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Chapter # 2. Research Methods. Scientific Method for Psychology. A systematic approach to researching questions and problems Identify the research problem , aided by previous research, or observation. Design and conduct a study, gathering appropriate data.
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Chapter # 2 Research Methods
Scientific Method for Psychology • Asystematic approach to researching questions and problems • Identify the research problem, aided by previous research, or observation. • Design and conduct a study, gathering appropriate data. • Collection and analysis of data. • Communicate the results. • Replication (repeating).
Sociological Research: Designs, Methods • Experimental method • Quasi experiment method • Correlation method • Survey method • In-depth interview and case study method • Observation method
Case Study Research • In-depth examination of a single person, group or situation. • Begins with how and why. • On the positive side, case studies obtain useful information about individuals and small groups. • On the negative side, they tend to apply only to individuals with similar characteristics rather than to the general population.
In-depth Interview • Gather answer to open ended questions • Conducting personal interviews at a time convenient for respondents
Survey study • Involves interviewing or administering questionnaire. • written surveys, to large numbers of people. • To learn about similarities, differences, and trends.
ADVANTAGES OF SURVEY STUDY • Obtaining information from a large number of respondents • Acquiring data as inexpensively as possible. • “Mail‐in” surveys have the added advantage of ensuring anonymity and thus prompt response.
DISADVANTAGS OF SURVEY STUDY • Volunteer bias: sample of volunteers is not representative of the general population. • Interviewer bias: when an interviewer's expectations or insignificant gestures (for example, frowning or smiling) inadvertently influence a subject's responses. • Distortion: when a subject does not respond to questions honestly.
Observational Research • Involves directly observing subjects' reactions. • Laboratory observation • Naturalistic observation
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES • Honest accounts of the experiences. • Subject bias is common • HOWTHORNE EFFECT
Correlation Research • Relationship between two variables (or “factors that change”). • No intentional changes. • Questionnaire to gather data • Relationship between two variables and degree of their relation. • Correlation coefficient (-1, +1) • Positive correlation (r=.58) • Negative correlation (r= -.58) • Zero correlation (r=.05)
Experimental Research • Attempts to determine HOW and WHY some things happen. • Independent variable (if) • Dependent variable (then) • Random assignment • Manipulation of groups • Experimental condition • Control condition
Quasi experiment method • Resembling • Does not meet all the criteria of experiment. • Random assignment to groups
Primary Research • Primary data is a type of information that is obtained directly from first-hand sources by means of surveys, observation, questionnaire or experimentation
Secondary research • The use of publicly accessible information is known as secondary data analysis. • Sociologists may obtain statistical data for analysis from businesses, academic institutions, and governmental agencies, libraries etc.
Basic Sociological Research Concepts • THEORY (previous) • HYPOTHESIS (if, then) • POPULATION • SAMPLE (RANDOM SAMPLING) • QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (QUESTIONNAIRE) • QUALITATIVE RESEARCH (OBSERVATION, INTERVIEWS)
STATISTIC • INFERENTIAL • DESCRIPTIVE • VALIDITY • RELIABILITY
Avoiding Gender, Ethnic, and Cultural Biases • Gender (male, female) • Ethnic • Cultural (70 % of all world people lice inn non-westren cultures)
Ethical Aspects of Research • Avoiding potential harm: Researcher should participate themselves in the study cause physical pain in experiment, before testing any participant. • Avoiding unnecessary deception: Debriefing
Ensuring Privacy: • Ensuring the Ethical Treatment of Animals.