Research MethodsResearch Methods

Have you ever wondered how pollsters can predict who is going to win and election?

Have you ever considered how advertisers determine that 9 out of 10 people prefer a certain brand?

Psychologists use the scientific Psychologists use the scientific method.method.

Pre ResearchPre ResearchHypothesis- an educated guess

about the relationship between two variables.

Pre ResearchPre ResearchPopulation vs Sample

Samples can be random or stratified

QuestionQuestionEach week a list is published of

the most popular television programs from the previous week. The survey gathers information from a few thousand homes across America. What type of sample is used?

Methods of ResearchMethods of ResearchNaturalistic ObservationCase StudiesSurveysLongitudinal StudiesCross sectional studiesCorrelation studiesExperimental Research

Jane Goodall observed the behavior of chimpanzees, she used naturalistic observation to conduct her research.

What is naturalistic observation?

What are case studies? They generally contain-

1.Background Information2. Description of the Presenting

Problem3. Your Diagnosis4. Intervention

What are surveys?

What are longitudinal studies?

Terman Study of the Gifted started in 1921

What is a cross sectional study?

What is a correlation?

ie- more violent TV results in more violent behavior

ExperimentsExperiments

Dependent and independent variables

2 groups control group and experimental group

Single blind and double blind

Bobo the doll

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdh7MngntnI

Milgram’s Study on Obedience

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L-hKsjGP1M

Stanford Prison Experiment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmwSC5fS40w&feature=related