Chapter 2 2 Problems and Solutions in Research

Chapter 2. 2: Problems and Solutions in Research Mr. Mc. Cormick Psychology

Do-Now: (Discussion) Discussion: n A psychologist wishes to test the effects of listening to classical music on studying/retaining information. To do so, she creates an experiment in which 100 students study a list of 40 terms to be memorized and later tested. 50 participants must listen to classical music while studying, while 50 participants may not. Identify the following: n Hypothesis n Independent Variable n Dependent Variable n Experimental Group n Control Group

Problems and Solutions in Research n Turn to Pg. 42 “Problems and Solutions in Research” n In what way did the woman in this story experience a “self-fulfilling prophecy? ” n Have you ever experienced a “self-fulfilling prophecy? ”

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy n Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: n Researcher’s expectations influence his/her own behavior, and thereby influence the participant’s behavior (e. g. thinking a subject will respond in a certain way, and unassumingly acting in a manner that will cause the subject to then do so)

Avoiding a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy n Single-Blind Experiment: n n Participants are unaware of which participants received the treatment (e. g. participants do not know which participants received “Red Bull”) Double-Blind Experiment: n Participants and experimenter(s) are unaware of which participants received the treatment (e. g. participants and experimenter(s) do not know which participants received “Red Bull”)

Avoiding a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy n In what way do single-blind and double-blind experiments help avoid self-fulfilling prophecies on behalf of the experimenter and participants?

Placebo Effect n Placebo Effect: n A change in a participant’s behavior that results from a belief that the treatment will have an effect, rather than the actual treatment (e. g. participant thinks he is receiving “Red Bull, ” but instead receives noncaffeinated soda, and still “feels energized”)

Placebo Effect

Review n What is a self-fulfilling prophecy in psychological research? n Identify two ways in which researchers can avoid a self-fulfilling prophecy on behalf of the researcher(s) and participant(s)? n What is a placebo effect? n Complete “Vocabulary Activity 2 -2” (# 1 -8)