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Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science. Why is Research so Important?. Unit 2: Research Methods. Hindsight Bias. Tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it.

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Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

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  1. Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically with Psychological Science

  2. Why is Research so Important? Unit 2: Research Methods

  3. Hindsight Bias • Tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. • “I knew it all along” • “Hindsight is 20/20”

  4. Overconfidence • Think we know more than we do! • Together with hindsight bias, can lead to overestimate our intuition

  5. The Scientific Attitude • Three main components • Curious eagerness • Skeptically scrutinize competing ideas • Open-minded humility before nature

  6. Critical Thinking • Critical Thinking: Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments & conclusions. • “Smart thinking” • Four elements: • Examines assumptions • Discerns hidden values • Evaluates evidence • Assesses conclusions

  7. Why is Research so Important? Unit 2: Research Methods

  8. The Scientific Theory • Theory = A mere “hunch” • Scientific theory = Observations • Scientific theory = explains through an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.

  9. The Scientific Method • Evaluates competing ideas with careful observations & rigorous analysis to describe and explain human nature. • Observations • Problem • Hypothesis • Experiment • Data • Conclusion • Replication

  10. Observations • Information about the problem.

  11. Problem • Question based upon observations.

  12. Hypothesis • A statement of relationship between or among variable. • A suggested solution to the problem. • If…Then…

  13. Experiment A procedure to test the hypothesis. • Control – experiment without the variable • Variable – factor being tested

  14. Data Results of the experiment.

  15. Conclusion The answer to the hypothesis.

  16. Replicate • In order to verify the results, experiments must be retested. • Operational definitions

  17. The Scientific Method • A good theory is useful if it: • Effectively organizes a range of self-reports and observations • Implies clear predictions that anyone can use to check the theory

  18. The Scientific Method 1) Identify a Problem 2) State Observations about the problem 3) Form a Hypothesis about the problem (if…then…) 4) Design an Experiment to test the hypothesis 5) Collect Data 6) Form a Conclusion 7) Replicate

  19. Experimental Projects @ WHS • Observations • Problem • Hypothesis • Correlational study? • Positive or Negative? • Specific Experiment • All steps included • Operational definitions • Data Collected • Conclusion • Replicate • What is your population? • How did you find sample? • Control Group • Experimental Group • Independent Variable • Dependent Variable • Confounding Variables • Blind/Double Blind? • Placebo • Any Bias?

  20. Observation and Bias Module 2: Research Strategies

  21. Observation • Gathering of information by simply watching subjects • Can lead to bias

  22. Bias • Afactor unfairly increases a researcher reaching a particular conclusion

  23. Researcher Bias • Notice evidence which supports one point of view or hypothesis. • Objectivity tends to reduce bias.

  24. Participant Bias • Subjects respond in ways they believe the researcher wants them to behave • Know they are being observed • Naturalistic Observation

  25. Naturalistic Observation • Observing & recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation. • Unaware they are being watched

  26. Case Studies Module 2: Research Strategies

  27. Case Study • Observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles. • Very open to bias… Why?

  28. Correlation Module 2: Research Strategies

  29. Correlational Study • Determines the degree to which two variables are related to one another… • Correlation Coefficient: a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1).

  30. Positive Correlation • Value of 1 variable increases (or decreases) so does the value of the other variable.

  31. Negative Correlation • Value of 1 variable increases, the value of the other variable decreases.

  32. Zero Correlation • There is no relationship whatsoever between the two variables.

  33. Correlational Study • Don’t imply a cause and effect relationship • Doesn’t determine why 2variables are related-- • Helpful in making predictions.

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