Module 2- Research Strategies

7/29/2019 Module 2- Research Strategies

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Module 2: Research Strategies

Why is Psychological science important in our lives?

Common Sense? Slovic and Fischhofff 1977 and Wood 1979.

Common sense has a limit in what it can tell us

Hindsight Bias (knew-it-all-along Phenomenon)

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it.

Overconfidence: We tend to think we know more than we actually do. (Vallone 1990)

The Scientific Method

A process of discovery that depends on critical thinking: question assumptions and

evaluate methods:

Components:

Theory: Statement that attempts to explain observable phenomenon (hunch)

Hypothesis: Specific predictions based on theory

Operational Definitions: a statement of the procedures used to define research variables.

Replication: Repeat a study with different participants or materials to see if the sameresults occur.

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking: Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions.

Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assessesconclusions.

Psychologists think with three different methods:

Descriptive: Describes behavior

Correlations: Associates different factorsExperimental: Manipulates factors to discover their effects


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Descriptive Method: (Observe and report behavior)

Case study: A technique where one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealinguniversal principles.

Helpful in theory developmentProblem! Case study is not generalizable.

Surveys: A technique measuring the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people.

Wording can influence results.

Population: All the cases in a group from which samples may be drawn for a

study

Random Sampling: A sample that fairly represents a population because eachmember has an equal chance of inclusion.

Naturalistic Observation: Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurringsituations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

The goal is not to explain behavior but to describe it!

Correlation Method: A statistical measure of the extent to which two factors vary

together. (naturally occurring relationships)

Correlation: a measure of how two things co-vary.

Correlation does not equal causation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Knowing ones show size can help predict height and knowing

Experimentation (IV and DV): researches manipulate 1 or more factors (IVs) to observethe effects on some behaviors/mental process (DV).

-Only the variables of interest are manipulated

-Other possible explanations are controlled-Always looking at the effects of the IV on the DV

Double-Blind Procedure- both participants and researcher are ignorant to whether the

participant received the placebo or treatment.(Blind experiments: The researcher knows but the participant does not.)

Independent Variable- Experimental factor that is manipulated, the variable whose effect

is being studied

Dependent Variable- Experimental factor (behavior/mental process) that is being

measured, the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independentvariable


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Random Assignment- Assigning participant to experimental and control conditions by

chance

Experimental Condition- The condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the

treatment (IV)

Control Condition- serves as a comparison for evaluating treatment effects

Placebo Effect- any effect on behavior caused by a placebo, which is an inert drug or fake

treatment

Proverb Activity

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy,wealthy and wise.

Testable Hypothesis- Full night sleep makes a person healthier, allows you to perform to

their full ability (good job/ study/eventually make an income), and allows an early start tothe day to learn and experience new things and stay out of bad situations that occur late at

night. (Performance and health should improve with more sleep)

IV- Amount of time sleptDV- Performance the next day

~How will you measure or operationally define these variables? -Performance can be

measuredby other peoples judgments (subjective) and by the quality and

accomplishments of your actions.~ What things should you try to control or what extraneous variables could influence

your results? -Control time slept, settings of sleeping environment, your set up of daily

tasks so you can evaluate when the day is overControl group- people who are deprived from sleep

Experimental group- people who control their sleep

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Module 2- Research Strategies