PYC3704 – Psychological Research
2021 – Semester 1 and Semester 2 – Assignment 3
Question #1:
Which of the following are advantages of studying statistical methods in psychology?
1. it leads to a better understanding of the content of psychological theories.
2. it helps us to formulate...
Unique number Semester 1: 357590
Unique number Semester 2: 278104
Question 1
Which of the following are advantages of studying statistical methods in psychology?
1. It leads to a better understanding of the content of psychological theories.
2. It helps us to formulate research questions.
3. It helps us to evaluate whether the patterns we observe in data are due to more than the
consequence of chance.
4. It gives insight into the nature of the scientific process.
➔ Answer: Option 3 is correct.
Statistical methods are required specifically to compare the relationships that we observe in
data with what could be expected purely by chance, in order to decide whether the patterns
we detect are probably not purely the result of random variations in the data (e.g., due to errors
in our measurements). The other three options are more general aspects of research and go
beyond the statistical analysis of the results.
Question 2
Which of the options below is a valid description of a 'construct' in psychological research? It
is a(n) - - - - -.
1. measurement based on the careful observation of aspects of humans or human
behaviour
2. observation of an aspect of humans or human behaviour which was operationalized in
some way
3. hypothetical aspect of humans or human behaviour which we wish to investigate
4. explanation of empirical observations based on the measurement of certain variables
➔ Answer: The correct answer is given in Option 3.
Constructs are abstract aspects of humans such as 'intelligence' or 'depression' which can be
best described as 'hypothetical' since we suppose they exist but they cannot be observed
directly (see p. 3 of the Study Guide for PYC3704). We use 'operationalization' to make them
visible (by developing some way of observing them) but this happens because we hypothesise
that they exist in the first place (so Option 2 is wrong). This could entail measurement (Option
1) and may lead to an explanation for human behaviour (Option 4), but the construct is
presupposed before any of this can happen.
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