Lecture 12 - Methods & their philosophies

Question 1

What is an example of feminist psychology’s critique? Kohlberg

Answer 1

That his stages of moral development favoured males (as it focused on justice and autonomy and less on care and responsibility)
So, the definition of something is (or can be) biased towards certain groups

Question 2

What is the point of feminist psychology?

Answer 2

To highlight that females often get forgotten historically (e.g., tests), but also for female researchers (e.g., not getting the same access to grands)

Question 3

How do critical psych, feminist psych, etc. want a very different concetualization of psychology? (5)

Answer 3

1. More attention for sociopolitical factors
2. Focus on understanding, rather than explaining
3. Less focus on scientific method and objectivity and more on subjectivity and reflexivity
4. More focus on oppressed or marginalized groups
5. More focus on the shaping effect of our dsicipline on society

Basically, a different philosophical framework

Question 4

What does the quantitative method focus on?

Answer 4

1. objectivication (controlled experiments, measurement limits)
2. So you cannot know what you cannot measure (which does limit the research questions)
3. “discovering reality” (aka positivism)

Question 5

Strengths and weaknesses of quantitative methods? (4 for both)

Answer 5

Strengths:
1. Statystical analyses for large data sets (generalizability)
2. Precide predictions that can be tested
3. Good for comparisons
4. Easier to investigate confounds and validity threats

Weaknesses:
1. Little interest in the perception of participants
2. Research limited by what is measurable
3. Better suited for general theories than for finding solutions for specific situations
4. If you don’t have a well-developed theory yet > quantitative is not that useful for generating theories

Question 6

nomothetic vs ideographic?

Answer 6

laws that are generalizable vs. individual depth research

Question 7

What is thematic analysis?

Answer 7

Systematically identifying, organizing and offering insight into patterns of meaning (themes) across a data set (qualititative)

Question 8

Grounded theory?

Answer 8

Systematic analysis (so coding and identifying themes) to build a theory about a specific problem

Researcher writes a problem analysis (what is going on, what kind of problems, how is it solved, etc.)

Question 9

What does grounded theory use?

Answer 9

Structured and semi-structured interviews

Question 10

What logical method does grounded theory (and qualitative in general) generally use?

Answer 10

Induction

Question 11

Intrepretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)?

Answer 11

Tries to capture people’s subjective experiences (what is it like for them + researcher as the measurement tool)

Question 12

Strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research? (3 and 4, respectively)

Answer 12

Strengths:
1. Direct involvement with situation
2. Generates theory and enables exploration
3. Responsive to the needs of participants

Weaknesses:
1. Not really generalizable
2. Little room for precise predictions/falsification
3. Less suitable for deciding between theories
4. Largely based on introspection/subjective evaluation

Question 13

Are quantitative and qualitative psychology complementary?

Answer 13

As a method it certainly can be seen as so (qualitative generates thoeries, and provided context for general laws to cases, well-suited for mapping out complex situations)

However, they can also be seen as completely different paradigms

Question 14

What are the arguments for quantitative and qualitative psych not being complementary?

Answer 14

If seen as a different paradigm (aka different philosophical frameworks) > qualitative is post-modernist social constructinism

Question 15

What are four misconceptions qualitative research as of Marecek?

Answer 15

1. Qualitative and quantitative provide the same kind of understanding (= findings are not easily combined, feelings/quotes of treatment vs. effective treatment is not complementary)
2. Qualitative research is a first exploration (= is actually full exploration, stands on its own)
3. Qualitative research is purely inductive (qual still has prior theories/assumptions)
4. Qualitative research is the same quantitative psych, but without numbers (the kind of knowledge is just very different)

as of Macerek

Question 16

What is Marecek’s opinion on complementary of qual and quan?

Answer 16

That it is too radically different from each other, that combining is impossible

Question 17

What are methodological criteria for qualitative research (6)?

Answer 17

1. Rigour (decisions, deliberate sample for variety in views)
2. Sensitivity to context
3. Coherence
4. Commitment
5. Impact and importance (wanting to make a change, social or for people)
6. Reflexivity (constantly reflecting on your own role as a researcher in your study)

Question 18

How do post-modernist and social constructionists see sience?

Answer 18

As a transformer of reality/science and knowledge is a social construction

Question 19

What is Gergen’s argument about psychology and reality?

Answer 19

Psych transforms reality, not simply describes it (so is knowledge cumalitive?) > theories should not be judged on truth, but on the ability to generate new openings for action

Question 20

What does Alan Sokal argue in his article (physics)?

Answer 20

That physics itself shows that there is no objective reality (quantum mechanics)

Question 21

What was Sokal’s point with his article?

Answer 21

That an important journal accepted his paper, even though the claims were bs (aka as long as it supports their view/has good sounding language) and that facts are certainly important