CHAPTER 2 Methods of Psychology. Crash Course What are the steps in the scientific method?
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Transcript of CHAPTER 2 Methods of Psychology. Crash Course What are the steps in the scientific method?
CHAPTER 2
Methods of Psychology
Crash Course
What are the steps in the
scientific method?
Scientific Method
1. DEFINE the variables we’ll measure
2. Formulate the HYPOTHESIS3. Determine the POPULATION
& SAMPLE to be tested 4. Determine the RESEARCH
METHOD to use5. Summarize the DATA6. Determine appropriate
STATISTICAL MEASURE to analyze data
7. Synthesize RESULTS
Defining the Variables
Variables are specifically defined according to the needs of the researcher
– Specific description of the variables to be measured– Helps researchers determine whether their research
goals were achievedExample – Do women prefer men with a more
masculine or feminine look? Variables
• Masculine Face • Chiseled Jaw • Scruffy • Thick
Eyebrows
• Feminine Face • Prominent cheek bones and
dimples• Man-scaped eyebrows• Long curly eye lashes
What is a hypothesis?
Hypothesis
Hypothesis – a statement of the results that the experimenter expects
Problems That May Skew Data
• Researcher Bias – researcher loses objectivity due to personal involvement and skews the results because of their own desired outcome
• Confirmation Bias – researcher tends to confirm rather than refute actual results in order to confirm existing beliefs
• Hindsight Bias – the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome that one would have foreseen it
Population
All research focuses on a specific population Subjects/Population – people involved in
study Sample – Smaller group representing a
larger group Representative group – truly reflects
larger group
Random Sampling
Selection where each member of a specified population has an equal chance of being selected
Systematic Sampling
Selection of every X element of a group
Ex. Every 3rd person
Experiment
The ultimate reason for completing an experiment is to show cause and effect through manipulation of variables
Variables
Independent – manipulated Dependent – changes due to the
independentConfounding variables – a factor other than
the independent variable that causes a change in the dependent variable
Scientific Method
Control Group – does not participate
Experimental Group – participate
Why is it important to have a control
group and an experimental
group?
What do you think are different
ways to research a hypothesis?
Research Methods
Laboratory Study – conducted in a lab
Field Studies – conducted outside the lab
How can a research psychologist tell if medicine is really
beneficial to a patient or if it is just the power of
suggestion?
Research Methods
PlacebosDouble Blind Study
Field StudySurvey – asking questions
Open-ended question – What type of ice cream do you like?
Closed-ended question – What type of ice cream do you like? Vanilla Chocolate Strawberry
Field StudyNaturalistic Observation – I can’t see you!!!
Never Been Kissed
Never Been Kissed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECWnJW88fcU
What benefits could their be from completing a naturalistic observation? What would be
some disadvantages?
Field Study
Interviews – Helps obtain personal information
Field Study
Case Study MethodObtain long term information
Usually used to help treat a person
Cannot be used to generalize
Field StudyPsychological Tests – What’s my IQ?
What would be a disadvantage of a psychological test?
Field StudyLongitudinal – Follows specific people their whole lives
Cross sectional – takes examples from all age groups
Are you smarter than your parents?
BLSA
A researcher is interested in how the activity levels of 4-
yr olds is affected by viewing an exciting 30min video of
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles versus a 30min calming
video of Barney
IV:
DV:
EG:
CG:
Example
The therapist wants to test a new drug designed to increase the ability of
teenagers with ADHD to take accurate notes in
class
IV:
DV:
EG:
CG:
Example
A researcher is interested in how the activity levels of 4-
yr olds is affected by viewing an exciting 30min video of Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles versus a 30min calming video of Barney
IV: viewing 30min video of TMNT
DV: activity level of 4yr olds
EG: 4yr olds watching TMNT
CG: 4yr olds watching Barney
The therapist wants to test a new drug designed to increase the ability of
teenagers with ADHD to take accurate notes in class
IV: teens taking a drug
DV: ability to take accurate notes
EG: teens taking the drugCG: teens not taking the
drug
Correlation
Correlation – a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
Positive Correlation
Both things increase or decrease in the same direction
Negative Correlation
Relationships increase or decrease in opposite directions
Correlation
Determine whether the following has positive or negative correlation: Blood pressure increases,
cholesterol increases The more you watch TV, the less
you read Students hours at work increase,
students test grades decrease Temperatures decrease, ice cream
sales decrease
Summarize the Data
Graphs, charts, and tables are ways to summarize your data
Determine the Appropriate Statistical Measure
Statistical measures help us to process the data we have collected, and summarize it into quick and clear results
MEASURES OF CENTRAL TENDENCY– MEDIAN
– The true middle value when the original data values are arranged in order
– MODE– The score that occurs most frequently; denoted by M; can be
used with nominal data– Bimodal; multimodal; no mode– a factor other than the IV that does influence the DV
– Mean – The number obtained by adding the values and dividing by
the number of values
Distribution of Data
Normal Distribution - Data is symmetrical mean, median, and mode
Distribution of Data
Skewed Distribution – data lays more in the direction of outlying scores
Synthesis Results
Results and conclusion sections are used to summarize, in words, the information found in the data and statistics sections
Questions You Can Attempt To Answer in Your Conclusion1. Was my hypothesis correct? Why or why not?2. What are some real-life applications to my controlled
experiment?3. What do my graphs and data tables say?4. What are some other studies that have been done on, or
related to, my subject?5. How generalizable are my results?6. Was there any experimenter bias?7. Was this study ethical?8. Could this study have been improved in any way?
What are ethics and why are
they important?
APA Ethics1.The right to decline
participation 2.Openness and honesty3.Confidentiality 4.Assess risks
What about all the cute little animals in the world that are
tested on?