Principles of scientific research

Question 1

History of psychology (Brief)

Answer 1

(Greeks) The psyche - split into a triad; rational, ambitious and appetitive (desires and lust)
(1800s) Freud and psychoanalysis - Ego, Id, Superego.
(early 1900s) Skinner and behaviourism - observable behaviours, S - R links, no study of unconscious behaviours (empty organism psychology)
(mid to late 1900s) Tolman and cognitive psychology - internal processes are more pronounced, Tolman rat maze, latent learning, counteracts behaviourism
(late 1900s) Neuroscience - brain imaging techniques to observe biological process and how they interact with behaviours

Question 2

Issues with psychoanalysis

Answer 2

Heavy reliance on case studies instead of empirical techniques
concepts are not easily falsifiable
Unconscious processes can only be theorised and supposed as by definition they are unknown

Question 3

The hypothetico-deductive model

Answer 3

A variation of the scientific method made up of 5 main stages
1. Theory is produced (based on observable events)
2. Hypothesis is generated (based on previous findings)
3. Empirical testing is done on theory to test hypothesis
4. Results are generated and analysed
5. Hypothesis is either accepted or rejected

Question 4

What is the BPS

Answer 4

British psychological society
Come up with and monitor the code of human research ethics

Question 5

BPS ethical guidelines

Answer 5

Informed consent
Deception
Debriefing
Withdrawal
Confidentiality
Rules for observational research
Giving advice

Question 6

Informed consent

Answer 6

Inform participants what they will be required to do and why and get their agreement to participate (without abusing your position of authority)
In the case of children get informed consent from parents
They should also be informed how their data will be treated (if it will be published or shared with others)

Question 7

Deception

Answer 7

Information should only be withheld as a last resort and if absolutely necessary
Should never occur if participant is likely to object when debriefed/once the study is over and they find out the true aims of the study.

Question 8

Debriefing

Answer 8

Participants should be fully debriefed at the end of the study as to what they just went through and if hidden true aims of study should be revealed
Help should be offered if participants may need or want it. (Check in on them)

Question 9

Withdrawal

Answer 9

Participants have a right to withdraw themselves or their data from the study at any point including after the study is finished (to a specified time, cannot be withdrawn if data is already published)

Question 10

Confidentiality

Answer 10

All data produced from experiments must be kept anonymous and confidential
Personal information MUST be treated with complete confidentiality

Question 11

Rules for observational research

Answer 11

Certain rules cannot be enforced during observational research (informed consent, full debriefing
So researchers should respect privacy and put well being first, local and cultural norms should be taken into account
Only conduct observations in areas people expect to be observed (public areas like parks or shopping centres, not private houses)

Question 12

Giving advice

Answer 12

Only advise if you are a trained expert in the field.
Have a responsibility to inform participants if you become aware of things the participant is not aware of.
Extreme caution should be advised

Question 13

Plagiarism

Answer 13

Presenting somebody else’s work as your own

Question 14

Collusion

Answer 14

working with others when you should not