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Summary Research Principles Notes for BSc Psychology: Research Methods 1

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Module
Research Methods 1 (4PAHPRM1)

Institution
Kings College London (KCL)

Complete revision and summary notes for Research Principles for BSc Psychology: Research Methods 1 Module. Written by a straight A* King's College London student set for a 1st. Well organised and in order. Includes diagrams and full reference section and collated information from lectures, ...

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Type Summary

operationalism
psychology
research methods
research principles
validity
replication
falsifiability
design
counterbalancing
report writing
reliability
theories
data

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4PAHPRM1 Research Methods 1 Research Principles
Psychology BSc Year 1

DEFINING KEY RESEARCH TERMS

TESTING THEORIES

Research
• A careful study of a subject, especially to discover new facts or information about it (Oxford
Dictionary)
• In psychology, research seeks to explore, explain, predict, and control phenomena related to human
behaviour and mental processes

Theory
• A concept or an interrelated set of ideas that are used to explain a body of data and to make
predictions about the results of future experiments (Stanovich, 2013; Kennedy-Higgins, 2024)
• Example: The theory of cognitive dissonance explains how conflicting attitudes and behaviours
cause discomfort, motivating individuals to resolve the inconsistency.

Research Question
• A question that a scientist wants to try to answer with their research
• A narrow question derived from a theory that should aim to question/challenge it
• Hypotheses will then be used to predict the answers to the research questions. (Stanovich, 2013;
Kennedy-Higgins, 2024)
• Example: “Does observing aggressive behaviour in peers increase aggression in children?”

Hypothesis
• Specific, testable predictions that are derived from theories (which are more general and
comprehensive) (Stanovich, 2013; Kennedy-Higgins, 2024)
• Example: “Children exposed to violent video games will show higher aggression levels than those
exposed to non-violent games.”

CORE RESEARCH PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS

Systematic Empiricism
• Emphasising the importance of gathering and analysing data through careful, structured
observation
• The idea that knowledge should be based on observable and measurable evidence obtained
through rigorous, well-designed methods
• Scientific observations are usually theory-driven (Stanovich, 2013)

Parsimony
• Favouring is the simplest explanation that adequately explains a phenomenon
• It avoids unnecessary complexity, making theories more practical and testable

Essentialism
• The idea that categories have fixed, innate essences defining their nature
• Essentialist explanations suggest that certain traits or characteristics are inherent, fixed, or
essential to a group or individual, overlooking social or situational factors, leading to
oversimplifications and stereotypes

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, 4PAHPRM1 Research Methods 1 Research Principles
Psychology BSc Year 1

Theory-Driven Research vs Direct Applications
• Theory-driven approaches are more focused on the long-term understanding and development of ideas,
offering explanations and predictions based on broad theories
• Direct applications are more immediate problem-solving strategies that prioritise real-world utility over
theoretical exploration

Theory-Driven
• Based on existing knowledge, hypotheses, or theories that have been tested in prior studies
• Used to explain phenomena, predict outcomes, or develop new ideas
• Focuses on understanding underlying principles and concepts that can be generalised across
different situations

Direct Applications
• Focuses on practical, real-world solutions
• Uses existing tools, technologies, or methods to solve immediate problems
• It may not always be based on rigorous theoretical foundations but emphasises effectiveness and
practicality

FALSIFICATION AND REPLICATION

Replication
• Enables other scientists to attempt the same experiment and try to obtain the same results
(Stanovich, 2013)
• Ensures that original findings are not due to biases or errors

Exact Replication
• Repeating a study with the same methods to verify the results

Conceptual Replication
• Testing the same hypothesis using different methods or contexts

Falsification
• A theory must be testable by empirical techniques
• Science deals only with “testable, or specifiable, problems” (Stanovich, 2013)
• If a theory does not rule out any possible observations, it can never be changed, and we are stuck in
our current way of thinking, with no possibility of progress (Stanovich, 2013)

Assessing the Explanatory Power of Different Theories
A good theory should be:
• Testable: Can be empirically examined
• Falsifiable: Can be proven wrong
• Parsimonious: Simple and concise
• Applicable: Relevant to a wide range of contexts

Applicability to Different Contexts
• Times: Valid across different historical periods
• Participants: Generalisable to diverse populations
• Tasks: Applicable to related but different tasks

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