RSM1024 Research Methods in Psychology 1 Lecture Notes PDF

RSM1024 Research Methods in Psychology 1 Data collection techniques and research designs Dr Wu Shin Ling OUR VISION: TO BE A WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY  What we learnt last lecture Different types of variables – IV & DV Definition Conceptual and operational...

RSM1024 Research Methods in Psychology 1 Data collection techniques and research designs Dr Wu Shin Ling OUR VISION: TO BE A WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY  What we learnt last lecture Different types of variables – IV & DV Definition Conceptual and operational definition Types of scales of measurement Nominal; Ordinal; Interval; Ratio Reliability and validity 2 Overview Data Collection Techniques Surveys/Questionnaires Naturalistic Observation Systematic Observation Archival Data Types of Research Designs Case Studies Correlational Studies Experiments Quasi Experiments 3 Steps in the Research Process: Designing the Study  Types of Data Collection Techniques Surveys/Questionnaires Naturalistic Observation Systematic Observation Archival Data  Data Collection Techniques Surveys/Questionnaires Conducted to measure mood, attitudes about a topic, or frequency of certain behaviors through self-reports from the participants. Contains a number of questions ◦ Closed-ended ◦ i.e., Rate frequency, degree of agreement/likelihood ◦ Open-ended ◦ Can also be in the form of interviews ◦ E.g., what is your opinion about getting back to campus?  Data Collection Techniques Surveys/Questionnaires Advantages: easy to administer and obtain large samples Disadvantages: biased or inaccurate responding, difficult to establish causation (unless use in experimental research)  Data Collection Techniques Surveys/Questionnaires Example Perceived stress scale Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) DASS-21 Surveys/Questionnaires Self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents— gender and age as potential moderators (Moksnes & Espnes, 2013) 9  Data Collection Techniques Naturalistic observation Observing and recording behavior naturally in natural environment Observe a natural behavior without influencing the behavior. E.g., ◦ Helping behavior ◦ Aggression  Data Collection Techniques Naturalistic observation Advantages: See authentic behavior → Adds to external validity Disadvantages: Difficult to determine the exact cause of a subject's behavior. E.g., Naturalistic observations of spectator behavior at youth hockey games (Bowker et al., 2019) Naturalistic observations of spectator behavior at youth hockey games (Bowker et al., 2019) Five observers attended 69 hockey games, with an average of 40 spectators at each game. Hypotheses: Female spectators would make more comments than male spectators. Females would make more positive comments than males, while males would make more negative and corrective comments. Results?? 12  Data Collection Techniques Using naturalistic observations, there are typically multiple observers of the behaviors of interest. Inter-observer/Inter-rater reliability A measure of the degree to which different observers observe or code behaviors in similar ways. Develop a coding scheme to categorize behaviors Must be trained to code behaviors in the same way  Measures Naturalistic observations of spectator behavior at youth hockey games (Bowker et al., 2019) 14  Data Collection Techniques Systematic observation Observing behavior under controlled conditions. Distraction from normal life are minimized Adds to internal validity Examples - Behavioural observation  Data Collection Techniques Systematic observation Examples Accuracy or speed of completion on a computer presented task Memory task, problem solving task E.g., The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking (Muller & Oppenheimer, 2014) – Study 1  The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking (Muller & Oppenheimer, 2014) Taking notes on a laptop vs writing longhand affects academic performance 67 participants 2 conditions Room with laptop or notebook Responded to factual-recall questions and conceptual- application questions Results?? 18  Data Collection Techniques Archival data Analysis of pre-existing data. May be collected governmental agencies, corporations, international organizations Examples: Consumer confidence index, consumer spending, and opinion polls. E.g., after passed a smoking ban → check hospital record for health-related illness (e.g., heart attack, lung cancer) before and after the ban (after 1.5 year)  Data Collection Techniques Archival data Content analysis ◦ Is a specific type of archival data observation technique that involves analysis of what someone has said (as in a speech or interview) or written (as in a book or article). ◦ A researcher is analyzing a record of what someone has said or written in the past. ◦ No interaction takes place between the research participant and the researcher.  Types of Research Designs Case Studies Correlational Studies Experiments Quasi Experiments  Research Designs Case studies ◦ Gain insight into and understanding of a single individual’s (or just a couple of individuals’) behavior. ◦ Researchers often use naturalistic observations, interviews, or archival data (especially in the case of a famous individual) to learn about the individual’s behavior. ◦ E.g., famous people, one’s behavior after brain injury (e.g., Phineas Gage) Case Studies ◦ Often (but not always) qualitative ◦ Advantages: ◦ richness of information, enables study of rare/complex phenomena ◦ Disadvantages: ◦ issues of generalisability, subjectivity/researcher bias, time consuming 27  Research Designs Correlational studies Examine relationships between variables and, if a relationship is found, predict values for one variable from values on the other variable(s). Predictor variable - the variable that is used to make the prediction. Outcome variable - the variable that is being predicted. ◦ i.e. Does playing violent video games relate to violent behavior? DOES NOT determine if one variable causes another. Correlation vs Causation Positive correlation between ice cream sales and the number of drownings When ice cream sales go up, ? drownings also rise. Does ice cream consumption cause people to drown??? ? Weather: both ice cream sales and swimming activities increase during the hot weather ? 29 Example of research questions for correlational studies Do students who watch more TikTok videos have lower grade point averages (GPAs)? Is insomnia related to depression? Is there a significant relationship between stress and academic performance?  Research Designs Experiments (“True” experiment) A type of research design that involves manipulation of an independent variable, allowing control of extraneous variables that could affect the results. Independent variable (IV) - a variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher. ◦ Affects the dependent variable (DV) ◦ Make up of different levels of the IV  Research Designs Experiments Experimental group - the group of participants in an experiment that experience the treatment level of the independent variable. Control group - the group of participants in an experiment that do not experience the treatment level of the independent variable.  Research Designs Experiments Use of placebo for control group ◦ Something that is given to the control group that to allow the participants believe that they are receiving treatment ◦ To control for the effects of the belief that one is being treated can have an influence on the results of the study More about experiments… In the experiment, when you see a difference in DV (between experimental and control group), how can you be sure that it is due to your IV (manipulation of IV)? If you conduct your experiment properly, the manipulation is the only thing that differs systematically between groups Challenging, but still possible The importance of random assignment All other potential confounding variables should be taken into consideration 35  Research Designs Experiments Random assignment ◦ Participants are randomly assigned to levels of IV ◦ To control for individual differences Confounding variable ◦ An extraneous factor present in a study that might affect the result ◦ If not controlled for, causal relationship between IV and DV will be unclear.  Research Designs Quasi-experiments Similar to the conduct of an experiment, but without random assignment A type of research design where a comparison is made, as in an experiment, but no random assignment of participants to groups occurs. Participants are grouped based on a characteristic they already possess. E.g., Smoker vs non-smoker; Low SES vs High SES; Old vs young; Male vs female Sometimes it would be unethical to provide or withhold a treatment on a random basis, so a true experiment is not feasible. Chapter Summary The choice of data collection technique and research design is determined by researchers based on type of behaviour that is of interest and the research questions. DO NOT confuse data collection technique/method with research design. Data collection technique chosen depends on the operational definition of the concepts and the level of desired reliability. 43 Homework Remember to fill out this form (https://forms.office.com/r/kCaGVbeWhp ) to indicate your research objectives and hypotheses [latest by Week 5, 23 May (Thursday), 5pm]. Each group have a maximum of TWO submissions. Finalize your variables and start report writing. Practical Report 1 due Tuesday, 11 June 2024, 2pm FAQ Do I need to cite journal articles? Yes, you need to cite journal articles. Since we are conducting an evidence-based study, referencing credible sources such as journal articles is essential to support your findings and ensure the reliability of your research. 45 FAQ Is my variable a dependent variable or an independent variable? You need to understand the role of that variable in your study: Independent variable: A variable that affects or predicts the values of the dependent variable Dependent variable: A variable that is based on the IV → outcome. E.g., is stress an IV or DV? The other variable: Life satisfaction The other variable: Self-efficacy 46 FAQ How many references should be included in the study? There is no fixed number of references you need to include. Instead, ensure you have enough to support your study thoroughly and effectively. Prioritize relevance and quality to make your research credible. 47 FAQ Do I create the Google form for data collection? No, unless you have variables other than the one provided. The whole class will collect the data together during Weeks 7 & 8. Every student is required to recruit 5 participants. 48 THANK YOU These teaching materials are protected under the Copyright Act 1987. Duplication, in any form, including digitally, is prohibited by law and a punishable offence. ©2024 OUR VISION: TO BE A WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY