RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY THE DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH METHODS

RESEARCH METHODS IN PSYCHOLOGY

THE DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH METHODS � Used to observe and describe behavior � Help to answer questions such when do certain behaviors occur � How often does the behavior occur � Is the behavior related to other factors such as age, ethnic group or educational level

NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION � The systematic observation and recording of behaviors as they occur in their natural setting � Non-intrusive � Realistic settings

NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION � Advantages: � Study behaviors that can not be ethically manipulated � Ex: School children being bullied on the playground

NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION � Disadvantages: � Can not control variables � Data collection may be inefficient � Investigator bias may exist � Does not show cause and effect � Sigmund Freud

CASE STUDIES � An intensive study of a single individual or small group of similar individuals resulting in a detailed picture of the individual

CASE STUDIES � Advantages: � Complex behavior can be intensively studied and used to provide insights into the psyche of the individual/group or used to improve treatment strategies

CASE STUDIES � Disadvantages: � Data collected may be based on false memories � Does not show cause and effect � Individual may be lying

SURVEYS �A questionnaire or interview designed to investigate the opinions, behaviors, or characteristics or a particular group.

SURVEYS � Advantages: � Efficient collection of data from a large group � Can be used to measure attitudes or opinions

SURVEYS � Disadvantages: � Subjects may lie or be dishonest � Does not show cause and effect � Responses may be altered by collection method � Ex: Motivated subjects may be more likely to submit

CORRELATION STUDIES �A research strategy that allows the precise calculation of how strongly related, or associated, two factors are to each other � Correlation coefficient: A numerical indication of the magnitude and directions of the relationship between two variables

CORRELATION STUDIES � Correlation Coefficient: � The closer a correlation coefficient is to 1. 00, whether it is positive or negative, the stronger the correlation between the two factors � Positive correlation: When the two factors vary in the same direction. , i. e. the factors both increase or decrease � Negative correlation: When the two factors vary in opposite directions. , i. e. one factor increase and the other decreases

CORRELATION STUDIES � Advantages: � Relationships between two un-like/dis-similar variables can be established: � The strength of the relationship between the two variables can be tested and evaluated, thus weak relationships can be ruled out for further study � Strong relationships can be used to make meaningful predications

CORRELATION STUDIES � Disadvantages: � Can not control the variables � Does not show cause and effect

THE EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Is a research method used in Psychology to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship between changes in one variable and the effect that is produced on another variable. � Conducting an experiment involves deliberately varying one factor and observing the effect on the subject

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Advantages: � Produces empirical evidence that does show cause and effect

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Disadvantages: � Results Philip Zimbardo may be misinterpreted � Results may be tainted if the experiment is not set up correctly or the researchers have bias � If experiments are conducted in the laboratory the behavior may have little to do with actual behavior � Some research may not be able to reflect actual behavior, ex. How living together before marriage effects divorce rates later in life

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Independent Variable: � The purposely manipulated factor thought to produce change in an experiment: � The factor or variable that is manipulated by the scientist in order to change the behavior of the subject

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Dependent Variable: � The factor that is observed and measured for change in an experiment � Is always the subject behavior � Is “dependent” on the changes in the independent variable or what the scientist has manipulated

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Experimental � The Group: group of subjects who are exposed to all conditions of the experiment, including the independent variables

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Control � The Group (Placebo Control Group): group of subjects who are exposed to all conditions of the experiment, EXCEPT the independent variables

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Random Assignment: the process of assigning participants to either the experiment group or the control group so that all have an equal chance of being in either grouping � Helps to ensure that any potential differences among the participants are spread out evenly across all experimental conditions � Minimizes the possibility of bias by the researchers

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Single-blind � Type Study: of experiment where the researchers are aware of all of the critical information, but the subjects do not know about this information.

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Double-blind Study: � Neither the subjects or the researchers are aware of which group has been assigned to the experimental group or the control group � Used to guard against the possibility that the researcher inadvertently becomes a confounding part of the experiment by displaying subtle cues that may bias the results

EXPERIMENTAL METHOD � Placebo: �A fake substance, treatment or procedure that has no known direct effect. It looks like the real independent variable, but despite its convincing appearance, it is a sham � Place Effect: any change attributed to a person's beliefs and expectations rather than an actual drug or treatment