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Summary Psy114: Research Methods & Statistics
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Research Methods in PsychologyWEEK 6
Learning Objectives:
➔ Describe + discuss key considerations of each step in sci method.
➔ Identify / define components relevant to experimental research from a given
example.
➔ Discuss key characteristics (strengths & weaknesses included) of different research
approaches (experimental & non-experimental)
➔ Discuss key ethics considerations
➔ Identify and describe measures of central tendency and measures of spread
➔ Discuss various threatts to the validity of psych research
Psych as a science: The Scientific Method
Primary aims:
➔ Measure & Predict: find a way to measure the study that allows it to be
described clearly and concisely.
➔ Understand & Predict: scientists understand sth when they can explain
& reason. / to evaluate their understanding → make & test predictionos =
hypothesis. | test hypothesis & develop theories.
Theories = a system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of
observations.
Hypothesis = statement abt the relationship btwn 2 or more variables.
Variables = any measurable conditions, events, characteristics or
behaviours that are controlled or observed in a study.
➔ Application & Control behaviour: scientist hope their info will be of
value to solving problems. / once they understand sth, they have more
control over it.
1
,Steps in Scientific Approach:
Steps:
1. Identify a problem = aka problem statement
2. Dev Rationale = motivate why NB to research
3. Research Q = seeks to address or answer the problem that was identified (the
purpose)
4. Hypothesis = operational definition = describes actions or operations that’ll be used
to measure or control a variable.
5. Research Design = plan / step by step of how study will be conducted
6. Ethics Clearance = is the method of research ethical ?
7. Data Collection = gathering information from a sample (group of subjects)
8. Data Analysis = looking at the results, should provide an answer to the research
question
9. Submit Results = journal is a published scientific study, undergoes a demanding
peer-review process that is summarised where they scrutinise each submission.
10. Published article = journal / finished piece of research post peer-review
Advantages of the scientific method:
- Clarity and precision / Researchers use operational definitions / Relative intolerance
of error
2
, Research Design, Approaches & Data Collection:
Experimental vs Non-experimental Methods
Research Approaches:
2 types of approaches: Qualitative & Quantitative
1. Quantitative = to test hypotheses, assess cause & effect relationships
and make predictions.
2. Qualitative = to understand & interpret social interactions or human
behaviour through observation
1. Quantitative Research Design:
Experimental Methods of Research design:
- Preferred method
- Involves experimentation in which one
or more of the variables are
manipulated while the other is held
constant, so that the effects of the
experimentation can be observed.
- Goal of exp research = provide
answers to q’s of interest by
establishing whether cause and
effect relationships exist between the
variables.
Experimental & Control Groups:
Research participants assigned to one of
two groups:
1. Experimental group (aka treatment
group) = receives the treatment &
effects that the researchers are trying
to study / is exposed to the manipulated independent variable.
2. Control group = group of participants not exposed to the manipulation
of the independent variable. (members of a control group receive a
standard treatment, a placebo, or no treatment at all.)
Random assignment: procedure whereby each of the participants has an
equal chance of being assigned to an experimental or control group.
Sample = a subgroup of people who are similar ito their characteristics and
relatively representative of the population a researcher is interested in drawing
a conclusion about.
Variables:
Sometimes many variations are possible in experiments. It is also possible to
manipulate more than one independent variable or measure more than one
dependent variable in a single experiment. Main advantage = allows
researchers to see wether two variables interact (the effect of one lies on the
effect of another)
3
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