FIELD METHODS

RESEARCH

is an organized inquiry carried out to provide information for solving problems

RESEARCH

It is the cornerstone of every science

Investigate existing situations or problems

Provide solutions to problems

Explore and analyze more general issues

Construct or create new procedures or systems

Explain new phenomenon

Generate new knowledge or a combination of any of the above

Other definitions of research

We research people and their behavior, opinions, attitudes, trends, and patterns, also politics, animals, health and illness.

What do we research?

Research gives us information about:

Thoughts and opinions

Attitudes

Habits

Culture

Norms

Scientific facts

Medical information

What does research tell us?

Research extends knowledge

Research establishes generalizations and general laws

Research verifies and tests

General laws developed through research

Research analyze inter-relationships

Applied research aims at finding solutions

Objectives of Research

explore

describe

explain

Purpose of Research

1. To describe Field Methods .

2. To identify the key characteristics of Field Methods

3. To learn the different field methods.

4. To explain the importance of field methods of research in Psychology 5. To identify ethical and legal issues in field methods

additional objectives of research

Field methods of research

are research approaches that involve collecting data directly from a natural setting (rather than in a laboratory or controlled environment) to understand real-world behaviors, events, or phenomena

Field Methods in Psychology

These methods are especially common in social sciences, education, anthropology, psychology, and environmental studies

Data is gathered in real-world environments

Context and setting are integral to understanding the findings

Often qualitative but can also include quantitative measures

Less control over variables compared to lab based methods

Characteristics of Field Methods

Field Methods in Psychology

are crucial for understanding human behavior in real world contexts, offering insights that laboratory settings may not capture

Field Methods in Psychology

They enhance the ecological validity of research, allowing for a more accurate representation of how people think, feel, and act in their natural environments

1. Ecological Validity

2. Contextual Understanding

3. Addressing Practical Problems

4. Flexibility and Adaptability

5. Overcoming Data Gaps

Importance of Field Methods

1. Naturalistic Observation

2. Participant Observation

3. Field Experiments

4. Surveys and Questionnaires

5. Field Interviews

6. Case Studies in the Field

7. Experience Sampling Method (ESM)

Major Field Methods in Psychology

Naturalistic Observation

Watching and recording behaviors, events, or conditions as they naturally occur

Participant Observation

Non-Participant Observation

Structured Observation

Unstructured Observation

Types of Observation

Participant Observation

The researcher becomes part of the group being studied

Non-Participant Observation

The researcher observes without actively engaging

Structured Observation

Uses a checklist or rating scale for specific behaviors

Unstructured Observation

Open-ended, focusing on general impressions

Field Interviews

Face-to-face or virtual conversations conducted in the setting where participants live or work

Structured

Semi-structured

Unstructured

Types of Field Interviews

Structured

Follows a set of pre-determined questions

Semi-Structured

Combines set questions with flexibility for probing

Unstructured

Informal and conversational

Surveys and Questionnaires

Distributing a set of written or digital questions to collect self-reported data from people in the field

Surveys and Questionnaires

Advantages: Can reach many participants quickly

Case Studies

An in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or setting in the field

Ethnography

A long-term, immersive study of a culture or social group

Action Research

Collaborative problem-solving research carried out with participants in their setting, aiming for both knowledge and change

Field Experiments

Experimental research conducted in a real-world setting rather than a lab, with variables manipulated to observe effects

observation

one important method of psychology

observation

psychologists watch people closely to understand how they behave and feel

ETHICAL STANDARDS

Guidelines which are described as a similar set of principles that should be followed when conducting research and are good principles to follow for most aspects of the life

1. Respect for the autonomy, privacy and dignity of individuals and community

2.Scientific Integrity of the research, be true to yourself and your science 3.Social Responsibility

4.Maximizing Benefit and minimizing harm

ETHICAL STANDARDS IN RESEARCH

Respect for autonomy

involves providing full information, obtaining consent and allowing them to choose for themselves

Respect for autonomy

Researcher explains the steps in conducting the survey and respect the participant's decision to be interviewed in a private place

Respect for privacy

protecting a person's personal information , thoughts and experiences from unnecessary exposure

Respect for privacy

A researcher keeps participant survey responses in a pass-word protected file and does not reveal any identifying details

Respect for dignity of individuals

involves treating people with fairness, compassion and without discrimination regardless of background , status and circumstances

Respect for dignity of individuals-

A researcher speaks to all participants of the study with kindness and avoid belittling remarks even when correcting mistakes

Respect for the community

valuing shared norms, cultural traditions and collective rights of groups

Respect for the community

Before conducting a research, researchers consult community leaders, explain the purpose of the study and ensure the research outcomes will benefit the community

Scientific Integrity of the research

be true to yourself and your science

Scientific Integrity of the research

requires honesty, transparency and accuracy in conducting and reporting research

Scientific Integrity of the research

This means avoiding data fabrication, plagiarism and misrepresentation

Social Responsibility

highlights the responsibility of professionals and researchers to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of society

Social Responsibility

A psychologist develop a free community program to teach low income families about coping strategies for stress

Maximizing Benefit

professional actions provide the greatest possible positive outcomes for individuals

Maximizing Benefit

After conducting a research on stress, stress management workshop are conducted in schools for daily life application

Minimizing harm

protecting individuals from unnecessary risks, discomfort or negative consequences

Minimizing harm

Researchers avoid asking triggering questions during survey

Minimizing harm

Participants should not experience physical, psychological, or social harm due to the research

Ethics in field research

involves adhering to moral principles that guide researchers in conducting studies and interacting with participant

Informed Consent

Confidentiality and Anonymity

Minimizing Harm

Avoiding Deception

Respect for Persons

Beneficence and Non-Maleficence

Justice

Integrity

Key Ethical Principles in Field Research

INFORMED CONSENT

Participants must be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits of the study before agreeing to participate

CONFIDENTIALITY AND ANONYMITY

Researchers must protect the privacy of participants by keeping their identities and data confidential

Anonymity

means not collecting any identifying information, while confidentiality means protecting collected data

Deception

is when a researcher gives false information to subjects or intentionally misleads them about some key aspect of the research

Deception

should only be used as a last resort and must be fully justified

Avoiding deception

Researchers should be truthful and transparent with participants

Respect for persons

Ensuring participants understand the research, potential risks and benefits, and have the freedom to choose whether or not to participate

stemming from the 1978 Belmont Report

is a core ethical principle emphasizing the need to treat all individuals as autonomous agents capable of making their own decisions

BENEFICENCE

(doing good) involves maximizing benefits and minimizing potential harm to participants

NON-MALEFICENCE

(avoiding harm) dictates that researchers should avoid causing any harm, both intentionally and through omission

justice

in field research, as a component of research ethics, emphasizes fair distribution of research benefits and burdens, and avoiding unfair exclusion of participants

justice

It involves ensuring that research participants are selected based on appropriate criteria, not on bias or vulnerability, and that they have equal opportunities to participate

INTEGRITY

in field research involves conducting studies with honesty, transparency, and respect for participants and the research process

INTEGRITY

It encompasses ethical considerations, accurate data collection and reporting, and responsible interpretation of findings

scientific method

a systematic approach to gaining knowledge, characterized by observation, questioning, hypothesis formation, experimentation, analysis, and conclusion

scientific method

It's a cyclical process, not a rigid formula, allowing for modifications and refinements as new information emerges

To provide an objective, standardized approach in conducting experiments.

Through the use of scientific method, it limits the influence of bias and preconceived notions and improves the quality of results.

To provide a systematic, unbiased, and reproducible way to answer questions, test ideas, and build reliable knowledge about the world

Purpose of Using Scientific Method in Research

1. Observation / Ask a Question

2. Background Research / Literature Review

3. Formulate a Hypothesis

4. Design and Conduct an Experiment / Collect Data

5. Analyze the Data

6. Draw Conclusions

7. Report and Share Results

8. Replication and Further Research

Steps of the Scientific Method

scientific method

Provides a structured approach for experiments and studies, ensuring results are valid, verifiable, and can be replicated.

Quantitative research

is a systematic investigation that focuses on numerical data, measurements, and statistics to answer research questions or test hypotheses

Quantitative research

It emphasizes objectivity, reliability, and generalizability

1. Descriptive Research

2. Correlational Research

3. Experimental Research

4. Quasi-Experimental Research

5. Survey Research

Common Quantitative Research Methods

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

usually it forms preliminary study of a research project

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It aims at describe social events, relations and events

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It provides background information about an event in question

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It attempts to describe and explain conditions of the present by using many subjects and questionnaires to fully describe a phenomenon

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

is a method that systematically observes and describes the characteristics of a population, phenomenon, or situation

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

It answers "what," "where," "when," and "how" questions but not "why," focusing on providing a detailed account without manipulating variables or establishing cause-and-effect relationships

Correlational Research

refers to the systematic investigation or statistical study of relationships among two or more variables, without necessarily determining cause and effect

Experimental field research

is a research method that tests cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating an independent variable and observing its effect on a dependent variable within a real-world setting instead of a laboratory

Experimental field research

It aims to test a hypothesis by manipulating one or more variables (the independent variable) and observing the effect on another variable (the dependent variable) in a natural context