1. Research Methods AP Psych – Chapter 2 Psychology’s Scientific Method
Alice F. Short
Hilliard Davidson High School

2. Psychology Majors 2 Most Commonly Required Classes:
Research
Statistics
A SHORT Time to Ponder
Why would these be the two most required classes for psychology majors across the country?

3. Chapter Preview Psychology’s Scientific Method
Types of Psychological Research
Research Samples and Settings
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Conducting Ethical Research
Thinking Critically About Research
Scientific Method and Health and Wellness

4. A SHORT Time to Ponder As a society, do we value critical thinking?
Is critical thinking uncomfortable sometimes?

5. Scientific Method Science is a method. (It’s a VERB)
It’s not what you study, but how you study it.
any objective person can use the scientific method
observe some phenomenon
formulate hypothesis and predictions
test through empirical research
draw conclusions
evaluate the theory

6. Scientific Method – 1. Observe
Step 1: Observe some phenomenon
curiosity
variables
theory

7. Scientific Method – 2. Hypothesize
Step 2: Formulate hypotheses and predictions
testable prediction
derived from theory

8. Scientific Method – 3. Research
Step 3: Test through empirical research
operational definition of variables
analyze data using statistical procedures

9. Scientific Method – 4. Conclusions
Step 4: Draw conclusions
replication of results → reliability
If other people cannot replicate your study, then your result are unreliable.
What could this potentially mean for your study? (Think critically!)

10. Scientific Method – 5. Evaluate
Step 5: Evaluate the theory
change the theory?
peer review and publication
publish or perish
meta-analysis – method by which researchers combine results across studies to establish the strength of an effect
theory = broad umbrella category which can either be supported or refuted by testable hypotheses

11. Descriptive Research Goal: Describing a phenomenon
observation
surveys and interviews
case studies
Descriptive research does not answer questions about how and why things are the way they are

12. Correlational Research
Goal: Identify relationships (does not mean there is a causal relationships)
correlation coefficient: r
-1.00 ≤ r ≤ 1.00
strength of relationship: magnitude
direction of relationship: + / -

13. Correlational Coefficients

14. Scatter Plots

15. Correlational Research
Positive Correlations
factors vary in same direction
↑ and ↑ … or … ↓ and ↓
Negative Correlations
factors vary in opposite direction
↑ and ↓ … or … ↑ and ↓

16. Correlation and Causation
correlation does not equal causation
third variable problem
Why would some people not WANT to consider a third variable problem?
longitudinal design

17. Experimental Research
Goal: Determine causation
random assignment – extremely important in experimental design
independent variable(s) – manipulation
dependent variable(s) – measurement
All of these vocabulary terms are very important to KNOW!

18. Experimental Research
Experimental Group
independent variable is manipulated
Control Group
treated equally, except no manipulation of independent variable

19. Validity External Validity Internal Validity
representative of real world issues?
do results generalize to the real world?
Internal Validity
are dependent variable changes the result of independent variable manipulation?
bias? logical errors?

20. Bias and Expectations experimenter bias demand characteristics
research participant bias
placebo effect
double-blind experiment

21. Example of Experimental Research: Self Esteem
Baumeister’s research findings:
“high self esteem leads to aggression”
Donnellan & Trzesniewski’s research findings:
“low self esteem leads to aggression”
What accounts for these different findings?
lab-only aggression?
type of self esteem?

22. Applying Different Research Methods to the Same Phenomenon
Example: Election of President Barack Obama
Possible Research Methods:
observation
survey and interview
case studies
correlational research
experimental research

23. Research Sample Population Sample Representative Sample Random Sample
entire group about whom conclusion drawn
Sample
portion of population actually observed
Representative Sample
characteristics similar to population
opposite of “biased sample”
Random Sample
equal chance of being selected

24. Research Settings “Artificial” world – laboratory setting
controlled setting
Real world - natural setting
naturalistic observation
DISCUSSION: What are the advantages and disadvantages of each setting?

25. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Statistics
mathematical methods used to report data
Descriptive Statistics
describe and summarize data
Measures of Central Tendency
mean
median
mode
Measures of Dispersion
range
standard deviation
Inferential Statistics
draw conclusions about data
does data confirm the hypothesis?
statistical significance
α = 0.05 (confidence level)
bridge between sample and population

26. A SHORT Time to Ponder
What is the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics?

27. Research Ethics research participants have rights
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
APA Guidelines
informed consent
confidentiality
debriefing
deception

28. Animal Research in Psychology
animal research has benefited humans
used by 5% of researchers
rats and mice used 90% of time
standards of care in animal research
housing
feeding
psychological and physical well being

29. Reality TV – Ethical Issues?
informed consent?
Deception?
psychological and/or physical risk?
is the behavior real?
DISCUSSION: What do YOU think?

30. A Wise Consumer… is skeptical yet open-minded!
Cautions
exercise caution in applying group trends to individual experience
avoid overgeneralizing results
look for converging evidence
question causal inferences
consider the source

31. Expressive Writing and Health
Results of study on suicide v. accidental death
different survivor health
different survivor rate of talking about the loss
Results lead to study on writing
those assigned to write about a trauma experienced better physical health

32. Chapter Summary Explain what makes psychology a science.
Discuss common research settings and the main types of research that are used in psychology.
Distinguish between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.
Discuss some challenges that involve ethics, bias, and information.
Discuss scientific studies on the effect of writing about ones trauma.

33. Chapter Summary Steps of the Scientific Method
observe
hypothesize
research
conclude
evaluate
Research Methods and Settings
descriptive, correlational, and experimental studies conducted in natural settings or the lab

34. Chapter Summary Data Analysis and Interpretation
descriptive and inferential statistics
Challenges: Research Ethics and Bias
APA guidelines and the IRB
Expressive Writing and Health and Wellness
benefits of writing about trauma