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Chapter 2 Research Methods. It is actually way more exciting than it sounds!!!!. Conducting Research. 6 step process Form a research question Form a hypothesis Test the hypothesis Analyze results Draw conclusions Replicate study. Experimental Method. Formulate Hypothesis
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Chapter 2Research Methods It is actually way more exciting than it sounds!!!!
Conducting Research • 6 step process • Form a research question • Form a hypothesis • Test the hypothesis • Analyze results • Draw conclusions • Replicate study
Experimental Method • Formulate Hypothesis • Design Research/Study Method (type of method: naturalistic observation, case studies, surveys, experiments, etc.) • Collect the Data • Analyze the Data • Report the Findings (journal, critique, replicate) • Draw Conclusion or Theory on Explanation of Findings
Research terms to know • Hypothesis • testable prediction • Replication • Repeating the study to ensure outcome is the same
Types of research methods • Survey method • Case Study method • Naturalistic method • Correlational method • Longitudinal method • Cross-sectional method • Experimental method (laboratory or field)
The Survey Method • A technique for getting self-reported attitudes, opinions or behaviors of people usually done by questioning • Conduct via interview, mail, phone, or internet • They are cheap, anonymous, you get a diverse population, and easy to get a random sampling (sample that represents your population you want to study).
Sampling • Identify the population you want to study. • The sample must be representative of the population you want to study. • GET A RANDOM SAMPLE.
Survey Random Sampling If each member of a population has an equal chance of inclusion into a sample, it is called a random sample (unbiased). If the survey sample is biased, its results are not valid.
Survey Method - problems • Low Response Rate • People Lie or just misinterpret themselves. • Wording Effects • Wording can change the results of a survey
Case Studies • A detailed picture of one or a few subjects. • Tells us a great story…but it just describes behavior • Does not explain why anything is happening . The ideal case study is John and Kate. Really interesting, but what does it tell us about families in general?
Case Study Clinical Study A clinical study is a form of case study in which the therapist investigates the problems associated with a client. http://behavioralhealth.typepad.com
Naturalistic Observation • Watch subjects in their natural environment. • Do not manipulate the environment.
Correlational Research • Detects relationships between variables. • Does NOT say that one variable causes another. There is a positive correlation between ice cream and murder rates. Does that mean that ice cream causes murder?
Types of Correlation Positive Correlation • The variables go in the SAME direction. Negative Correlation • The variables go in opposite directions. Studying and grades has a positive correlation. Drug use and grades has a negative correlation
Correlation Positive Correlation As one number increases, the other increases. Ex: Study time to GPA Negative Correlation As one number increases, the other decreases. Ex: Absences to GPA
CORRELATION IS NOT CAUSATION!!! • People that floss everyday live 3 years longer than those that do not. • Red wine drinkers live longer than those that do not drink red wine. • As speed limits increased on America’s highways, the death rate went down. • Women with breast implants commit suicide 3 times as often as those without breast implants. • Children who are played Mozart in the womb have higher IQ’s. • Marijuana users in youth are more likely to have mental illness as adults. • As ice cream sales increased, so did shark attacks. • More TV’s per person in a country, the longer people live.
Experimental Method • Looking to prove cause and effect relationships. • Laboratory v. Field Experiments Smoking causes health issues.
Population & Sample • Identify the population you want to study. • The sample must be representative of the population you want to study. • GET A RANDOM SAMPLE.
Variables • Independent Variable (I.V.): manipulated by experimenter • Dependent Variable (D.V.): MEASURED variable influenced by independent • Operational definition • Confounding/extraneous variables
Random Assignment • Once you have a random sample, randomly assigning them into two groups helps control for confounding variables.
Assign participants to groups • Experimental group • Receives the independent variable • Control Group • Does not receive the independent variable • May receive a placebo • A false treatment • Make cause the placebo effect
Flaws in Research • Sampling Bias • Overgeneralization • Placebo effect • Hawthorne/Barnum effect • Experimenter Bias
Eliminating Experimenter bias Single-blind study Double-blind study Participants and experimenters are unaware who receives treatment • Participants do not know what group they are in
APA Ethical Guidelines for Research • IRB- Institutional Review Board • Must approve your study 1st • Both for humans and animals.
Human Research • No Coercion- must be voluntary • Informed consent • Confidentiality & Anonymity • Do not harm • Must debrief after
Animal Research • Clear purpose • Treated in a humane way • Acquire animals legally • Least amount of suffering possible.
Bell or Normal Curve 68% are within One standard deviation from mean 95% are within Two standard deviations from mean
Statistics Descriptive Statistics Central Tendency: mean – average median – middle score mode – most reoccurring number or numbers Measures of Variability: Standard deviation: shows how spread out the scores are from the mean Range: distance from smallest score to the largest score
Measures of Central Tendency A Skewed Distribution
Other measures of variability • Range: distance from highest to lowest scores. • Standard Deviation: the variance of scores around the mean. • The higher the variance or SD, the more spread out the distribution is. • Do scientists want a big or small SD? Shaq and Kobe may both score 30 ppg (same mean). But their SDs are very different.