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Overview of the Day

Overview of the Day. Research Methods Statistical Reasoning. What Characterizes Science? . The use of theory conceptual schemes for: organizing scientific observations organizing facts generating hypotheses Empiricism: confirming or falsifying theory with data and facts

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Overview of the Day

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  1. Overview of the Day Research Methods Statistical Reasoning

  2. What Characterizes Science? • The use of theory • conceptual schemes for: • organizing scientific observations • organizing facts • generating hypotheses • Empiricism: • confirming or falsifying theory • with data and facts • and using standard methods for collecting data

  3. Why do we Need a Science ofPsychology • Limits of common sense and casual reasoning • overconfidence • hindsight • Perceptual limitations • Human nature is complex • Increase our understanding of why we behave as we do and mechanisms underlying behavior

  4. How do Scientists get Data? • Scientific Method • controlled procedures that help to rule out other explanations

  5. Variables • Causal mechanisms and outcomes • independent variable (assumed cause) • dependent variable (assumed effect caused by independent variable) • Example: • anxiety (IV) --> self-esteem (DV)

  6. Types of Scientific Studies • naturalistic observation • correlational study • field experiment • laboratory experiment

  7. Statistics • What scientists use to: • summarize data • understand relationships between variables • estimate the probability of events occurring by chance • make inferences

  8. Sampling • Population • everyone or thing in a particular class • Sample • a portion of people or things in a particular class • Random sample • each person or thing has an equal probability of being included in a sample

  9. Summarizing Data • Graphs and Histograms (bar graphs) • Measures of Central Tendency • Measures of Variability • Measures of Association

  10. Graphs • Visual display of data grouped by categories • example: the percentage of 3rd graders whose IQ scores fall within various intervals

  11. Central Tendency • Mean (the average) • Median (score in the middle) • Mode (most frequent score) • Example: what is the mean, median, and mode of the following five heights: 60, 63, 63, 65, 67, 68, 69?

  12. Variability • Degree of dispersion around the middle • standard deviation • Example 1: which sample would have the largest standard deviations in height? • a classroom of CMU students • all people in an elementary school • Example 2: What would indicate the most consistency in free-throw performance (percentage made per game) in a season? a high or low standard deviation?

  13. Degree of Association • Correlation coefficient (-1.0, 0, +1.0) • Degree to which two variables are associated with each other (does not imply causality) • Examples: • height and weight • packs of cigarettes per day and incidents of lung cancer

  14. Summary • Science and scientific method • Variables and types of scientific studies • Statistics • Sampling • Summarizing data (graphs, central tendency, variability, association)

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