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Research Methods:

Research Methods:. Psychology as a Science. How do you know…. That George Washington was the first U.S. President?. How do you know…. That you have a stomach?. How do you know…. That the sun will rise tomorrow?. How do you know….

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Research Methods:

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  1. Research Methods: Psychology as a Science

  2. How do you know… • That George Washington was the first U.S. President?

  3. How do you know… • That you have a stomach?

  4. How do you know… • That the sun will rise tomorrow?

  5. How do you know… • That there aren’t little creatures inside computers that are responsible for the things computers do?

  6. How do you know… • That you don’t have a hole in the back of your pants today?

  7. How do we know what we know? • 1) Authority • (Dogmatism) • 2) Reason • (Rationalism) • 3) Observation • (Empiricism) Science uses Reason AND Observation

  8. Four Goals of Psychology • Description • Prediction • Explanation • Control

  9. The Scientific Method • Hypothesis = • educated guess about how two variables are related • Must be testable • Theories = • general principles that attempt to explain why two or more variables are related. • broad, simple, generative

  10. The Scientific Method Ask a question Find and Report Results Form a Hypothesis Test your Hypothesis

  11. Descriptive Research • Case Study • Survey • Observation • natural settings • laboratory settings

  12. Correlational Research A correlation is a relationship between variables 1. Positive correlation (var A ↑, var B ↑) 2. Negative correlation (var A ↑, var B ↓) 3. No correlation = no relationship Three Reasons for any correlation: • X causes Y, Y causes X, or Z causes X and Y

  13. Remember... CORRELATION DOES NOT INFER CAUSATION!

  14. Observation #1 Observation: A physiological psychologist observes that people with higher levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine exhibit more behaviors associated with schizophrenia than those with lower levels of dopamine. Type of Correlation? Explanations?

  15. Observation #2 Observation: A college professor found that the more class absences students have, the lower their grade in the course tends to be. Type of Correlation? Explanations?

  16. Observation #3 Observation: A politician running against a candidate who had been in office for eight years pointed out that violent crime had increased steadily during those eight years even though the administration had put more funding towards fighting crime. Type of correlation? Explanations?

  17. Observation #4 Observation: An industrial/organizational psychologist observes that people who are most satisfied with their jobs perform at higher levels than people who are dissatisfied. Type of correlation? Explanations?

  18. Experimental Research Can determine causation • Independent variable • Dependent variable • random assignment • control group • placebo

  19. Blinding • Single-blind study • Double-blind study

  20. Since experiments tell us cause and effect, why do correlational research?

  21. Ethical Issues in Psychological Research • Right to privacy • Informed consent • use of deception • right to withdraw • Animal rights • Is there justification for discomfort or harm a research procedure may produce?

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