What is Descriptive Research Method also known as statistical research describes data and characteristics about the population or phenomenon the questions who, what, where, when and how a researcher cannot manipulate the variables under study

Fig Comparison of major research methods. This chart pulls together a great deal of information on key research methods in psychology and gives a simple example of how each method might be applied in research on aggression. As you can see, the various research methods each have strengths and weaknesses.

Descriptive Methods: Looking for Links Naturalistic observation Case studies Surveys Allow researchers to describe patterns of behavior and discover links or associations between variables but cannot imply causation Problems: research can’t describe what caused a situation cannot be used to create a causal relationship reader of the research will know what to do to prevent that disease

Naturalistic Observation a method of observation that involves observing subjects in their natural habitats Researchers take great care in avoiding making interferences using unobtrusive methods Advantage: ethically studies subjects who could not be experimented on Used where behavior is obvious

Naturalistic vs. Intrusive Intrusive: Should observers become actors with the subject Diane Fossey: Gorillas in the Mist – lived with gorillas AdvantageDisadvantage IntrusiveObservation is more accurate Presence changes outcome NaturalisticLess biasedToo removed to observe accurately

Case Studies an intensive study of a single group, incident, or community extreme case can be well-suited for getting a point across in an especially dramatic way critical case can be defined as having strategic importance in relation to the general problem researchers often use information-oriented sampling Not random sampling

Surveys A questionnaire or interview designed to investigate behaviors, attitudes, & opinions of a particular group Care-fully designed & use a sample Representative sample: closely resembles the population in age, sex, race, marital status & education level Random selection: every member of population has opportunity to be chosen Downside: requires complete honesty from subject

Fig The relationship between the population and the sample. The process of drawing inferences about a population based on a sample works only if the sample is reasonably representative of the population. A sample is representative if its demographic makeup is similar to that of the population, as shown on the left. If some groups in the population are over-represented or underrepresented in the sample, as shown on the right, inferences about the population may be skewed or inaccurate.

Correlation Studies Examines how closely 2 variables are related Can be used to analyze data brought in by other descriptive research methods Correlation does not indicate causality Valuable for: May rule out some factors & introduce others Can allow meaningful predictions

Fig Interpreting correlation coefficients. The magnitude of a correlation coefficient indicates the strength of the relationship between two variables. The sign (plus or minus) indicates whether the correlation is positive or negative. The closer the coefficient comes to or –1.00, the stronger the relationship between the variables.

Correlation: Prediction, Not Causation Higher correlation coefficients = increased ability to predict one variable based on the other SAT/ACT scores moderately correlated with first year college GPA 2 variables may be highly correlated, but not causally related Foot size and vocabulary positively correlated Do larger feet cause larger vocabularies? The third variable problem

Fig Three possible causal relations between correlated variables. If variables X and Y are correlated, does X cause Y, does Y cause X, or does some hidden third variable, Z, account for the changes in both X and Y? As the relationship between smoking and depression illustrates, a correlation alone does not provide the answer. We will encounter this problem of interpreting the meaning of correlations frequently in this text.

Pitfalls of Descriptive Research Methods Observer interference: believe that anything being observed will be changed be what is observing it Sampling Bias – when the sample is not representative Distortions in self-report data: Social desirability bias – people wish to conform to what is seen as socially acceptable answers Response set – responding to questions in a way unrelated to what is being asked