This document provides an introduction to psychological research. It defines research as a systematic investigation to establish facts through information gathering. The goals of psychological research include description, explanation, prediction, and control. Research methods can be experimental, involving the manipulation of independent variables, or correlational, exploring relationships between non-manipulated variables. Key aspects of the research process are identifying problems, formulating hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data. Ethical considerations like informed consent and protecting participants are also discussed.

1. Intro. to Psychology
PSY-101
By:
Muhammad Bilal Younas
0323-6168636

2. Research
“Systematic investigation
to establish facts”
Information gathering

3. Cont.
Variety of techniques are
applied to “get into the
minds of the people”

4. What Research is?
Attempt to achieve systematically and with the
support of data the answer to a question, the
resolution to a problem, or the greater understanding
of a phenomenon
Generation of new information and testing of ideas

5. Scientific Research
Characteristics of scientific findings are:
Empirical
Systematic
Precise
Verifiable
Public
Ethical & Ideological neutrality
Objective

6. Goals of Scientific Research
Description
Explanation
Prediction
control

7. Goals Questions asked to
reach the goal
Description What happens?
When and where does it
happen?
How does it happen?
Explanation Why does it happen?
Prediction What will happen next?
Control How can we influence this
behavior or intervene in
this situation?

8. Goals of Psychological Research
Description of social behavior
Are people who grow up in warm climates different from those in
cold climates?
Establish a relationship between cause & effect
Does heat cause higher amounts of aggression?
Develop theories about why people behave the way that
they do
We dislike Duke students to feel better about ourselves
Application
Creating effective therapeutic treatments, more successful
negotiation tactics, and greater understanding amongst groups of
people

9. Purposes of Research
 A research can be undertaken for two different
purposes:
 To solve a currently existing problem (applied
research)
 To contribute to the general body of knowledge in a
particular area of interest (basic/fundamental
research)

10. The Scientific Research Process
Identifying the
problem
Defining the
problem
Formulating
Hypothesis
Data collection
Analyzing the data
Preparing a report

11. The Process of Doing Research
First, select a topic
Good theory:
 Has predictive power
 Is simple & straightforward
Then, search the literature
Find out what others have done that
may be applicable to your area of
interest

12. The Process of Doing Research
Next, formulate hypotheses
Hypothesis: specific statement of
expectation derived from theory
 State the relationship between two variables
Variable: can be any event, characteristic,
condition, or behavior

13. Let’s take a closer look . . .at variables
Dependent variable (outcome variable)
Dependent on the influence of other factor(s)
How do we operationally define?
Independent variable (predictor variable)
Factor(s) that change the outcome variable
How do we operationally define & manipulate?
Control group

14. The Process of Doing Research
Then pick your research method
Experimental vs. co relational (DesignDesign)
Field vs. laboratory (SettingSetting)
Finally, collect & analyze your
data

15. Correlational research
The purpose of correlational research is to discover
relationships between two or more variables.
Relationship means that an individuals status on one
variable tends to reflect his or her status on the other.

16. Cont.
Helps us understand related events, conditions, and
behaviors.
Is there a relationship between educational levels of
farmers and crop yields?
To make predictions of how one variable might
predict another
Can high school grades be used to predict college
grades?

17. Correlational researchAdvantages
Sometimes manipulation of variables is impossible
or unethical
Efficient – look at lots of data
Disadvantages
CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSATION
Could be a lurking variable

18. Experimental ResearchResearcher manipulates one variable (IV) to see effect
on other variable (DV)
Try to hold everything else constant
True experiments have
Random sampling: selecting Ps randomly from
population
Random assignment: chance assignment to condition

19. Let’s take a closer look . . . at research
methods
Research methods used in psychology:
Observation
Case Study
Tests, Questionnaire, Survey
Experiment

20. Imp. Concepts in Research
Population: any set of individuals (or objects) having some common
observable characteristics.
Sample: the subset of a population which represents the
characteristics of the population.
A sample consists of respondents or subjects
An informant: a person from whom a linguist obtains information
about language, dialect, or culture.
A corpus is a collection of written or spoken material.
A hypothesis is a tentative statement that proposes a possible
explanation to some phenomenon or event

21. Triangulation
Triangulation is an approach to data analysis that
synthesizes data from multiple sources.
a combination of Quantitative & Qualitative
techniques are implied
Ideas stemming from Qualitative research are
tested empirically through Quantitative studies.
Combined findings enable psychologists to design
more meaningful and effective strategies.

22. Major Limitations in
Conducting a Research
Time
Costs
Access to resources
Approval by authorities
Ethical concerns
Expertise

23. Ethics in ResearchShould the study be done?
Value vs. potential cost
APA guidelines
How do we protect Ps?
Informed consent
Confidentiality & anonymity
Debriefing