Methodology: How Social Psychologists Do Research

Social Psychology as an Empirical Science

  • Goals of Social Psychology:
    • Describe behavior
    • Explain behavior
    • Predict behavior
  • Methods of Inquiry:
    • Correlational Method: Assesses relationships between variables
    • Experimental Method: Determines causality through controlled experiments
    • Meta-Analysis: Summarizes findings from multiple studies

Understanding Predictions in Social Experiments

  • Hindsight Bias: Tendency to see outcomes as obvious after they have occurred.
    • Example: Predicting election results becomes easier post-election.

Formulating Hypotheses

  • Hypotheses often arise from everyday observations.
  • Case Study: Kitty Genovese's murder led to the hypothesis of Diffusion of Responsibility by Latané and Darley, where individuals assume others will take action.
  • Research is essential to test these hypotheses: mere speculation is not sufficient.

Primary Research Designs

  • Correlational: Measures how two or more variables are related.
  • Experimental: Includes random assignment and control to identify causal effects.
  • Meta-analysis: Compiles data from previous studies for broader insights.

The Correlational Method

  • Positive Correlation: Both variables increase together (e.g., height and weight).
  • Negative Correlation: One variable increases while the other decreases (e.g., job satisfaction and quitting thoughts).
  • Correlation Coefficients: Ranged from -1.00 (perfect negative) to +1.00 (perfect positive), with 0 indicating no correlation.

Limitations of Correlational Method

  • Correlation does not imply causation. Three possible causal relationships may exist:
    1. Variable A causes B
    2. Variable B causes A
    3. A third variable influences both A and B.

The Experimental Method

  • Experimental Design:
    • Participants randomly assigned to conditions to determine causality based on independent variable manipulation.
  • Independent Variable: The variable manipulated by researchers (e.g., type of TV program watched).
  • Dependent Variable: The outcome measured to assess the impact of the independent variable (e.g., aggression levels).

Validity in Experiments

  • Internal Validity: Ensures the independent variable is the only thing affecting the dependent variable, maintained through control of extraneous variables and random assignment.
  • External Validity: Refers to the generalizability of findings beyond the study. It addresses:
    1. Generalizability across situations
    2. Generalizability across people

Enhancing External Validity

  • Field Experiments: Conducted in real-world settings to enhance ecological validity while lowering control compared to lab experiments.
  • Realism Types:
    • Mundane Realism: Similarity of the experiment to everyday situations.
    • Psychological Realism: Similarity of psychological processes in the experiment to real-life situations.

The Replication Crisis

  • Issues with replicating landmark studies due to:
    • Small effect sizes
    • Selective publication and biases in research practices.
  • Meta-Analysis aids understanding of the reliability of effects across studies.

Ethical Considerations in Psychology

  • Researcher Integrity: Need for ethical standards to avoid data fabrication, suppression of results, or undue pressure on participants.
  • Participant Welfare: Protecting participants from stress and ensuring informed consent are key ethical responsibilities.