1. Research Methods Experimental Research Descriptive Methods
Correlational Research
Biological Research

2. Step 3- Research Design
The hypothesis must be tested by using the appropriate research methods
What type of study would best test your hypothesis?
What participants will you use?
What will be the procedure of your study?

3. The most powerful research method is the experiment, in which an experimenter manipulates and controls the variables to determine cause and effect.

4. Experimental Method
This is the ONLY research design that can examine a single factor’s effect on a particular behavior
A study in which the investigator manipulates at least one variable while measuring at least one other variable.
Determines a cause and effect relationship between variables
Variable: Any characteristic that can differ between observations or measurements

5. Step 3-Designing a Study
Variables are a condition or characteristic that is subject to change either within situations or individuals
There are two types of variables in every study:
Independent variable:
Factor that is manipulated
Dependent variable:
Behavior/variable that is measured

6. Variables
Independent Variable is the variable is directly and purposefully manipulated by the experimenter
This is done to see how the other variables will be affected

7. So, what will happen if…?
Dependent Variable is the behavior that is measured because it is expected to change due to the manipulation of the independent variable.
What will happen If I move all of my front row students to the back, what will happen?

8. The goal of any experiment is to learn how the dependent variable is affected by (depends on) the independent variable.

9. Identify the Variable Independent and Dependent?
Developmental psychologists want to know if exposing children to differing amounts of public television improves their reading skills.
IV: different types of diagrams; DV: memory
IV: film type (violent or nonviolent); DV: heart rate
IV: name tags; DV: happiness at work

10. Did you get it?
In this study, the amount of public television is the Independent Variable
The researchers were looking to observe a change in reading skills, which makes it the Dependent Variable

11. Name the Variables!
A clinical psychologist is interested in how heart rate is affected by viewing a violent film as opposed to a nonviolent film

12. Did you get it?
The Independent Variable is this study is the film type (violent or nonviolent)
The change in heart rate is the behavior observed which makes it the Dependent Variable

13. Try another one
Cognitive psychologists are interested in what types of diagrams are easiest for people to remember

14. What are the Variables?
The different types of diagrams are the Independent Variable
What behavior were the researchers were observing? Memory, which is the Dependent Variable

15. OK, Last One…
An industrial/organizational psychologist tests to see if wearing name tags makes employees happier with their work

16. What are the variables? The name tags are the Independent Variable
And the observed behavior was happiness at work, which is the Dependent Variable

17. Step 3-Designing the Study Who will you study?
Participants in a study are individuals in an experiment whose behaviors are observed.
This information will produce data
All have something in common which is based on what the researcher is testing

18. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups:
The Control Group-(Comparison group)
This group does not receive the independent variable
It does not receive the treatment
The Experimental Group- receives new treatment
This group “receives” the independent variable

20. Descriptive Methods
This research method is used to observe and record behavior without producing a casual explanation

21. Types of Research
Descriptive Methods involve describing events that already exist
- -Naturalistic Observation -Case Study -Surveys
Descriptive research methods: involves describing events that already exist rather than performing a manipulation of an independent variable and observing the changes

22. This research method is used to observe and record behavior without producing an explanation

23. Naturalistic Observation
A systematic observation what many people do under natural conditions, without interference.
Another example: Jane Goodall’s study of gorilla’s in the wild
This design may yield interesting and enlightening results. But, the procedure itself may produce bias as the presence of the observer may change the behavior being studied

24. Follow the link below to review a very famous naturalistic study performed by David Rosenhan who pretended to be mentally ill to gain admission into a psychiatric hospital
Being Sane in Insane Places, Rosenhan (1973)

25. Ask questions…
Surveys are another method of gathering data from a wide selection of people
A study of the prevalence of certain beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, based on people’s responses to specific questions
Unfortunately most surveys rely on self report and not all participants are honest!
A set of questions is posed to a large group of participants
Have to be careful because you may not have a representative sample:
Do the people who answered your questions represent the overall population?
If it is representative – you can make generalizations
Self-report – have to rely on what people say

26. Case Study
A thorough description of the unusual person that relies on naturalistic observation but focuses on a single person intensively.
These are well-suited to observe unusual behaviors or conditions
Are well suited for exploring unusual behavioral conditions – but their generalizability is limited.

27. Example of a Case Study
Phineas Gage was the foreman of a railway construction gang. On 13th. September 1848, an accidental explosion blew his tamping iron through his head. The tamping iron was 3 ½ feet long and weighed 13 pounds.  The tamping iron went in point first under his left cheek bone and completely out through the top of his head, landing about 25 to 30 yards behind him.  Phineas was knocked over but may not have lost consciousness even though most of the front part of the left side of his brain was destroyed.

28. Phineas Gage (1848)… yes he LIVED!
Phineas Gage was the foreman of a railway construction gang working for the contractors preparing the bed for the Rutland and Burlington Rail Road near Cavendish, Vermont.  On 13th. September 1848, an accidental explosion of a charge he had set blew his tamping iron through his head. 
The tamping iron was 3 feet 7 inches long and weighed 13 1/2 pounds.  It was 1 1/4 inches in diameter at one end (not circumference as in the newspaper report) and tapered over a distance of about 1-foot to a diameter of 1/4 inch at the other.  The tamping iron went in point first under his left cheek bone and completely out through the top of his head, landing about 25 to 30 yards behind him.  Phineas was knocked over but may not have lost consciousness even though most of the front part of the left side of his brain was destroyed.
Before the accident he had been their most capable and efficient foreman, one with a well-balanced mind, and who was looked on as a shrewd smart business man.  He was now fitful, irreverent, and grossly profane, showing little deference for his fellows.  He was also impatient and obstinate, yet capricious and vacillating, unable to settle on any of the plans he devised for future action.  His friends said he was “No longer Gage.”
Read more about Gage…why was he the focus of a case study?

29. Correlational Studies
A procedure in which investigators measure the correlation between two variables.
Without manipulating or controlling either of them
Correlation: A measure of the strength of a relationship between two variables.
Correlation indicate the strength and direction of a relationship. It allows for prediction of one variable based on the other variable.
The strength of the relationship is measured by a correlation coefficient which ranges from +1 to -1
+1 – perfect positive correlation
0 – no correlation
-1 – perfect negative correlation
Example of positive correlation: The more money a family makes, the larger the home they live in.
Example of negative correlation: The more money a family makes, the less their children work outside the home.
Example of no correlation: People who live in rural locations are no more or less intelligent than people who live in urban locations.

30. Correlational Research
Example-
A researcher may examine whether a toddler’s aggressiveness is related to the number of hours spent in day care.

31. Correlational coefficient
Correlation indicates the strength and direction of a relationship. It allows for prediction of one variable based on the other variable.
The strength of the relationship is measured by a correlation coefficient which ranges from +1 to -1
+1 – perfect positive correlation
0 – no correlation
-1 – perfect negative correlation

32. Three Types of Correlation
In a positive correlation, the two factors move (or vary) in the same direction.
In a negative correlation, the two factors vary in opposite directions—that is, as one factor increases, the other factor decreases.
Sometimes there is no relationship between two variables—a zero correlation.

33. Did you get it? Let’s play Name that Correlation!
Answer the following questions by identifying the correlation…either positive, negative or none

34. As a child’s age increases so does her height
Be able to justify this answer!

35. As a child’s age increases so does her height
Positive correlation!
Both variables are moving in the same direction

36. The more time a person spends on a treadmill the less they weigh
Be able to justify your answer!

37. The more time a person spends on a treadmill the less they weigh
Negative correlation
The variables move in opposite directions

38. Be able to justify your answer!
The amount of time a college student studies and their height in inches
Be able to justify your answer!

39. The amount of time a college student studies and their height in inches
No correlation exists

40. “Correlation is not causation!”
Just because there is a correlation between tow variables does not mean that one variable causes another.

41. What happens after the study is completed and the data is examined?
It is time to draw a conclusion
“Was I right?”

42. Was my prediction correct?
Researchers draw conclusions about the results of the study. Did the information support or oppose their hypothesis?
Don’t forget…this information MUST be replicated to be accepted as valid.

43. What happens to the information yielded in study?
If the information produced in a study supports the original hypothesis it is published in the scientific community in peer-reviewed journals.
This information is what we read about in textbooks and articles. This process allows researchers to generate NEW knowledge!

44. Could the results of a study be BIASED?
Ethics in Research
Could the results of a study be BIASED?

45. A good scientific experiment also protects against potential sources of error from both the researcher and the participants
Ethnocentrism and sample bias can result in flawed data and invalid results in the study

46. Avoiding Bias in Research
Absolutely, YES it is possible to bias a research study. To avoid biased information, researchers must follow the rules developed by the APA.

47. Ethics in Research
Ethics are the rules concerning proper and acceptable conduct that investigators use to guide their research
These rules govern the treatment of animals, humans, and the responsibilities of investigators

48. Participants must be informed
One rule states human participants must give the researcher their informed consent before a study.
Participants must be advised about the purpose and conditions of the study- up front.

49. Ethics in Research
Participants cannot be coerced into doing something psychologically or physically harmful, or that violates standards of decency
At the end of the study, participants must go through debriefing

50. Why do researchers have these rules?
History of controversial psychological experiments that would now be considered UNETHICAL.
Examples:
Phillip Zimbardo-The Stanford Prison Study
Stanley Milgram- The Perils of Obedience
Despite the fascinating data produced, many of these studies are considered unethical.

51. Watch the follow clip and think about why this experiment violates ethical standards of the APA

52. Milgram-Perils of Obedience

53. Why was this study unethical?
Review the following clip and think about how this experiment violates ethics in psychology
Why was this study unethical?

54. Stanford Prison Study

55. Next Module… Biopsychology How is the nervous system organized?
How do “brain chemicals” influence our behavior?