AP Psych Research Methods

Psychology

The study of the science of behavior and mental processes

Behavior

anythioing an organism can observe

Mental Processes

internal, subjective experiences that we infer from our behavior: thoughts, perceptions, feelings, dreams

Experimental Psychologists

build psychology’s knowledge base

Applied psychologists

Indutrial organizational: helps organize culture

Spoorts engineering: human factors, re-habitualization, cinical counseling

Psychologist vs Psychiatrist

Psychologists CANNOT prescribe meds psychiatrists CAN

8 perspectives

Psychoanalytical (PA - unconcious), Cognitive Perspective (Concious), Behavioral (Condition), Humanist (self), Biopsychology (Neuroscience - Brain), Evolutionary (natural selection), Sociocultural (society influences), Eclectic (Integrative).

Goals of Research Methods

Describe, predict, control, and explain human behavior

Non-Experimental Methods

Case study, naturalistic observation, meta-analysis, correlation

Case Study

Study of an individual, event, or small group for atypical or unique qualities. In-depth data: interviews, transcripts, tests. Hard to replicate

Naturalistic Observation

Observing subjects in their natural environment without interference or bias. WATCH ONLY

Meta-analysis

A research tool not method!! Take surveys from a wider range of people but less in-depth. Limitations: people lie, bad wording, social desirability bias, relies on self-reporting.

Correlation

Look for relationships in data. Qualitative of Quantitative. CORRELATION does not equal CAUSATION

Correlation Coefficients

try to establish a relationship between data. R value

Positive Correlation

variables go the same way (right and up)

Negative Correlation

variable go the opposite way (right and down)

Experimental Method

Experiment: can show cause and effect by establishing a casual relationship

Elements of Experiments

Control Group (placebo), Experimental Group, IV, DV, Confounding Variables, Random or Representative Sampling/Assignment

Types of Experimental Design

Single Blind and Double Blind

Operational Definition

CLEAR description of variables that allows for replication