Research Psych Exam 1-5

Finishing Up Topic Three: Claims and Validities

  • Brief overview of the agenda: completing discussion on claims and validities, potential introduction of APA style topic.

  • Reminder: First assignment due on Sunday at 11:59 PM, specifically the article Q&A assignment.

Upcoming Lab Day

  • Next class on Tuesday will be a lab session.

  • Location: Whitehall 212 computer lab.

    • Contains computers for use, encouraging work on second assignment in class.

  • Second assignment will be opened to allow students to pick their research topics.

Second Assignment Details

  • Students will choose from four broad topics for their research proposal.

  • Topic examples provided to guide their specific focus:

    • 1. Child Development and Technology (possible focus on language development)

    • 2. Social Media and Mental Health (specific aspects such as anxiety or eating disorders)

    • 3. Exercise and Mental Health (specific types of exercise to study)

  • Task includes finding five scholarly sources for the proposal.

    • Write a summary about one select article from the five.

  • Assignment due the following Sunday by 11:59 PM, which allows ample time to complete the task after lab work.

Recap on Claims

Types of Claims Discussed

  • Discussion revisited the three types of claims in research:

    1. Frequency Claims:

    • Requires a single variable; typically gathered through surveys or polls.

    • Example: "Nineteen percent of Americans smoke." (Note: this number is arbitrary.)

    1. Association Claims:

    • Involves two or more measured variables; supported by correlational research.

    • Language used: "A is correlated with B," or "A is related to B."

    1. Causal Claims:

    • At least one measured variable and one manipulated variable; supported by experimental research.

    • Causal language can confidently say, "A causes B" if all criteria are met.

Causal Criteria Explained

  • Three criteria must be met for causal claims:

    1. Covariation:

    • Two variables must be related or must show a correlation.

    1. Temporal Precedence:

    • The cause must occur before the effect in time; the sequence must be established.

    1. Internal Validity:

    • No alternative explanation can account for the relationship between A and B.

Validity Introduced

General Definition of Validity

  • Validity refers to the appropriateness of a conclusion or decision; implies soundness of the conclusion.

Types of Validities in Psychological Research

  1. Construct Validity:

    • Indicates how well the variables are measured or manipulated in the study.

    • Importance of operational definitions in supporting construct validity is emphasized.

  2. Statistical Validity:

    • Measures how well the numbers support the claims.

    • Questions include:

      • How strong was the effect?

      • How precise was the estimate?

      • Has the study been replicated?

  3. Internal Validity:

    • Related to causal claims; indicates if there are alternative explanations for the findings.

  4. External Validity:

    • Generalizability of results to various populations, situations, and times.

Assessing Validity Based on Claim Types

  • Frequency Claims:

    • Investigate construct, external, and statistical validity.

    • Internal validity is not a concern due to alternative explanations.

  • Association Claims:

    • Similar concerns as frequency claims but involve two variables; both must have good measures for high construct validity.

  • Causal Claims:

    • Internal validity becomes important; queries about both measured and manipulated variables, statistical differences between groups, etc.

Causal Claims Misidentified

Examples Discussed

  • Eating Meals as a Family and Eating Disorders:

    • Found covariance but lacked evidence for temporal precedence or internal validity.

    • Highlighted importance of accurate interpretations in media when stating causal relationships.

  • Social Media Pressure and Teen Anxiety:

    • Again, established a correlation without a timeline or strong internal validity due to other potential influences on anxiety.

Summary of Claim Validities

Recap of Types of Claims and Validities with Questions for Interrogation

  1. Frequency Claims:

    • Questions include "How was the variable measured?" for construct validity, and can the finding generalize?

  2. Association Claims:

    • Similar questions about both measured variables’ reliability.

  3. Causal Claims:

    • How well were the variables manipulated and measured? Any other potential explanations?

Prioritizing Validity

  • Recognition that the importance of validity types depends on the claim type and researcher’s objectives.

    • Emphasis on internal validity for experiments; others focus more on construct/statistical validity.

  • Acknowledgment of the trade-offs between internal and external validity based on research goals.

Transition to APA Style

  • Introduction to the next topic: APA (American Psychological Association) style, crucial for social sciences research.

Overall Format for APA-Style Papers

  1. General Requirements:

    • Double spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, headers with running heads and page numbers.

  2. Key Sections in APA Papers:

    1. Cover Page/Title Page

    2. Abstract

    3. Introduction

    4. Method

    5. Results

    6. Discussion

    7. References

    • Reminder: Not all sections will be required for this class, particularly Results and Discussion.

Title Page Specifications

  • Title: Less than 12 words, should not include abbreviations or terms like “method” or “results.”

  • Name and institution included below the title; running head and page number at the header.

Abstract Requirements

  • Abstract serves as a summary and should include the main research problem, participants, methodology, hypothesis, and potential conclusions.

  • Typically between 150-250 words, presented on its own page without indentation for the paragraph.

Writing the Introduction

  • Structure as an upside-down triangle, moving from general to specific, concluding with the hypothesis.

Method Section Breakdown

  1. Participants:

    • Number of participants, demographic information, and method of recruitment.

  2. Measures:

    • Information on how variables will be operationalized, including citations for established measures.

  3. Procedure:

    • Sequential steps for replicating the study and mention of ethical considerations (IRB approvals, informed consent, etc.).

Results and Discussion Sections (Overview)

  • Results include statistical tests; Discussion evaluates the study’s significance, limitations, and suggestions for future research.

  • Students encouraged to understand these sections despite not writing them for the class.

Final Thoughts on Validity and APA Format

  • Emphasis on understanding all validities and sections of experimental writing as they will be essential throughout academic careers.