UNIT 2: PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH Flashcards
Is a process used by researchers to examine whether a relationship between two or more variables exists. Psychologists regularly utilize the scientific method to find explanations for human behaviors.
The Scientific Method
Complete Six Steps of Scientific Methods
- Observation
2. Question
3. Hypothesis
4. Experiment
5. Conclusion
6. Results
Four Main Steps of Scientific Methods
- Identifying questions of interest
- Formulating an explanation
- Carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
- Communicating
STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD
- Behavior and phenomenon requiring explanation
- Prior Research Findings
- Curiosity, Creativity, and Insight
Identifying questions of interest
STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD
- Specify a theory
- Develop a hypothesis
Formulating an explanation
STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD
- Select a research method
- Collect the data
- Analyze the Data
Carrying out research designed to support or refute the explanation
Is defined as a system of ideas designed to interrelate concepts and facts in a way that summarizes existing data and predicts future observation
Theory
Role of Theories in Psychological Research
- To Provide a framework for studies
- To Operationalize broad explanations
- Making sure that the body of knowledge is organized
- Allowing researchers to explore ideas
Giving a clear definition and making a concept quantifiable by stating the specific actions or procedures used to measure it.
Operationalize
Steps in establishing Operationalization
- Identify existing concepts
- Develop indicators
- Design study
- Collect data
- Analyze data
- Ensure credibility
- Bridge between theory and the real world
- Is a testable prediction based on a theory or a “tentative answer”
Hypothesis
A hypothesis must be
- Testable
- Falsifiable
- Specific
- Contain at least two variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are the variables that are manipulated or changed by the researcher.
Independent Variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are the variables that are measured or observed to see if they change as a result of the independent variable.
Dependent Variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are variables that affect the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Intervening Variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are variables that are not of primary interest but could still influence the results of the study.
Extraneous Variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are variables that are kept constant throughout the study to minimize their impact on the results.
Controlled Variables
TYPES OF VARIABLES
These are extraneous variables that can’t be controlled and that can affect the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Confounding Variables
- An operational definition translates a hypothesis into specific, measurable terms.
- A clear and concise explanation of how a variable or construct is measured or manipulated in a research study.
Operationalizing Hypothesis
Two Essential Components of Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis (H0)
Alternative Hypothesis (H1 or Ha)
COMPONENTS OF HYPOTHESIS
It is the statement or claim being made (which we are trying to disprove).
Null Hypothesis (H0)
COMPONENTS OF HYPOTHESIS
It is the hypothesis that we are trying to prove and which is accepted if we have sufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis.
Alternative Hypothesis (H1 or Ha)
Importance of Hypothesis
- Guiding the Research
- Testing Theories
- Making Sense of Data
- Encouraging Future Research
- Developed by Bibb Latané and John Darley
- It is the respond to the failure of bystanders to intervene when Kitty Genovese was murdered in New York, USA.
- According to this theory, greater the number of bystanders in an emergency situation, the smaller the share of the responsibility each person feels and the less likely that any single person will come forward to help.
Theory of Diffusion of Responsiblity
Is collecting data, analyzing it, drawing conclusions about human behavior and thinking patterns.
Research
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Aims to gather in-depth understanding of understanding of human behavior through experiences, perceptions, and qualitative qualities.
Qualitative Research
TYPES OF RESEARCH
Gathers data that focuses on numeric and unchanging data with an objective stance.
Quantitative Research
- Is a type of scientific research that uses experiments to prove hypothesis, it is a way for psychologist to prove cause-and-effect relationships.
- The investigation of the relationship between two (or more) variables by deliberately producing a change in one variable in a situation and observing the effects
Experimental Research
Any physical energy that a specimen senses.
Stimulus
The act of causing an effect.
Causation
The change that an experimenter deliberately produces in a situation(most likely the independent variable)
Experimental Manipulation
The manipulation implemented by the experiment
Treatments
EXPERIMENT GROUPS
This group gets the special treatment or the thing being tested.
Treatment Group
EXPERIMENT GROUPS
This is the group in an experiment that doesn’t get the treatment or change. They’re kept “normal” to see what happens without any new changes. It’s like a baseline to compare against
Control Group
Is defined as a procedure in which participants are assigned to different experimental groups or conditions on a basis of chance and chance alone.
Random Assignment to Condition
TWO TYPES OF STUDY
The participants are unaware of whether they are receiving the treatment or a placebo (control). This helps to prevent the placebo effect.
Blind Study
TYPES OF STUDY
Both the participants and the researchers conducting the experiment are unaware of which group is receiving the treatment and which is receiving the placebo. This reduces both participant and researcher bias, preventing conscious or unconscious influence on the results.
Double-Blind Study
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Factors that distort the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.
Experimental Bias
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Unintentional cues from experimenters that influence participant behavior (Rosenthal, R., 2002. 2003).
Experimenter Expectations
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Participants form hypotheses about the experiment and act on them, potentially skewing results(Rutherford et al., 2009).
Participant Expectations
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
To prevent bias, experimenters may hide the true purpose of the study from participants.
Disguising True Purpose
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Control groups receive a placebo to ensure any differences in outcomes are due to the treatment, not psychological effects (Rajagopal, 2006; Crum & Langer, 2007; Justman, 2011).
Placebo Effect
THREATS TO EXPERIMENTAL VALIDITY
Both participants and experimenters are unaware of who receives the real treatment or placebo to prevent bias.
Double-Blind Procedure
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
- Is a detailed report about one specific person, group, or situation. This approach is often used when studying individuals who are interesting to researchers because they have a rare characteristic.
- Is often used when studying individuals to researchers because they have a rare characteristics
Clinical or Case Studies
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Refers to the ability to apply the findings of a particular research project to larger segments of society.
Generalizing
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context.
Naturalistic Observation
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally.
Surveys
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
A sample is a subset of individuals selected from a population, and a population is the overall group of individuals that the researchers are interested in.
Sample and Population
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
- Relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for interesting patterns or relationships.
- Which is why research should have Replication which is the repetition of research, sometimes using other procedures to increase confidence in prior findings
Archival Research
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time.
Longitudinal research
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Is when a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time.
Cross-sectional research
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Is a type of study where researchers look at the relationship between two or more variables to see if they are connected. Importantly, this type of research does not show cause and effect it only shows if there’s a pattern or link between the variables.
Correlational Research
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
A numeric number from -1 to +1 to indicate the strength of relationship.
Correlation Coefficient
APPROACHES TO RESEARCH
Positive correlation is when both variables move at same direction, Negative correlation is when both variables move in opposite directions
Positive and Negative Correlation
In order to prevent abuse, deception, and the overall safety of the participants the APA made the following guidelines:
- Protection of participants from physical and mental harm.
- The right of participants to privacy regarding their behavior.
- The assurance that participation in research is completely voluntary.
- The necessity of informing participants about the nature of procedures before their participation in the experiment.
- All experiments must be reviewed by an independent panel before being conducted.
A document signed by participants affirming that they have been told the basic outlines of the study and that they are aware of what their participation will involve
Informed Consent
An explanation of the study and procedures that were involved shall be given to the participants
Debriefing
- Is a Philippine law designed to protect personal information.
- It requires informed consent from individuals for the collection and processing of their data and grants them rights to access, correct, and erase their information.
The Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173)
