PSYCH

Chapter 2 Notes: Research Methods

Quiz 9/18
Psychology is empirical
Needs to be observed testable, repeated.. not just theoretical
o Scientific approach
o Formal, systematic, observed
Goals:
o Measurement way to measure a phenomena in a study
o Understanding & prediction
o Understand the reasons
o Hypothesis
Variables one specific unit that you can measure
Example mood stabler how does that affect
depression
o Application and control
Theory:
o Based on research, has to be replicated
Steps in a research process
o Curiosity
o Literature Review tentative explanation
o Researching theories about your curiosity
o Looking at past history
o Come up with a hypothesis
o Operationalize identify variables & find a way to test it
People with higher depressive symptoms would score
high on BDI
o Choose a research method
o Interview people
o Go to clinic and ask people to take BDI
o Statistical evaluation
o Determine best method
o Collect data
o Actual interview
o Analyze
o Interpret interview
o Determine if the numbers are significant
o Report findings
o Still have to report hypothesis even if wrong
o Conduct more research

o Make sure your not replicating someone elses research

o Research more to make yours more credible
o Journals
o Needs to be peer reviewed to make it more credible
Scientific Approach
o Soft science psychology
o Not hard evidence supporting findings
o Clarity and Precision
o Intolerance to error
o Give BDI on a day that someones dog died not an
accurate testing
Extraneous information: outside causes effecting
someones mood
o Research methods
o Some are better than others
Scholarly Article
o Abstract
o Introduction Lit Review
o Method described exact what type of method it is
o Who what when where
o Result section
o Discussion major findings in your study
o Analytical
o References
Experimental Research: research method in which the investigator
manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and
observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result
o Something that you specifically do
o Independent variable (x) what manipulates the dependent
variable
o Dependent variable (y) depends on x
o Deprive rats of food to see if they lose weight food is x
o Weight is y (weight depends on food)
o Experimental vs. Control Groups
o Control groups: experience no change
o Must be the same groups
o Extraneous variable: any variable other than the
independent variable that seems likely to influence the
dependent variable in a study

o Confounding variable: two variables that are linked

together in a way that makes it difficult to sort out the
specific effects
o Random Assignment (experimental
o Systematical equation will be wrong
Exacerbates data
o Within vs. Between subjects design
o Within same people, they all try both methods
Group of depressed people (dependent variable)
Give them medication
Positive effect
FIRST VARIABLE
Take them off medications
See if med. Is better than therapy
SECOND VARIABLE
Some are good some arent
o Between
Two groups each try one method
One is therapy
One is medicational
o Advantages & Disadvantages
Can look at same group of people and see which is
more
Sometimes you cant use an experiment on people
b/c of ethical reason
Cant expose pregnant woman to certain drugs
b/c its dangerous
Descriptive Research Methods
o Correlation
o Something causes something else
Eating more is associated with weight gain
.3, .5, .7 - .7 strong correlation
o Only allow you to describe behavior and link behaviors
o Cannot say causes
o Positive
Slants up
More food fatter I get
o Negative
Slants down
Less food skinnier I get
o Observational study
o Be able to quantify behavior

o Subtle, naturalistic observation cant bother subjects

o People act differently if there is an observer
o Problems variables you cant control
Might be ethical complications
o Case Study used in forensics
o Interviews with families or victims
o Helpful for studying disorders
o Surveys
o Questionnaires
Self reports are biased
o Assessment (testing)
o BDI
Standard Deviation: how much someone deviates from the norm
Descriptive Stats
o More or less summarize data just by looking at it
o Mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation
o Mean: average (most useful)
o Median: middle when numbers are arranged
o Inferential Statistics
o Allow research to find cause and affect, explain behavior
o Looks at statistical significance
o Replication
Needed to be done
Same circumstances so you always get same results
o Placebo effect
Fake medication to help
o Self-report data
Person who is endorsing data is person that is filling
it out
Questionnaires, interviews, personality test, myres
briggs

o Metanalysis look at several diff studies and come up with

findings to determine overall if theres a relationship
Other peoples studies
o Sample: collection of subjects collected for a subject
o Social desirability bias
Desire to look & seem good/bad to benefit yourself
o Response Set
Tendency to respond in a specific way
o Halo Effect

Not an accurate rating

Rate someone high on one element, and then others
even if it not be true

Experimenter Bias
Biases show up in work to support hypothesis
Expectations about the outcome are somehow said to the
participant
o Double Blind Procedure: participant & research dont
know what treatment the participant is getting
Restricts chance of experimenter bias
o Deception: participants are exposed to things where
youre lying to them
Debriefing actually happened
Causes a lot of emotional distress, psychologist
distrust
IRB internal review boards people that look at
your study and see if its worth it
Coke & Pepsi Experiment
Curiosity do coke and pepsi test the same?
Lit Review past studies/when they were done because ingredients
may have changed
Hypothesis They taste different. (alternative hypothesis)
They dont taste different. (null hypothesis)
Experiment The whole class (men/women, 17-22)
Sample 8 people chosen
Results statistical equation
Report findings there is a difference
Ethics moral code
APA general principles
A Beneficence & nonmaleficence
o be good and avoid harm
B Fidelity & responsibility
o Trust with others & taking responsibility for actions
C Integrity
o Make sure your accurate and truthful
D Justice
E Respect for peoples rights and dignity
Ethical Standards
1. Resolving ethical issues
Act in accordance with the Ethics code and talk in private

2. Competence
Capable of doing your work
3. Human Relations
Multiple relationships
2 years
informed consent
o cost, benefits of therapy/research
4. Privacy & Confidentially
Documents of what happened in session
Clients copies
5. advertising & other public statements
6. recordkeeping & fees
cant withhold charts if they didnt pay a fee
can barter with patients
7. Education & Training
Students dont need to disclose information