1. SCIENTIFIC METHOD RESEARCH METHODS ETHICS PSYCHOLOGICAL RESARCH

2. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD Psychologists systematically acquire knowledge and understanding about behavior and other phenomena of interest. The Scientific Method  Question  Create Hypothesis  Conduct Research  Communicate Findings  Replicate

3. QUESTIONHYPOTHESISRESEARCH COMMUNICATE FINDINGS REPLICATE

4. THE SCENTIFIC METHOD THE QUESTION  OBSERVATION, PRIOR RESEARCH, CREATIVITY/INSIGHT THE HYPOTHESIS  FORMULATE AN EXPLANATION THE RESEARCH  CREATE AN OPERATIONAL DEFINTION: a specific, testable procedure that can be measured and observed  METHOD, COLLECT DATA, ANALYSIZE DATA

5. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD COMMUNICATE FINDINGS  GET PUBLISHED, TALK TO COLLEGUES, MAKE POSTER PRESENTATIONS REPLICATE  GET OTHER RESEARCHERS TO REPEAT YOUR RESEARCH WITH OTHER PARTICIPANTS

6. HYPOTHESIS VS. THEORY HYPOTHESIS: A prediction stated in a way that allows it to be tested.  Example: THEORY: An established, organized set of concepts that explain a phenomenon or set of phenomena based on multiple tests  Example:

7. METHODS OF RESEARCH ARCHIEVAL RESEARCH  Research in which existing data, such as census documents, college records, online databases, and newspaper clippings are examined to test a hypothesis  Pros:  Relatively easy and inexpensive  Allows a look at past events  Particularly useful for unforeseeable events  Cons:  Quality of data  Missing data

8. METHODS OF RESEARCH NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION  Research in which an investigator observes some naturally occurring behavior and does not make a change in the situation  Pros:  Sample behavior in the “natural environment”  Good for developing hypotheses  Cons  Does not control environment

9. METHODS OF RESEARCH SURVEY RESEARCH  Research in which people chosen to represent a larger population (a sample) are asked a series of questions about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes  Pros:  Straight-forward  Can easily gather a lot of information  Cons:  Social acceptability bias  People don’t always know their thoughts or attitudes

10. METHODS OF RESEARCH CASE STUDY  An in-depth, intensive investigation of an individual or small group of people  When this method is used, the goal is often to apply the information learned about the individual or small group to improve our understanding of people in general.  Pro:  Allows for examining rare phenomena  Cons:  Findings are not always generalizable

11. METHODS OF RESEARCH CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH  Research in which the relationship between two sets of variables is examined to determine whether they are associated, or correlated.  Variables: behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or vary, in some way  Correlation co-efficient: a statistical concept that describes the strength (0 to 1) and direction (+ or -) of a relationship between variables  Ranges from – 1.0 to + 1.0

12. RESEARCH METHODS GPAGPA Studying PartyingPartying Sleep Like PB&JLike PB&J Years of school

13. RESEARCH METHODS EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH  Used to determine a cause-and-effect relationship between two (or more) variables by manipulating one and measuring the changes in the other.  Independent Variable: The Manipulated Variable  Dependent Variable: The Variable Measured for Change  Has a hypothesis that predicts the effect the independent variable will have on the dependent variable

14. RESEACH METHODS EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH  2 Groups: Experimental or Control  Random Assignment: Participants are assigned to the experimental or control group based on chance  EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH IS THE ONLY METHOD THAT CAN ESTABLISH CAUSE AND EFFECT

15. RESEARCH METHODS EXPERIMENT PROCESS

16. RESEARCH METHODS STATISTICAL FINDINGS  Significant Outcome: Meaningful results that make it possible for researchers to feel confident that they have confirmed their hypotheses.  Statistically Significant Vs. Practically Significant Findings

17. THREATS TO AN EXPERIMENT IS IT GOOD RESEARCH OR NOT?  Experimental Bias: Factors that distort how the independent variable affects the dependent variable in an experiment  Experimenter expectations  Participant expectations  Third Variable Problem

18. ETHICS IN RESEARCH AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) CODE OF ETHICS  All experiments must be reviewed by an independent panel before being conducted  Institutional Review Board  The protection of participants from physical and mental harm  The right of participants to privacy regarding their behaviors  The assurance that participation in research is completely voluntary

19. ETHICS IN RESEARCH APA CODE OF ETHICS  The necessity of informing participants about the nature of procedures before their participation in the experiment  Informed Consent: A document signed by participants affirming that they have been told the basic outlines of the study and are aware of what their participation will involve.  http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/ http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/