Understanding Research: Process, Problems, and Statistical Evaluation

1. Splash Screen

2. Chapter Introduction Section 1: What Is Research? Section 2:Problems and Solutions in Research Section 3:Statistical Evaluation Chapter Menu

3. Chapter Objectives · Section 1 What Is Research? Describe the process in which psychologists approach a research issue and conduct the research to test a hypothesis, solve a problem, or confirm previous research. Chapter Preview 1

4. Chapter Objectives · Section 2 Problems and Solutions in Research Discuss how psychologists must recognize and resolve errors as they conduct research. Chapter Preview 2

5. Chapter Objectives · Section 3 Statistical Evaluation Recognize that psychologists must collect and evaluate evidence to support their hypotheses. Chapter Preview 3

6. Chapter Preview-End

7. Main Idea Psychologists must first decide how to approach the research issue. Then psychologists conduct the research in one of a variety of ways to test a hypothesis, solve a problem, or confirm previous findings. Section 1-Main Idea

8. Vocabulary • sample • naturalisticobservation • case study • survey • longitudinal study • cross-sectional study • correlation • hypothesis • variable • experimental group • control group Section 1-Key Terms

9. Objectives • Describe the process of psychological research and the scientific method. • Name the different types of psychological research. Section 1-Objectives

10. A B C D Which of the following do you think is the best method of research? A.naturalistic observation B.case study C.survey D.longitudinal study Section 1-Polling Question

11. Pre-Research Decisions • Researchers begin by asking a specific question about a limited topic or hypothesis. • Then they collect evidence. • A sample is a relatively small group of the total population under study. • A sample must be representative. Section 1

12. Pre-Research Decisions (cont.) • Ways to avoid a nonrepresentative sample: • Take a purely random sample. • Deliberately pick individuals who represent the various subgroups in the population being studied, also known as a stratified sample. Jane Goodall Section 1

13. A B C D Which of the following should a psychologist avoid using? A.random sample B.nonrepresentative sample C.stratified sample D.representative sample Section 1

14. Methods of Research • The goals of research are to: • Describe behavior • Explain its causes • Predict the circumstances under which certain behaviors may occur again • To control certain behaviors Section 1

15. Methods of Research (cont.) • Methods of research used to accomplish these goals: • Naturalistic observations • Case studies • Surveys • Longitudinal Studies • Cross-Sectional Studies • Correlations • Experiments A Correlation Study Section 1

16. Methods of Research (cont.) • Every experiment has: • hypothesis • variables (independent and dependent) • experimental group • control group Experimental Research Section 1

17. Methods of Research (cont.) • Ethics are the methods of conduct, or standards, for proper and responsible behavior. • The APA has a list of ethical principles that psychologists must follow. Section 1

18. A B C D What is the importance of a control group? A.It exhibits change during an experiment. B.It affects the results in the experimental group. C.It allows for a comparison to identify changes in the experimental group. D.None of the above. Section 1

19. Section 1-End

20. Main Idea The investigation of psychological issues is a painstaking process. Psychologists must recognize and resolve errors while doing research. Section 2-Main Idea

21. Vocabulary • self-fulfilling prophecy • single-blind experiment • double-blind experiment • placebo effect Section 2-Key Terms

22. Objectives • Summarize the methodological hazards of doing research. • Examine experimental procedures psychologists use to avoid bias. Section 2-Objectives

23. A B Do you think that expectations of behavior affect actual behavior? A.Yes B.No Section 2-Polling Question

24. Problems and Solutions in Research • A self-fulfilling prophecy is a situation in which a researcher’s expectations influence that person’s own behavior, and thereby influence the participant’s behavior. Section 2

25. Avoiding a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy • Ways to avoid self-fulfilling prophecy: • Single-blind experiment • Double-blind experiment Single-Blind and Double-Blind Experiments Section 2

26. A B C Do you agree or disagree that humans often have preconceived notions about what will happen in a situation? A.Agree B.Disagree C.Not sure Section 2

27. The Milgram Experiment • In the 1960s, Stanley Miligram wanted to determine whether participants would administer painful shocks to others merely because an authority figure had instructed them to do so. • The result implied that ordinary individuals could easily inflict pain on others if such orders were issued by a respected authority. Section 2

28. The Milgram Experiment (cont.) • His experiment, although no one was actually shocked, was controversial. • Today, experiments are required to submit a plan to a Human Subjects Committee. Section 2

29. A B C Do you believe that Miligram’s decision to use volunteers as he did was ethical or unethical? A.Ethical B.Unethical C.Not sure Section 2

30. The Placebo Effect • The placebo effect is a change in a participant’s illness or behavior that results from a belief that the treatment will have an effect rather than from the actual treatment. Section 2

31. A B C Do you think that is ethical to use a placebo in an experiment? A.Yes B.No C.Not sure Section 2

32. Section 2-End

33. Main Idea Psychologists must collect and evaluate evidence to support their hypotheses. Section 3-Main Idea

34. Vocabulary • statistics • descriptive statistics • frequency distribution • normal curve • central tendency • variability • standard deviation • correlation coefficient • inferential statistics Section 3-Key Terms

35. Objectives • Recognize types of descriptive statistics. • Describe inferential statistics. Section 3-Objectives

36. A B In your opinion, in which way are statistics more likely to be used? A. To distort the truth B.To honestly to support a hypotheses Section 3-Polling Question

37. Statistical Evaluation • Statistics consist of the branch of mathematics concerned with summarizing and making meaningful inferences from collections of data. Kate’s Data Section 3

38. Descriptive Statistics • Descriptive statistics involve the listing and summarizing of data in a practical, efficient way. • One of the first steps that researchers take to organize their data is to create frequency tables and graphs. Section 3

39. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • A frequency distribution is a way of arranging data so that we know how often a particular score or observation occurs. A Frequency Distribution Section 3

40. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • Types of graphs: • Histogram • Frequency polygon/frequency curve A Frequency Polygon Section 3

41. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • A normal curve is a graph of frequency distribution shaped like a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve. A Normal Curve Section 3

42. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • A common way of summarizing is to measure the central tendency. • Distributions also differ in their variability. Measure of Central Tendency Section 3

43. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • Two commonly used measures of variability are: • Range • Standard deviation Standard Deviation Section 3

44. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • Standard devaiation is a better measure because it uses all of the data points. • A correlation coefficient describes the direction and strength of the relationship between two sets of observations. • The most commonly used measure is the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Section 3

45. Descriptive Statistics (cont.) • A coefficient with a plus sign (+) indicates a positive correlation. • A coefficient with a minus sign (–) indicates a negative coefficient. • A scatterplot is a graph of scores that demonstrates the direction of the relationship between two variables. A Scatterplot Section 3

46. A B C In relation to class test scores, which of the following do you think is more descriptive? A.An average of 84 B.A median of 85 C.A mode of 79 Section 3

47. Inferential Statistics • Psychologists also want to make generalizations about the population from which the participants come, so they use inferential statistics. • Inferential statistics are numerical methods used to determine whether research data support a hypothesis or whether results were due to change. Section 3

48. Inferential Statistics (cont.) • Researchers must perform a variety of statistical tests, called measures of statistical significance, to determine that their results are not due to chance. • For many traits in a large population, the frequency distribution follows the normal curve. Section 3

49. Inferential Statistics (cont.) • Many researchers say that if the probability that their results were due to chance is less than 5%, they do not think the results were due to chance. • The results would then be considered statistically significant. Section 3

50. A B A statistically significant result always represents an important finding. A.True B.False Section 3