Personality Psych Chapter 3: Scientific Experiments/Steps

goal of scientific research

description of behavior

understand and explain event

predict processes

control of variables

scientific method consists of:

what is the nature of this behavior?

can we forecast when it will occur?

what conditions affect it?

why does it occur?

steps in a scientific investigation

formulate a testable hypothesis

select the research method and design the study

• balance advantages and disadvantages of different studies

collect the data

analyze the data and draw conclusions

report the findings

hypothesis

STATEMENT about a relationship between two or more variables

theory

testable idea

ethical principles in research

any scientific study needs to be approved by IRB (Institutional Review Board)

standard informed consent

do not harm

participation is voluntary

treat participants with dignity and respect

qualitative methodology

studying people in a real and specific context

studying the general behavior

trying to explain the subjective aspects of human behavior

concerned w measurement or observation of what is in a specific place time and people

it is a non invasive approach bc there is no manipulation

different qualitative methods

observation, clinical interview, case studies, narrative analysis, life stories of biographies

advantages of case studies

researcher can find out about personality in great detail

case studies can give researchers insights into personality that can then be used to formulate a more general theory to be tested on a larger population

they can provide in depth knowledge of particularly outstanding individuals

useful in studying rare phenomena

limitations of qualitative methodology

findings based on one individual cant be generalized

limitations of direct observation

can not be used to explain behavior

observer effect: observed person changes behavior by presence of observer

observer bias: expectancy effect, data can be affected by what an experimenter expects to find. Anthropomorphic error: attributing feelings to inanimate things

experiment research

identifies cause and effect

a formal trial undertaken to confirm or disconfirm a fact or principle

varied upon 1 condition, independent variable