Experimental Methods Sept 13 & 14 Objective: Students will be able to explain and evaluate the...
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Transcript of Experimental Methods Sept 13 & 14 Objective: Students will be able to explain and evaluate the...
Experimental Methods Sept 13 & 14
Objective: Students will be able to explain and evaluate the research methods used in psychology.
Agenda:
1. CBM
2. Reading Check
3. Finish Approaches notes
4. Research Methods notes
5. HW: Research methods chart, essay
Reading Quiz
1. The belief that after an outcome of an event that one could have predicted that particular outcome.
2. Testable prediction usually implied by a theory.
3. Fair representation of a population because everyone has an equal chance to participate.
4. The two elements in an experiment – one is the part being manipulated, while the other is being measured. (Must be in the correct order)
5. Clear statement of procedures which allows the process to be replicated.
Basic Ideas
Goal : Describe, predict, control & explain behaviors
Theory Hypothesis Variables Sampling
Naturalistic Observation
Watch ONLY Used if other methods would be
misleading Large amounts of data Problems:
Change if known being observed See what expect
Case Studies
Individuals/small groups Interviews, transcripts, tests Neuropsychology
Uses:-Raw material-Particular people-Testing ground
Limitations:-Limited evidence-Not representative
Surveys
Uses: Large amounts of
data
Limitations: Validity
Wording Honesty
Distortion
Experimental Method
Controlled by
researcher Independent
variable Item being
manipulated Dependent variable
Item being measured and affected
Control group Receives no
treatment
Experimental group Receives treatment
Operational Definition – define exact steps/methods used in research
Experimental Method cont’d
Confounding variable Any factor that
affects the dependent variable in addition to or instead of the independent variable
Random variable Uncontrolled/
uncontrollable factors Reliability Validity
Experimenter bias Unintentional effect
that researcher may have on results
Placebo effect No benefit but helps
because believe it will
Double blind design No one knows who
gets what
Ex Post Facto
Manipulation has already occurred Use comparison groups Use groups that are in tact Explores possible causes and effects Focuses first on the effect, then
attempts todetermine what caused the observed effect
Statistics
Measures of central tendency – typical scores Mean Median Mode
Measures of variability Range Standard deviation
Calculate the mean, median & mode for the following numbers4, 3, 7, 2, 5, 4, 4, 8
Correlation
Correlation coefficient
Positive Correlation Negative
Correlation
Correlation v. Causality
experimen
tcase study
naturalistic observation
surveyCorrelational
studies
description
weakness
strength
scenario in which
this method could be
used
EssayPsychologists use a variety of research methods to study
behavior. Three of the main research methods used are Case study Correlational Study, and ExperimentA. Discuss one advantage of each research method mentioned above.B. Discuss one disadvantage of each research method mentioned
above.
Pretend you are a psychologist who will use each of the three research methods – case study, correlational study, and experiement – to determine the effect of taking vitamin J on improving memory.
C. For each method listed above, explain a key characteristic of the basic approach you could use to reach a scientific conclusion about the relationship between taking vitamin J and improving memory. You need not design a complete study.