Experimental Methods - Slide Deck 2

How psychology does science

Explaining Behavior: Intuition (2/3)

Intuition refers to the innate “knowing” or “feeling” why someone does something

Explaining Behavior: Pure Observation (2/3)

Pure Observation refers to first-hand experiences involving a behaviorwithout interference or manipulation

Explaining Behavior: Authority (2/3)

Authority refers to relying on a source with credibility or expertise telling you why a behavior occurs

Flaws in Pure Observation (2/3)

• Some behaviors cannot be observed

• Observation is not objective, it is subjective

• Observation changes based on circumstance

The Scientific Method (3/3)

A collection of practices, procedure, and rules that dictate how to observe, share, and think about the world

The Scientific Method: Theories (3/3)

Potential explanations for how or why something works the way it does

The Scientific Method: Hypotheses (3/3)

Predictions about what should happen in a specific situation

The Scientific Method: Studies / Experiments (3/3)

Tests of a hypothesis by creating or finding situations in which the hypothesis should hold true

Overcoming Bias: Scientific Skepticism (3/3)

A means to negate biases and differences in opinion by not becoming attached to a theory or hypothesis

Overcoming Bias: Peer Review (3/3)

A means to negate biases and differences in opinion by sending a study’s conclusions to be reviewed by other qualified scientists

Overcoming Bias: Replication (3/3)

A means to negate biases and differences in opinion by conducting multiple of the exact same study to hopefully generate consistent data to prove it is reliable and valid

Overcoming the Impossibility of Observation (3/3)

Developing new tools which allow us to observe previously unseen phenomena and enhance our understanding of the natural world

Overcoming the Unreliability of Observation: Openness (3/3)

All found data should be publicly available even if it is contradictory to the accepted theories / explanations

Overcoming the Unreliability of Observation: Double-Blind Experiments (3/3)

A method of study wherein neither the participant nor the person collecting the data should be aware of what the hypothesis is to avoid researcher bias and demand characteristics

Overcoming the Unreliability of Observation: Falsifiable Hypotheses (3/3)

Making an inflexible prediction that can be proven and disproven through observation

Scientific Method Hypothesizing: Confirmatory Studies (2/3)

Starting with a falsifiable hypothesis then finding data to either confirm or deny it

Scientific Method Hypothesizing: Exploratory Studies (2/3)

Starting by collecting data without a solid hypothesis then creating a theory based on patterns in the data

Scientific Method Operationalizing: Operational Definition (3/3)

A description of a psychological property in measurable, observable terms (ex. stage fright being measured using heart-rate immediately before a performance )

Scientific Method Measuring: Instrument (3/3)

A tool or device that measures the Operational Definition

Definition + Instrument = Data (collection of measurements)

Instrument: Internal Validity (3/3)

The instrument measures what it claims to measure

Instrument: Reliability (3/3)

The instrument gives similar measurements each time it is used

Instrument: Power / Sensitivity (3/3)

The instrument can detect small differences in each measurement

Scientific Method Reporting: Peer Review (3/3)

The process through which other scientists provide feedback and critique results

They are skeptical of claims so they can identify alternative explanations

They asses instrument validity, reliability, and power

They double-check data statistics

Scientific Method: Assumptions (2/3)

The Scientific Method assumes:

• Human nature can be studied through scientific testing

• Some parts of human nature are fixed, predictable, and universal

• We can generalize about people as a group, not a specific individual