Methods of Collecting Data

Experimental Research

Laboratory - Controlled setting where complex real-world factors are removed

Naturalistic Observation - Studies involving behavior in real-world settings

Survey - Administering a standard set of questions on a topic using unbiased questions to obtain unambiguous answers

Interview - Individuals are directly asked to self-report

Look at a single individual (or up to three people) or a group of people

Advantage: we can learn something about human nature

Disadvantage: not always transferable to other groups of people

Correlational Research - Describes the strength of the relationship between two or more events or characteristics

Correlation Coefficient: A number based on statistical analysis that is used to describe the degree of association between two variables

ranges from -1.00 to +1.00
The higher the correlation coefficient (positive or negative), the stronger the association between the two variables
- Positive - move in the same direction
- negative - move in opposite directions

Cross-sectional approach - individuals of different ages are compared at one time

Longitudinal Approach - The same Individuals are studied over a period of time, usually several years or more

Cohort Effects - Due to a person’s time of birth, era, or generation, rather than the person’s actual age