Outline

I. What Are the Goals of Scientific

Research?
A. Measurement and Description
B. Understanding and Prediction
C. Application and Control

Outline
II. What Are the Steps in Scientific

Research?
A. Step 1: Translate a Theory or an Idea
into a Testable Hypothesis
B. Step 2: Select the Research Method &
Design the Study
C. Step 3: Collect the Data

Outline
D. Step 4: Analyze the Data and Draw

Conclusions
E. Step 5: Report the Findings
III. What Are the Different Types of
Research Methods?
A. Descriptive-Correlational Research
1. Naturalistic Observation

Outline
2. Case Study
3. Survey
B. Experiments

The Research Enterprise in

Psychology
I. What Are the Goals of Scientific

Research?
A. Measurement and Description
B. Understanding and Prediction

The Goals of Scientific Research

1. Hypothesis is a tentative statement

about the relationship between two or

more variables (i.e., a prediction)
2. Variables are anything measurable that
can vary among individuals such as
height, weight, reading speed, etc
3. Variables: marihuana use and memory

The Goals in a Scientific Study

C. Application and Control
1. A theory is a system of interrelated

ideas used to explain a set of observations

a. A good theory not only explains a set of
observations but is falsifiable
b. A good theory is stated in such clear &
precise terms that it makes predictions

The Steps in a Scientific Study

II. What Are the Steps in a Scientific

Study?
A. Step 1 is to translate a theory or an
idea into a testable hypothesis

The Steps in a Scientific Study

1. To be testable a hypothesis has to be

formulated precisely and the variables

under study have to be clearly defined
a. Operational definition-Specifies the
operations or procedures used to measure
something.
b. It is a way to give something a
numerical value.

The Steps in a Scientific Study

B. Step 2 Select the Research Method

and Design the Study

1. Select the method: Naturalistic study,
case study, survey, or experiment
2. Make detailed plans for conducting the
study
a. Participants-Persons or animals whose
behavior is being studied

The Steps in a Scientific Study

(1) Population-The entire group of

individuals to be considered.
(2) Sample-Small number of people from
the population
(3) Random sample-A sample in which
every individual in the population has an
equal chance of being selected.

The Steps in a Scientific Study

b. Experimenter bias- When a

researchers expectations or preferences

about the outcome of a study influence the
results
c. Demand characteristics-Clues that tell a
participant what the experimenter hopes to
find.

The Steps in a Scientific Study

d. Minimized by concealing true purpose

of study
e. Double-blind procedure-A research
strategy in which neither the participants
nor experimenter knows which participants
are in the experimental or control groups.

The Steps in a Scientific Study

C. Step 3: Collect the data

The Steps in a Scientific Study

D. Step 4: Analyze the data and draw

conclusions
E. Step 5: Report the findings

Different types of Research

Methods
III. What Are the Different Types of

Research Methods
A. Descriptive-Correlational Research
1. Naturalistic Observation
a. Careful observation of what happens
under more or less natural conditions
b. Jane Goodal

Naturalistic Observations
c. Observer effect-Changes in participants

behavior caused by an awareness of

being observed
d. Observer bias-Observer sees what
expects to see or records only selected
details
e. Observational record- A formal log of
data and observations

Case Study
2. Case study
a. Thorough description of a person,

including their abilities and disabilities,

medical condition, life history, unusual
experiences, or whatever else seems
relevant

Case Study
b. Dr. Harlow
c. Phineas Gage

Surveys
3. Survey
a. A study of the prevalence of certain

beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors based on

peoples response to specific questions
b. Problems:
(1) no random sample,

Surveys
(2) people not think carefully about

responses
(3) wording of questions, and
(4) socially desirable responses

Correlational Studies
4. Correlational Studies
a. Researchers measure the correlation

between two variables without controlling

them

Correlational Research
b. Correlation is the measure of the

relationship between two variables

c. Some correlations are stronger than
others
d. Correlation coefficient-A mathematical
measure of the relationship between
variables
e. Range from + 1 to -1

Correlations
f. Correlations tell us that variables are

related, but does not tell us why they are

related
g. They do not establish causation

Correlations

5. Advantages of descriptive/correlational
research:
a. Study matters could not study by experimental
method;
b. Greater external validity
c. External validity-When research findings apply
to the real world
d. In some cases can use to make predictions
6. Disadvantage: Cannot establish causation

Experiments
B. Experiment
1. Only research method that can

establish causation
2. Only can be used when researcher can
control the level of the independent
variable the participants are assigned to

Experiments
3. Usually conducted in laboratories
4. Experimental results may not generalize

well to real world

a. Lack external validity

Experiments
5. Three steps in experiment:
a. Directly vary a condition you think might

affect behavior
b. Create two or more groups of
participants that are alike in all ways
except for the condition that varies
c. Record if varying condition has any
effect on behavior

Experiments
6.Simplest experiment consists of two

groups: experimental and control groups

a. Experimental group-Group exposed to
independent variable
(1) Independent variables are conditions
altered or varied by the experimenter
b. Control group-Treated like experimental
group, but not exposed to independent
variable

Experiments
c. Dependent variables measure the

results of the experiment

(1)The effects the independent variable
had on behavior

Experiments
d. Extraneous variables-Conditions that a

researcher wishes to prevent affecting the

outcome of the experiment
e. Random assignment-A participant has
an equal chance of being in either the
experimental or control group