Types of Research - Psychology

Experiment

• Allows researchers to determine causality

• Control or Manipulate Independent Variables.

• Randomly assign subjects to groups

Quasi-Experiment

• There is some component of the Independent Variable that cannot be controlled.

  • ex. Gender & Age

Cross Sectional vs Longitudinal

• Cross Sectional

  • Multiple Groups of Participants observed at the same time.

  • Faster

• Longitudinal

  • One group of participants observed at different times/stages throughout their life

  • Takes a lot longer

  • More control —> Less Variation & Experimental Noise

Field Study

• Taking general lab concept to the real world

Naturalistic Observation

• Experimenters should see ppl behave in their natural environment. Natural Behavior.

• Observed in a public setting where privacy isn’t expected.

Case Study

• Can observe a small number of people or just one person to get more info on broader context.

• Unethical to recreate experiment.

  • Example: Phineas Gage had an accident which sent a metal rod through his head, causing brain damage. Though he survived the attack, he suffered major personality changes. These changes were observed and thus used to infer what parts of the brain control personality, and what certain kinds of damage can do to the human mind.

Survey

• Q & A

• Quick

• Large participant pool

• Limiting

Between-Subjects

• Exposed to 1 level of Independent Variable

• Shorter, but used more participants

Within-Subjects

• Exposing 1 participant to multiple levels of independent variable

• Takes a lot longer, but less experimental noise.

Reliability

• Same person doing the same task yields the same results.

Validity

• I am measuring what I think I’m measuring

• Ask things related to the concept interested in

• Types of Validity

  • Internal

    • How much control I have over my study

    • Highter lvls, stronger connections

  • External

    • How similar my study is to the real world

    • Likeliness of Repeating