Research Methodologies in Developmental Psychology

1. Research Methodologies in Developmental Psychology

2. Why Research? • In order for a theory to be taken seriously, there must be evidence to show that the theory is correct. • Research is how psychologists gather evidence to prove their theories. • There is no such thing as a perfect research method, so different types of research must be conducted to strengthen a theory.

3. Naturalistic Observation • This type of research involves a researcher observing an environment without interfering or intervening with the environment and the subjects being studied. • The subjects do NOT know they are being observed. • The researcher is like a security camera, records everything, but does nothing. • For example, if we were studying how teenagers interact with each other on the weekend, we may observe them at a popular hangout and makes notes on their behaviour.

4. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Difficult to draw meaningful conclusions as we cannot determine cause and effect. Lack of control of the environment, so are our conclusions correct? The observer may misinterpret behaviours. • Rich and realistic descriptions about the natural environment. • No manipulation of the environment. • More accurate behaviour from observed subjects.

5. Participant Observation • When the researcher engages with the group being studied as a participant. • The researcher is like a spy infiltrating an enemy camp. • For example, the psychologist Rosenhan and his colleagues pretended to be mentally ill in order to join and study patients and staff in a mental hospital.

7. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Participants may realize they are being studied and will alter their behaviour. The researcher, as a newcomer, will indirectly change group behaviour. The researcher may become too close to participants and alter the results to be more desirable. • Researchers gain access to groups and situations that would either deny entry or change their behaviour under observation. • Realistic and natural environment with little manipulation by researchers.

8. Experiments • Experiments often take place in lab settings where the researcher has complete control over the environment. • They allow the researcher to determine cause and effect relationships. • The participants are always aware that they are participating in an experiment and usually know what is being tested.

9. For example, the psychologists Darley and Latanewanted to study helping behaviour and the bystander effect after a New York woman was brutally murdered in front of 38 witnesses. • They hypothesized that helping behaviour would increase as group size decreased. • Participants arrived at the lab to take part of a study and while they were waiting a fake participant faked a seizure. • The amount of participants waiting in the lab was controlled by the researchers.

11. Pros and Cons Pros Cons The amount of control in an experiment can create an artificial environment. Harder to apply results to the real world. Some things cannot be tested in an experimental setting because it would be unethical or dangerous to test (eg: the forbidden experiment). • Allows us to make causal statements because the environment is tightly controlled. • Participants and variables (things being studied) can be easily manipulated to suit the researchers needs. • Bias is often removed. • Control groups can be created (these groups tell what happens when no variables are tested).

12. Field Experiments • The researcher sets up all aspects of an event and has almost complete control over the social context and the environment. • The subjects are not aware that they are in an experiment or that the researcher is controlling the environment. • The researcher is like a puppet master. • For example, the psychologists Piliavin, Piliavin, and Rodin had an actor fake a heart attack on a subway train to test helping behaviour.

14. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Not as realistic as an observation. People may realize the environment is being controlled. Is it ethical to subject people to stressful or dangerous situations? • The researcher has a large amount of control and can normally determine cause and effect conclusions. • The subjects are not aware of the experiment, so their reactions are realistic. • The environment appears realistic, so reactions are more genuine than a lab experiment.

15. Interviews • The researcher sits down face to face with the participants and asks them a series of questions. • The interviews are usually filmed or recorded to add to the researchers notes. • The questions are prepared in advance. • For example, the FBI created their system of profiling serial killers by interviewing captured serial killers, like Ted Bundy, and making a list of common traits.

17. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Very time consuming. Participants can lie or alter their answers to be more desirable. No cause and effect relationships can be determined. • Allows for a wider range of response from participants. • Participants can provide greater detail and insight to their behaviours. • Allows us to study rarer psychological issues.

18. Surveys and Questionnaires • The researchers asks questions to participants about what the researcher is studying. Participants respond through paper and pencil answers. • For example, a mass survey in Ontario was done to determine the stress levels and mental health on students in Ontario public schools.

20. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Participants may misinterpret questions or not answer questions at all. Responder bias – the participants may lie to please the researcher or themselves. If there are too many questions, the participant may respond inaccurately in order to finish the survey. No causal relationships can be determined. • Lots of information from lots of people in a short amount of time. • There is more privacy in surveys and questionnaires, so participants are more likely to share their true feelings.