Research Methods Flashcards
Social psychology
The scientific study of the ways in which people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people
- To predict/control future behaviour
Hindsight bias
Our tendency (usually erroneous) to overestimate our powers of prediction once we know the outcome of a given event
What is the dispositional view of human actions? Why do we think this?
People who do a certain thing (crazy, stupid, evil, nice), have that kind of personality
- It gives us a sense of comfort to mentally separate bad people who do bad things from us “nice people”
How do we distinguish common sense facts from common sense myths? Why do we tend to believe common sense myths?
Test it thru scientific thinking and the scientific process (look for evidence to prove and disprove hypothesis)
We have a desire to fit in and be accurate (most likely a cultural bias)
Founders of social psych (1880s-1920s):
McDougall (1908) and Ross (1908)
Allport (1924)
Came up w/ first textbook looking at social influence, how ppl reacted to things
Discovered neuroscience of behavs before many scientific tools were available
- But lacked reliability, validity, and generalizability bcuz of lack of scientific method
1930s-1950s:
- Adolf Hitler
- Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI)
- Sherif (1936)
Questions of why nazi soldiers were responding positively and being obedient to Hitler arised
When we don’t have knowledge on something, we turn to others who may have the knowledge
- Happens even if incorrect, as long as that’s what majority thinks
Behaviour is a function of what?
Introspection is important for what?
Of the interaction between the person and the environment
- Depends on how we perceive and interpret the enviro (Stimulus -> Perception -> Reaction)
- Introspection important to prevent automatic responses when things aren’t what they appear to be
1960s-1970s:
Milgram (1960s)
Crisis and debate, Pluralism
Studied obedience to authority
Lab experiments startted
- But some were unethical and limited generalizability
- Led to multiple methods of investigation (multiple scores, variables, stat processes, etc), hot and cold perspectives, multicultural perspectives
Theory vs Hypothesis
Organized set of principles used to explain observed phenomena
Testable prediction about the conditions under which an event will occur
Goals of basic research vs applied research?
Figure out concepts (thru causation)
Increase understanding of real world events
Construct validity
Interrater reliability
Internal validity (Control groups)
External validity
The manipulated variables and measurement test what you actually want to test
The same result appears w/ other experimenters
Did the independent variable actually cause effects observed on the dependent variable?
- Important to use control groups to find baseline
Must be generalizable to other people and situations
How does wording affect self reports?
Positive and negative wording can change perception despite the message of the statement being the same
Types of descriptive research testing:
Observational studies
Archival studies
Surveys
Observing participant in natural enviro
- May cause observation bias (change behav when being watched)
Looking at already present info to determine changes in behav
Two essential characteristics of experimental studies (cause-and-effect relations)
Control
Random assignment
Correlational vs Experimental research
- What does it involve?
- What is its biggest advantage?
Correlational:
- Measuring variables + degree of association between them
- Allows study of naturally occurring variables + variables that are too hard/unethical to manipulate
Experimental:
- Random assignment and control; determine effect of manipulating ID on DV
- Study the cause-and-effect relationship
Random sampling vs Random assignment
- What does it involve?
- What is its biggest advantage?
Sampling:
- Select participants to be in study so everyone from a population has an equal chance of participating
- Allows data collection from samples representing broader population (generalizable)
Assignment:
- Assign participants in study to conditions so each participant has equal chance of being in any condition
- Evens out individual diffs between participants
Laboratory vs Field experiments
Controlled, identical enviro
- But may be less generalizable
Less control, more natural enviro
Subject variables
Statistical significance
Pre-existing variables that can’t be manipulated
How likely it is that variable manipulation caused the results by chance
Mundane realism vs Experimental realism
The research setting resembles the real-world setting of interest
The setting and procedures feel “real” and involving (has an impact that forces participants to take it more seriously)
Meta-Analysis
Uses statistical techniques to integrate the quantitative results of diff studies
Informed consent
Debriefing
Participant informed on basic study and gives consent to participate in research
Full disclosure (what was tested, how variables were manipulated) to participants after research procedure done
Why is knowing about biases important in research?
To control for and minimize their effect
Steps in scientific process (6)
Identify questions
Formulate hypotheses
Define variables
Design research
Analyze data
Comply w/ ethical standards
Aronson-Mills experiment:
- Hypothesis
- Independent variables
- Dependent variables
- Did the results support the hypothesis?
Women who go through severe initiation (suffer embarrassment to be admitted into group) will be more interested in it
- Severe initiation (recite list of 12 obscene words + 2 detailed descriptions of sex from novels)
- Mild initiation (recite 12 words only)
- No initiation (Control group)
Had to listen to dull conversation of sex characteristics in lower animals
- DV: How interesting was the conversation?
Results supported hypothesis
