1. Psychology uses the scientific method to conduct research in an organized and objective way to increase knowledge. The scientific method involves observing phenomena, formulating questions and hypotheses, testing predictions through research, drawing conclusions, and evaluating results.
2. There are different types of research including descriptive research using surveys and case studies, correlational research examining relationships between variables, and experimental research manipulating independent variables. Research also takes place in laboratories and natural settings.
3. Researchers analyze data using descriptive statistics to summarize results and inferential statistics to determine if findings are statistically significant. They interpret what conclusions can be drawn given the data while considering the study's limitations.
2. Objectives
5 Basic steps in the scientific research
Types of research & research settings
Analyze & interpreting data
Conducting and evaluating research-ethics in research
3. Psychology’s Scientific Method
Scientific Approach
an organized way of using experience and
testing ideas to increase knowledge:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Curious
Skeptical
Objective
Think critically
Begins with theory…
4. Research settings & types of
research
A theory is a broad idea or set of
closely related facts that
attempts to explain and predict
something.
Steps of the Scientific Method
5. Psychology’s Scientific Method
5 steps of scientific method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe phenomena
Formulate question, hypothesis, & prediction
Test prediction with research
Draw conclusions
Evaluate & collaborate
6.
7. Research settings & types of
research
Types of research:
Descriptive
Correlational
Experimental
Research settings
Laboratory
Natural observation
8. Research settings & types of
research
Descriptive research:
Observation
Surveys & Interviews
Standardized tests
Case studies
9. Research settings & types of
research
Correlational research:correlation
formula
Systematic observation of variables within
a sample of people
Concerned with how variable change
together
Correlation coefficient
Positive (r=.68)
Negative (r=-.77)
10. Research settings & types of
research
Experimental Research:
IV & DV
independent
variable
(the possible
cause)
dependent
variable
(the outcome
measured)
11. Research settings & types of
research
Caution about experimental research
Validity
Experimenter bias
Participant bias
Placebo effect
12. Validity
The extent to which an experiment is
measuring what you intend to measure.
Depression & anxiety
Aggression & Fear
The soundness of the conclusions
15. Placebo Effect
A placebo is a bogus treatment that
has the appearance of being
genuine.
A placebo effect occurs when subjects
who have not received the independent
variable have results similar to
subjects who do.
16. Single Blind Study
Well-designed experiments
control for the effects of
expectations by creating
conditions under which
participants are unaware of the
treatment and are called single
blind studies.
17. Double Blind Study
Studies in which both participants
and experimenters are unaware of
who has obtained the treatment are
called double-blind studies.
18. Analyzing and Interpreting
Data
Descriptive statistics – describe and summarize
data for large groups of participants
Mean: average
Median: midpoint in rank-ordered data
Mode: score appearing most often
19. Analyzing and Interpreting
Data
Measure of dispersion:
Range
Normal distribution: bell-shaped curve
Standard deviation: degree to which scores in ordered
distribution are spread out
21. Mode
9
Mean & Median
% Giving birth for 1st time
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
13
16
19
22
25
28
Mother’s Age
31
34
37
40
22. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Reaching conclusions from data
Statistical significance
Size of correlation
Difference of means are greater than chance
Two issues for significance
Larger sample size is better
Statistical difference does not equal practical
significance
24. Ethics of Research with
Human Participants
1. Freedom from Coercion
2. Informed consent
3. Limited deception
4. Adequate debriefing
5. Confidentiality
25. Ethics of Research with
Nonhuman Animals
1. Necessity
2. Health
3. Humane
treatment
26. Becoming a consumer of
Psychological Research
Distinguish between group results and
Individual needs
Avoid overgeneralization
Look beyond a single study
Avoid making causal attributions
Consider the source of information