PSY 231 Research Methods in Psychology

1. PSY 231 Research Methods in Psychology Non-true-experimental Designs

2. Announcements • This week in labs—running group projects • please be on time • Fill out Rating Sheet #1 by Monday (can turn in Th/Fr) • Journal Article Summary #2 due in lab next week • research participation alternative

3. last section of the course • Chapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy • Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy • Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs • Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs • Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data

4. today • Chapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy • Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy • Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs • Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs • Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data

5. descriptive research • talked about observation research designs (naturalistic, participant, contrived) and case studies earlier • focus on survey research design (most common method)

6. survey research method • why use it? • provides way to learn about people • study relationships among variables/ways that attitudes and behaviors change over time • assumes people respond accurately and truthfully • response sets

7. steps in survey research • decide objective • construct questions/responses • finalize survey • administer survey

8. constructing questions • 1. define research objectives • attitudes or beliefs • facts and demographics • behaviors

9. constructing questions • 2. word questions carefully • simplicity is key

10. constructing questions • 2. word questions carefully • simplicity is key • avoid • double-barreled questions

11. double-barreled questions BAD GOOD Should senior citizens be given more money for recreation centers and food assistance programs? Should senior citizens be given more money for recreation centers? Should senior citizens be given more money for food assistance programs?

12. constructing questions • 2. word questions carefully • simplicity is key • avoid • double-barreled questions • loaded questions

13. loaded questions BAD GOOD Do you favor eliminating the wasteful excess in the public school budget? Do you favor reducing the public school budget?

14. constructing questions • 2. word questions carefully • simplicity is key • avoid • double-barreled questions • loaded questions • negative wording

15. Negative wording BAD GOOD The city should not approve the proposed women’s shelter. The city should approve the proposed women’s shelter.

16. Constructing questions • 2. Word questions carefully • simplicity is key • avoid • double-barreled questions • loaded questions • negative wording • yea-saying and nay-saying

17. Yea-saying and nay-saying • The members of my family and I spend a lot of time together. • I spend most of my time with my friends. • I feel isolated from others. • I feel I am very close to my group of friends.

18. constructing responses • 3. closed-ended or open-ended? • advantages and disadvantages to both

19. constructing responses Closed-ended Open-ended What is the best thing about ISU? (choose one) 1. Location 2. Academics 3. Dorm food 4. People who sell things between Milner and the Bone What is the best thing about ISU?

20. constructing responses • 4. if closed-ended • decide number/label of response alternatives • should use odd number (5 or 7 best) • labels should be clear • decide scale • rating: PSY 231 is an important course in the major. 1 2 3 4 5 Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Agree Disagree

21. constructing responses • 4. if closed-ended • decide scale • semantic differential: PSY 231 Important _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Unimportant Boring _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Interesting • nonverbal scale for children: Point to the face that shows how you feel about the toy.

22. finalizing the questionnaire • 5. formatting • neatly typed and free of errors • group questions by topic • use scales consistently • sequence • interesting questions first • sensitive questions in the middle • demographic questions last

23. finalizing • 6. refining • give to small group • ask to ‘think aloud’ • help to improve questionnaire

24. administering • questionnaires • less costly than interviews • allows anonymity • requires participants can read/understand questions • may find it boring • response bias

25. administering • questionnaires • personal administration • mail surveys • Internet surveys

26. administering • interviews • often establish rapport • more likely to respond to person • able to clarify questions • interviewer bias

27. administering • interviews • face-to-face • telephone • focus groups

28. correlational research • determine relationship between variables • correlation coefficient (r): statistic that describes relationship between variables • range: -1……0……+1 • negative relationship: as one variables increases, the other decreases • positive relationships: as one variable increases, the other increases/as one variable decreases, the other decreases

29. correlational research • correlation coefficient (r): statistic that describes relationship between variables • strength • small—r = .10 and -.10 • medium—r = .30 and -.30 • large—r = .50 and -.50

30. scatterplots • strong positive relationship (.89)

31. scatterplots • weak positive relationship (.27)

32. scatterplots • strong negative relationship (-.91)

33. Scatterplots • weak negative correlation (-.31)

34. scatterplots • No relationship (.13)

35. correlational research • advantages • good starting point for research • observe natural relationships • allows study of variables that are impossible/unethical to manipulate

36. correlational research • disadvantages • no causality!!! • directionality problem • third variable problem

37. Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013) • administered a survey asking college students about their consumption of alcohol and their G.P.A. • surveyed included: • On average, how many alcoholic drinks do you consume on a weekly basis? __________ • What is your college G.P.A.? __________

38. Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013) • found a strong negative correlation (r = -.998) between number of alcoholic drinks and college G.P.A.

39. Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013) • based on the results, they suggested that drinking alcohol causes lower grades • What do you think? • It turns out that between May 2010 and May 2011 (time of data collection), all of Chicago’s major sports teams (Cubs, Bears, Bulls) had good seasons and went to their respected playoffs

40. next time • Chapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy • Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy • Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs • Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs • Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data