Experimenal 1 - Took this course with Professor Lorelle Pickett, PDF

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Took this course with Professor Lorelle Pickett,...

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Psychological Research and the Research Methods Course How Psychologists Acquire Knowledge Each method is designed to provide an answer to a research question about a specific behavior in a specific setting. MethodsIntuition – Knowing without reasoning (hunches). Information is accepted on the basis of a “gut feeling”. The quickest way to obtain answers. It has no mechanism for separation accurate from inaccurate information. Authority – Facts stated from a respected source. Accepting new ideas b/c some authority figure states that they are true. Does not always provide accurate information. The person can be Biased or reflective personal opinions. Rationalism – Knowledge from subjective reasoning. Involves using logical reasoning to acquire new knowledge. Premises are stated describing facts or assumptions that are presumed to be true. If any premise is incorrect then the conclusion will be invalid. Empiricism – Knowledge from scientific experience. Acquiring knowledge through observation and Experience. Our senses or prior experience can deceive us. Rationalism vs. Empiricism Rationalism is a theory based on the claim that reason is the source of knowledge. Rationalists believe in intuition. Claim that individuals have innate knowledge or concepts. Empiricism is a theory based on the claim that experience is the source of knowledge. Empiricists do not believe in intuition. Claim that individuals have no innate knowledge. Science Designed to systematically produce reliable and valid knowledge about the natural world. Different scientific methods have been popular historically. Inductive Reasoning Specific to general reasoning, Making generalized decisions after observing repeated specific instances of something. (Bottom-Up) ● Latané (1981) ○ Observed people do not exert as much effort in a group as they do working alone. ○ Inferred that this represents the more general construct of social loafing. ● Researchers relying on a sample to represent a population. Deductive Reasoning General to specific reasoning, Making specific decisions after general observations. Involved in forming hypotheses from theory. (Top-Down)

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Levine (2000) ○ Used the idea of Social Loafing to deduce a specific set of events that would reduce social loafing ■ A person who views the group’s task as important and does not expect others to contribute adequately to the group’s performance will work harder.

The Research Process Finding a Problem ● You detect a gap in the knowledge base or wonder about a relation. Reviewing the Literature ● Consulting previous reports determines what has been found in the research area of interest. Theoretical Considerations ● The literature review highlights theories that point to relevant research projects. Develop a Hypothesis Research Plan ● Develop the general plan or research design for conducting the research project. Conducting the Research Project ● Conduct the research project according to the research plan or experimental design. Analysis of Research Findings/statistically significant? ● Analyze your research findings. Many projects will involve statistical analyses and statistical decisions. Prepare the APA Research report and share your findings The Hypothesis A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon that can be scientifically tested. An attempt to organize certain data and specific relations among variables within a specific portion of a larger, more comprehensive theory. ● Declarative statement. Ex: How does the work environment affect job stress? Theory A theory is a principle or idea that explains or solves a problem. Theories typically address a collection of issues. They are usually the product of numerous research studies. Often used to generate hypotheses. Ex. If this theory is correct then these behaviors are likely to occur. Characteristics of Scientific Research Discoverability ● The assumption that it’s possible to discover the regularities that exist in nature. ● Task may not be simple, e.g cure for cancer or AIDS. ● Two components ○ Discovering the pieces of the puzzle.

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Putting them together.

Control ● Holding constant or eliminating the influence of extraneous variables. ○ E.g. Diet and weight loss. Exercise must be controlled. ● This allows for unambiguous claims about cause and effect. Operationalism ● Representing constructs by a specific set of operations. Operational Definition ● Defining a concept by the operations used to represent or measure it; all variables must be operationalized. ● E.g. Aggression. (Honking of horns, hitting a BoBo doll, delivering electric shocks to another, and the force with which a pad is hit).

Replication ● Reproduction of results in a new study. ● Reasons for failure to replicate. ○ Effect doesn’t exist. ○ Replication study is not an exact replication. ○ Effect may depend on context. ● Meta-analysis ○ A quantitative technique for describing the relationship between variables across multiple studies. Goals of Psychological Research Description ● Portraying the phenomenon accurately. ● Focusing on specific characteristics and degree to which they exist ● e.g., Piaget’s theory of child development arose from detailed observations of his own children.

Explanation ● Identifying the cause(s) of the phenomenon. ● E.g., social media and extroversion. Prediction ● Anticipating the outcome and the occurrence of an event. ● Identifying risk factors of a phenomenon can help you to predict when it might happen. ● e.g., academic success. Control ● Manipulation of the conditions that determine a phenomenon. ● Different meanings of the word control. ○ Eliminating influence of extraneous variables....