lesning goals 1: Introduction and methods

Question 1

What are the goals of (social) psychological research?

Answer 1

The goals of social psychology reaserch is to:

1. Describe a phenomenon
2. Predict a phenomenon (when and where)
3. Explain why the phenomenon occurs
4. Control and modify the phenomenon

Question 2

Define social psychology

Answer 2

Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, relate to, and influence one another, either interpersonally or within groups.

It is the study on how people think and experience themselves and their social world. How they relate to one another, in interpersonal or group settings.

Question 3

Does social psychological research over time reflect contemporary society? (Examples?)

Answer 3

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Question 4

What are the key elements of quantitative and qualitative research methods?

Answer 4

The key elements on quantitative reaserch:
- Systematic measurement of a phenomena
- Often controlled laboratory settings.
- Make predictions about research outcome
- Establishing general laws and principles
- More «concrete», numericaldata
- Surveys, experimentalresearch

The key elements of qualitative research methods:
- Focus on interpretation of a phenomena
- More naturalistic and uncontrained situations.
- More open to new and surprising findings.
- Descriptive
- Case studies, observational studies, interviews.

Question 5

What is a statistical correlation and what conclusions can be drawn from correlational research?

Answer 5

Statistical correlation is when there is a degree of association between variables. You should be careful to draw big conclusions, because correlation does not mean causation.

Question 6

What are the main aspects of experimental research?

Answer 6

The main aspects of experimental research is to simulate a naturally occurring events in a controlled environment like a laboratory. This includes experimental and control condition.

Question 7

What are independent and dependent variables in experimental research?

Answer 7

Dependent variable: the one that changes in according to other variables in the experiment.

Independent variable: a variable that does not change when other variables in the experiment change.