Research Methods

Chapter 1:

Differentiating good research from bad research

Actual science

  • evidence gathered from systematic observations

  • testable + refutable

  • Always evolving; sometimes can seem contradictory

  • Grounded in past research

  • Offers alternative explanations on the data even when the data supports the original hypothesis

Pseudoscience

  • “evidence” is based on belief that ideas are connected

  • Reflects on anecdotal evidence + testimony

  • Outcomes + conclusions are stagnant and unchanged

  • Not connected to past research


Chapter 2:

  1. Find a research idea

        Identify a ground topic of interest

  • false confessions

  • Do they exist?

  • If so, what are predictors?

            Cognitive- IQ, Memory, disability

            Personality- compliance/defiance

            Social pressure- Interviewer

Naturally the subject will narrow down as you read

  1. gather background information to assess what is already known about the topic.

  2. After settling on an idea, search for literature (Use psych info from library website)

  • DO NOT USE GOOGLE SCHOLAR

  • find a handful of studies that give info directly related to your topic

  • There should be primary sources(finished reports of research studies written by the author)

Primary sources- empirical journal articles

A. Experiment will have literature review, method, results, discussion, references section, it is not empirical.

B. Secondary sources- book chapter, textbook, any other secondhand observations.

Scales of measurement:

  • Nominal: grouping/category, least complex

  • Ordinal: ranks items under a them (favorite foods, least to favorite)

  • Interval: all the property of Ordinal: 0 does not mean absence it

  • Ratio: most complex, all properties of interval but it’s zero is a meaningful zero (like zero people wearing red today)

Variables

  • characteristics - intended, naturally occurring , cannot be manipulated because:

    • Can’t = race, age, demographic

    • Shouldn’t = drug use, prenatal exposure to drugs, abuse, homelessness

  • Ex-post facto “after the fact”

  • Continuous: think fractions, it can be any number.

  • Categorical is as it sounds

  • Discrete is whole numbers/numeric scale

Condition

  • directly manipulated by the researcher

  • Also known as treatments (experimental condition)

    • Other group does not (control condition)

True Experiment

  • IV is always a condition variable

  • IV is categorical, experimental/control comparison where groups are formed through RANDOM ASSIGNMENT

  • IV is directly manipulated by researcher

Quasi Experiment

  • IV is a condition variable

  • IV is categorical, experimental/con but they are formed by convenience- what is easy

    • Exp: 1st 20 people

    • Con: 2nd 20 people

  • Volunteer, self selected

Natural manipulation

  • IV is characteristic variable

  • Often categorical, but not always

  • Can’t or shouldn’t manipulate

  • Ex post facto


Jumping to chpt. 6


Reliability: consistency of responses when measuring with interval scale


Env. Changes- surroundings can be distracting; can influence how you respond

Participant changes: people will change over time

  • ex. Age, health, medication, any lifestyle change(like a divorce or death)

Goal: reduce errors as much as possible


Assessing reliability

  • relies on pearson correlation

    • Measures the strength and direction of the relationship between 2 variables

  • Strength: how close

  • Direction: how the variables influence one another; same or opposite