Research Methods Psychology: Strength, Weakness, Oppertunity, Threat

SWOT
STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPERTUNITY,THREAT
Research methods psychology

Some Terms
• Hypothesis testing: Scientifically testing the

predicted outcome of an experiment or an
educated guess about the relationship between
variables
• Operational definition: Defines a scientific
concept by stating specific actions or procedures
used to measure it
• Example: Research regarding “difficult teachers”
• Difficult because the teacher’s grading is so
challenging or difficult to stay awake because
the class is too boring and unchallenging
Theory
• Theory: A system of ideas that interrelates facts

and concepts, summarizes existing data, and
predicts future observations
– A good theory must be falsifiable (i.e.,
operationally defined) so that it can be
disconfirmed
Scientific Fact
• Modern sciences are built on observations
that can be verified by two or more
independent observers regarding the same
event. This is what gives them validity and
reliability. Which of the psychology theories
meet this standard?
Psychology Today
• Biopsychology: All of our behavior can be
explained through physiological processes
– Uses brain scans to gather data (CT, MRI,
PET)
• Positive Psychology: Study of human strengths,
virtues, and optimal behavior
– Looks at positive side of human behavior
• Sociocultural: Focus on importance of social and
cultural contexts influencing our behavior
• Cognitive: Study thoughts, memory,
expectations, perceptions, and other mental
processes
Many Flavors of Psychologists
• Psychologists: Usually have master’s or

doctorate degree; trained in methods,
knowledge, and theories of psychology
– Clinical psychologists: Treat more severe
psychological problems or do research on
mental disorders
– Counseling psychologists: Treat milder
problems, such as school or work troubles
More Helping Professionals
• Psychiatrists: MD; usually use medications to

treat problems; generally do not have extensive
training in providing “talk” therapy
• Psychoanalysts: Receive additional training
post-PhD or MD at an institute for
psychoanalysis
Experiments
• To identify cause-and-effect relationships, we

conduct experiments
– Directly vary a condition you might think
affects behavior
– Create two or more groups of subjects, alike
in all ways except the condition you are
varying
– Record whether varying the condition has any
effect on behavior
Types of Variables
• Any conditions that can change, and might affect

an experiment's outcome
• Independent variable: Condition(s) altered by
the experimenter; experimenter sets their size,
amount, or value; these are suspected causes
for behavioral differences
• Dependent variable: Demonstrates effects that
independent variables have on behavior
Extraneous Variables
• Conditions that a researcher wants to prevent

from affecting the outcomes of the experiment
(e.g., number of hours slept before the
experiment)
Fig. 1-6, p. 34
Fig. 1-7, p. 35
Evaluating Experiments’ Results
• Statistically significant: Results gained would

occur very rarely by chance alone. The
difference must be large enough so that it would
occur by chance in less than 5 experiments out
of 100
• Meta-analysis: Study of results of other studies
• Random Assignment:
• Subject has an equal chance of being in either
the experimental or control group
Fig. 1-3, p. 21
• In our daily lives, we often conduct little experiments to
detect cause-and-effect connections. If you are interested in
gardening, for example, you might try adding plant food to
one bed of flowers but not another. The question then
becomes: Does the use of plant food (the independent
variable) affect the size of the flowers (the dependent
variable)? By comparing unfed plants (the control group) to
those receiving plant food (the experimental group) you could
find out if plant food is worth using.
• In groups, think of at least one informal experiment you’ve

done in the last month. What were the variables? What was
the outcome? Did they adequately control for the variables?
Experiment Types
• Single-blind experiment: Only the subjects have

no idea whether they get real treatment or
placebo
• Double-blind experiment: The subjects AND the
experimenters have no idea whether the
subjects get real treatment or placebo
– Best type of experiment, if properly set up
Experimenter Effects
• Experimenter effects: Changes in behavior

caused by the unintended influence of the
experimenter
• Self-fulfilling prophecy: A prediction that leads
people to act in ways to make the prediction
come true
– Common problem
Problems
• Observer effect: Changes in subject’s behavior

caused by an awareness of being observed
• Observer bias: Occurs when observers see
what they expect to see or record only selected
details
Correlational Studies
• Studies designed to measure the degree of a

relationship (if any) between two or more events,
measures, or variables
• How is this measured?
• Coefficient of Correlation
• Statistic ranging from –1.00 to +1.00; the sign
indicates the direction of the relationship
– The closer the statistic is to –1.00 or to +1.00,
the stronger the relationship
– Correlation of 0.00 demonstrates no
relationship between the variables
Correlations (cont)
• Positive correlation: Increases in one variable

are matched by increases in the other variable
• Negative correlation: Increases in one variable
are matched by decreases in the other variable
• Correlation does not demonstrate causation:
Just because two variables are related does
NOT mean that one variable causes the other to
occur
Fig. 1-9, p. 39
The Clinical Method
• Case study: In-depth focus on all aspects of a

single person
• Natural clinical tests: Natural events, such as
accidents, that provide psychological data
• Survey method: Using public polling techniques
to answer psychological questions
Fig. 1-11, p. 40
Sampling
• Representative sample: Small group that

accurately reflects a larger population
– Population: Entire group of animals or people
belonging to a particular category (e.g., all
married women)
• Internet surveys: Web-based research; low cost
and can reach many people

Research Methods Psychology: Strength, Weakness, Oppertunity, Threat

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research Methods Psychology: Strength, Weakness, Oppertunity, Threat

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Research Methods Psychology: Strength, Weakness, Oppertunity, Threat

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SWOT

STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OPPERTUNITY,THREAT

Research methods psychology

• Hypothesis testing: Scientifically testing the

• Theory: A system of ideas that interrelates facts

• Psychologists: Usually have master’s or

• Psychiatrists: MD; usually use medications to

• To identify cause-and-effect relationships, we

• Any conditions that can change, and might affect

• Conditions that a researcher wants to prevent

• Statistically significant: Results gained would

• In groups, think of at least one informal experiment you’ve

• Single-blind experiment: Only the subjects have

• Experimenter effects: Changes in behavior

• Observer effect: Changes in subject’s behavior

• Studies designed to measure the degree of a

• Positive correlation: Increases in one variable

• Case study: In-depth focus on all aspects of a

• Representative sample: Small group that

You might also like