Experimental Psychology PSY 433 Project Information

Selecting a Topic Sources of ideas include: Past or present courses Current events important in your life Replications of classic research Extensions of existing research Paradoxes (contradictions, controversies) Introspection on your own thoughts, feelings & behavior The Discussion sections of articles frequently provide ideas and topics for further research.

Criteria for a Good Project Narrow your focus to a very specific question. Is there a theory that might explain it – good research is motivated by theory. Theories are found in the literature – reading is required before you can find your topic! Can the theory be tested – what kind of experiment would test it? Is it practical to accomplish within 5-6 weeks? Are the needed resources available?

Requirements for the Project Must have two IVs: One IV must be something you manipulate. The other can be a demographic variable (such as sex, age, ethnicity, religion, etc.) Try to recruit at least subjects per condition – this will be affected by availability. Every study must provide an informed consent form. All members of the group must do CITI. Everyone in the group must participate.

Resources Building 5 classrooms equipped with computers, projectors, AV and desks. Meeting rooms (5-114, 5-118b). Library quiet study rooms. Digital videorecorders. Laptop computers (20) equipped with Superlab and MS-Office software. Old and slow but do have WiFi Rooms on the wider campus (see me).

Difficult Topics We cannot recruit or test children because it takes too long to get parental permission. Studies involving prisoners or mentally ill people are similarly difficult. Studies asking invasive questions about sex, drug/alcohol use or criminal behavior require complicated confidentiality protections. We can study attitudes about such behaviors or attitudes about parenting or children, as long as normal adult subjects are used.

Forbidden Topics Mozart Effect – no studies testing whether listening to any type of music improves cognitive ability or test performance. No studies of whether noise is distracting. No memory studies testing whether the color of type affects retention, etc. Memory studies must test some aspect of current memory theory, not simply what is easy or hard to remember. No Stroop effect replications.