffusion of responsibility 3 The Scientific Method 1. Identify Question of Interest _________ 2. Gather Info and Form ___________ Hypothesis 3. Hypothesis Test the _____________ theory 4. _________ Analyze Data, Report Findings 5. Build body of Knowledge, conduct more research, develop ___________ Theories test Approach to understanding phenomena which seeks to minimize biases, personal beliefs, and emotions 4 The Scientific Method 1. Initial Observation/Question Kitty Genovese incident – why did no one help? 2. Form Hypothesis specific testable prediction A _____________________________________ IF multiple bystanders are present, THEN a diffusion of responsibility will decrease each bystander’s likelihood of intervening 3. Test Hypothesis (conduct research) 5 3. Test Hypothesis (conduct research) Created an “emergency” in lab – Undergrads in separate rooms; asked to talk to each other via intercom – After some time, a fellow participant (__________) Confederate would fake a seizure – asking for help – Experimenters manipulated the # other participants the subject believed to be there – Measured # of subjects who would help 6 Scientific Method (cont’d) 4. Analyze Data decreased the - Helping as perceived # of bystanders increased 5. Further Research and Theory Building - additional studies support the hypothesis; other situations etc Theory of social impactdeveloped based on - ____________________ findings 7 Defining & Measuring Variables any characteristic that can vary Variable E.g., stress, weight, reaction time Operational defines a variable in terms of specific procedures used to produce or definition measure it 8 How do we measure variables? Ask individual - Record what’s Record actual self-report __________ going on inside - behaviour - Ask others - Physiological_____________ _____________ behavioural 'report by others' _______________ ____________ observations' 9 Methods of Measurement self-report __________________ – Individuals report knowledge, beliefs, feelings, experiences etc. – Can be gathered by interviews, questionnaires, specially designed psychological tests Limitations?: social desirability bins  ____________________________________________  Interviewer’s behaviour can influence results Both interviewer & participant can impact results 10 Methods of Measurement Physiological _______________ – E.g., blood pressure, hormonal secretions, biochemical processes in brain Limitations: – Physiological response doesn’t necessarily explain mental events 11 Methods of Measurement Behavioural _________________ – Record actual behaviour coding Need __________ system Measurements must be ‘reliable’ or consistent Limitations? - unreliability of observers behave differently if know May - __________________________________ they're being observed · UNOBTRUSIVE measures help 12 Methods of Research: ‘Our Tools’ Descriptive Correlational Experimental Research Studies Methods Relationship between/among Describe behaviour in variables? ‘cause and effect’ natural settings relationship? Case studies; naturalistic observation; surveys 13 Case Studies · In-depth analysis of individual tendencies behaviour , Advantages: Useful for rare phenomenon Starting point for future studies Disadvantages? Generalizability ___________________ Researcher bias _____________________ 14 Naturalistic Observation Observing · from the Source setting Observation of beh’r in a natural setting Advantage: - – Rich description of beh’r Disadvantages?: · Time consuming · Possibility researcher influences behaviour : 'What' not 'Why' 15 Surveys People answer questions about some topic Used in many fields of psychology Useful for describing attributes of population Population ___________________ The entire group of interest Sample ___________________ A subset of the population that is selected to complete the survey Research Methods representative sample Need ‘__________________’ – Cannot study entire population - need sample – Must reflect important characteristics of population random Sampling Lex every 10th person – Use ___________________________. 17 Hite Report (1987) Sent out 100,000 surveys to women inquiring about rel’ps with men Identified potential respondents from subscriber list of women’s magazines Found: most women unhappy in current relationships Received a lot of press! Problem? Only 1 % answered the Survey 18 - Response bins Correlational Research _______________ Elegant in its design Researcher measures one variable (X) Researcher measures second variable (Y) Researcher statistically determines if X and Y are related not manipulated just Important: Variables ________________, measured Goal is to determine if an association exists between variables 19 The Correlational Method Relationship between variables is shown by a correlational Coefficient Irl statistic, the _______________________ r can be between -1.0 and +1.0 scatterplot The Correlational Method direction of the relationship sign(t) tells us the ____________ ______ (+ Positive) means that both variables vary in the same direction If one goes up, so does the other Ex More. cigarettes , more cancer (- Negative) means that as one variable goes up, the other goes down (like a see-saw) Ex. More cigarettes , fewer expected years to live. What is the Direction of these Correlations? Car Speed & Travel Time Negative correlation Amount of Rain & Umbrella Sales positive Exercise Time & Fitness Level positive Colder Weather & Air Conditioning Costs Negative Student Absenteeism & Grades in School negative Treads on Tires & Traction on Roads positive 22 Strength of Correlation Value _________ of Higher the coefficient absolute value of shows strength number - stronger the relationship of relationship Correlation of Ex Your grade 0.00 means no. and Student # relationship 23 Correlational Research 1. Studies relationships between variables Prediction 2. ______________ 3. Does not indicate whether one variable causes the other! real-world associations; 4. Great for studying ‘____________’ especially where experiments are ‘unethical’ Correlation and Causation If A and B are correlated, then … – A could cause B – B could cause A – Another variable could cause both A and B Must be cautious in drawing conclusions A = Amt of violent TV child watches; B = Child’s aggressiveness C=???? 6 - 25 Experiments Three essential characteristics: Measures whether Control for other Manipulate one this variable produces factors that might variable changes in another influence results variable Independent variable Dependent Variable Confounding Variables 26 In Experiments You Need At least 2 groups Experimental Control Group Group(s) - not exposed to receive treatment treatment - a Manipulating participants is most likely on experiment and not correlational research 27 Methods of Research Manipulated by experimenter Independent Variable Measured by experimenter & influenced by independent Dependent variable Variable Experiments: 2 Basic Designs 1. Different participants in each condition = Between-subjects Design __________________________ Making experimental & control groups equal Groups must be equal in the beginning How to control for this? · Randomly assign individuals to groups 29 Two Basic Designs 2. Same participants in all conditions = Within Subjects Design ________________________________ - Expose each participant to all conditions Problems? Other factors such as: learning effect boredom , , fatigue are now issues counterbalancing Use ________________________ to reduce this ↳ Different order of testing decaf Ex. I groups , first group coffee then 30 second group decaf then coffee Confounded Variables – Unintended differences Independent Confounded between conditions Variable Variable that can influence the dependent variable – Can make experiments difficult to interpret Dependent Dependent variable Are your results due to IV or by the confounded variable? Variable Listening to Mozart make you smarter!!!! 10 min Mozart vs 10 min of relaxation instructions or silence Mozart group performed spatial ability better on test of ___________ What’s wrong with this idea? ACTIVITY 33 Validity Reliability How well an How consistent our experimental results are with procedure actually other similar tests what it is studies? designed to test - Is it accurate ? Are we confident our 34 results will show up again? Threats to Research Validity Placebo Affect improvement resulting from ___________________- the mere expectation of improvement – How would you get around this? blind ○ Subjects must be __________ to their condition Experimenter expectancy effects _________________________________ Subtle & unintentional ways experimenters influence participants to conform to hypotheses 35 Gold Standard of Research Design Double-blind procedure _____________________________ Neither participant nor researcher knows which experimental condition the person is in 36

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