Download Essentials of Understanding Psychology

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What is research?
 To systematically acquire knowledge and
understanding about behavior and other phenomena
of interest.
 Psychological research is different from research in a
natural science, such as physics or chemistry ?
Because
There are no constants in psychology
Goals of Psychological Research
• Description of social behavior
 Are people who grow up in warm climates different
from those in cold climates?
 Establish a relationship between cause & effect
 Does heat cause higher amounts of aggression?
 Develop theories about why people behave the way
that they do
 We dislike hindus/jews to feel better about ourselves
Requirements of Psychological
Research
 Objective Observation
 Control
 Duplication and verification
Limitations of psychological
research
 Not all Behavior can be Studied
 Observing behavior can Change it.
 Artificial Settings
 College Students as Subjects
Applications
In psychological research, the researcher is often trying
to show that some variables have CAUSAL EFFECTS
upon others.
 Creating effective therapeutic treatments,
 more successful negotiation tactics, and
 greater understanding amongst groups of people
 Understanding market trends
 Greater understanding of consumer behaviour
 Helps solving labor problems
The Process of Doing Research
 First, select a topic
 Then, search the literature
 Find out what others have done that
may be applicable to your area of
interest
 Next, formulate hypotheses

State the relationship between two
variables
 Hypothesis is a prediction or an
assumption, given in the form of a
statement.
 It helps us in testing the validity of the theories.
 Theories & hypotheses allow the psychologists to make
sense of unorganized, separate observations, & to
place them in a structured form.
The Process of Doing Research
 It might be hypothesised, for example, that
“college students who have firm career goals
achieve higher GPAs than those who do not
have firm career goals.”
 It is hypothesized that there is a difference in
job satisfaction between those who receive
regular feedback on their job performance and
those who receive irregular feedback.”
 It might be hypothesised that the more
violent programmes that children watch on
TV or cinema the more violent the children
actually become.
 It is hypothesized that children of immigrants and
children of native born citizens will differ in their
attitudes toward school.”
 It is predicted that there will be a positive relationship
between self-esteem and academic performance, such
that as self-esteem increases academic performance
will also increase.
The Process of Doing Research
 Then pick your research method
 Experimental vs. correlational (Design)
 Field vs. laboratory (Setting)
 Finally, collect & analyze your
data
 Archival Research
 Existing data, such as:



census documents
college records
newspaper clippings
 … are examined to test a hypothesis.
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 Survey Research
 A sample of people chosen to represent a larger group of
interest —population —is asked a series of questions
about their behavior, thoughts, or attitudes.
 Survey researchers strive for random sampling.
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 The Case Study
 An in-depth, intensive investigation of a single individual or a
small group.
 Often includes psychological testing
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 Correlational Studies
 Two sets of variables are examined to determine
whether they are associated, or “correlated.”
 Variables

Behaviors, events, or other characteristics that can change, or
vary, in some way
 Correlation coefficient


Positive
Negative
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TV Viewing and Aggression
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Experimental Research
 Experiment
 Investigating relationship between two or more
variables by:
 1. changing one variable in a controlled situation
 2. observing the effects of that change on other aspects
of the situation

Experimental manipulation
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Experimental Research
 Experimental Groups and Control Groups
 Treatment

Manipulation implemented by the experimenter
 Experimental group

Receives a treatment
 Control group


Receives no treatment
Rules out other reasons for change
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Experimental Research
 Independent and Dependent Variables
 Independent (IV)

The condition that is manipulated by an experimenter
 Dependent (DV)

The variable that is measured and is expected to change as a
result of experimenter’s manipulation of the independent
variable
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Experimental Research
 Random Assignment of Participants
 To make the experiment a valid test of the hypothesis
 Random Assignment to Condition
 Participants are assigned to different experimental
groups or “conditions” on the basis of chance
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Experiment Example
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Experimental Research
 Significant Outcome
 Using statistical analysis, researchers can determine
whether a numeric difference is a real difference or is
due merely to chance
 Replication
 Repeating experiment

Meta-analysis
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Research Method: Advantages & Shortcomings
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Ethics of Research
 Protecting Participants
 APA Ethical Guidelines:
 Protect from physical and mental harm
 Participants’ right to privacy regarding behavior
 Assurance that participation is voluntary
 Informing participants about procedures
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The Ethics of Research
 Informed Consent
 Participants sign a document affirming that they know:





the basic outlines of the study
what their participation will involve
the risks the experiment may hold
that their participation is purely voluntary
they may terminate the study at any time
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Should Animals Be Used in
Research?
 Procedures that subject animals to distress are
permitted only when an alternative procedure is
unavailable and when the research is justified by its
prospective value
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