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Research Methods in Psychology

Introduction

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The Science of Psychology

Psychologists• develop theories• conduct research• answer questions about behavior and mental

processes

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Example: Media Violence and Aggression Exposure to media violence causes

• increase in aggressive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

• short- and long-term effects

Effects of media violence• consistent across

research studies and methods people types of media

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Media Violence and Aggression, continued

Long-term studies• childhood exposure to media violence

→ adult aggression

Theories about exposure to violence• “activates” aggressive cognitions and arousal• models aggressive behaviors• desensitizes people to violence

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Media Violence and Aggression, continued

Factors affect likelihood of aggressive response following media violence• characteristics of viewers• social environment• media content

No one is immune to the effects of media violence

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The Scientific Method

“Scientific method”• an abstract concept• not a particular technique or method• ways in which scientists ask questions• logic and methods used to gain answers

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The Scientific Method, continued

Two important aspects• empirical approach• skeptical attitude

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The Scientific Method, continued

Empirical approach• observe behaviors directly• experimentation

systematic control

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Science in ContextHistorical, Social/Cultural, and Moral

Historical Context• increased scope of scientific psychology• psychological organizations: APA, APS• Early 1900s: empirical approach• 20th century: computer revolution• shift: behaviorism to cognitive psychology

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Science in Context, continued

Social and Cultural Context• zeitgeist influences

research questions resources for science society’s acceptance of psychological research

• potential bias of ethnocentrism

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Science in Context, continued

Ethnocentrism bias• understand behavior of individuals in different

culture through framework of own culture• be aware of cultural influences

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Science in Context, continued

Examples of potential ethnocentric bias• Do we ask questions of

deficits vs. strengths in aging people? aggression vs. nurturance and race?

• Consider research questions that go against stereotypes

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Science in Context, continued

Ethnocentric bias influences how we interpret behavior• Stereotypes based on dress or hairstyle

(e.g., “Goths,” HipHop)• Has your behavior ever been interpreted in

terms of an ethnocentric bias?

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Science in Context, continued

Moral Context• high standards for integrity and ethical

conduct• scientists do not

fabricate data plagiarize selectively report research findings

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Science in Context, continued

Ethical Principles of APA Evaluate research dilemmas involving

• risks and benefits• deception• animal research

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Thinking Like a Researcher

Think like a researcher• be skeptical• even of claims based on “published” findings• and claims presented in the media

Strongest evidence• converging evidence• but all claims are probabilistic

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Thinking Like a Researcher, continued

Science and Legal System• Both make decisions based on evidence• Legal system

small amount of evidence leads to suspicion large amount of evidence is needed to convict

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Thinking Like a Researcher, continued

Scientific Evidence

varies according to strength of evidence• description• prediction• evidence for the cause of a behavior• replications (repetitions)

Stronger evidence → more confident claims about behavior

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Evidence and Decision Making

Quality & Extent ofLegal Decision Evidence Scientific Decisions

suspicion of guilt low description

arrest prediction

arraignment statement about causes

conviction high replication of findings

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Guidelines for Evaluating Reports of Psychological Research

Pseudoscience ≠ science Be skeptical Scientists may disagree Research is generally about averages Go to the original source

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Getting Started Doing Research

What should I study?• Choose a research topic by reviewing

psychology journals textbooks courses

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Getting Started, continued

Research hypothesesA hypothesis (plural: hypotheses) is• a tentative explanation for a phenomenon• stated in the form of a prediction and an

explanation

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Getting Started, continued

Example hypothesis• Research participants who play violent video

games are predicted to behave more aggressively than participants who passively watch televised violence

because

video-game participants’ aggression is reinforced (rewarded) while playing the game

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Getting Started, continued

A different hypothesis• Research participants who play violent video

games are predicted to behave less aggressively than participants who passively watch televised violence

because

video-game participants have the opportunity to release any aggressive impulses

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Getting Started, continued

How to develop a hypothesis• Consider exceptions from a general trend• Imagine how you would behave in a situation• Consider similar problems and responses• Perform sustained observations of a person or

phenomenon• Consider counterexamples for an obvious conclusion• Use ideas or theories from other disciplines• Read reports of psychological research

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Getting Started, continued

Is the research question a good one?• scientifically important?• scope?• likely outcomes?• psychological science advanced?• anyone interested in the results?

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The Multimethod Approach

One scientific method Many psychological research questions

and research methods different areas of psychology require

multiple methods• clinical, social, industrial/organizational,

developmental, counseling, physiological, cognitive, educational, personality, human factors, neuropsychology, etc.

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The Multimethod Approach, continued

No single research method of technique can answer all of the different questions in psychology

Multimethod approach→ more complete understanding

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The Multimethod Approach, continued

No perfect research method• each method or measure of behavior has

flaws

Multimethod approach• flaws associated with any particular method

are overcome by other methods to fill in the gaps

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The Multimethod Approach, continued

“Toolbox” with different tools for conducting research

Focus of this class• introduce different research tools

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Steps of the Research Process

Develop a research question• Be aware of ethnocentrism• Gain personal experience doing research• Read psychological literature

Generate a research hypothesis• Read psychological theories on your topic• Consider personal experience, think of

exceptions, and notice inconsistencies in previous research

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Research Steps, continued

Form operational definitions• Look to previous research to see how others

have defined the same constructs (concepts)• Identify the variables you will examine

Choose a research design• Decide whether your research question seeks

to describe, allow prediction, or identify causal relationships

• Choose the appropriate research design for your question

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Research Steps, continued

Evaluate the ethical issues• Identify the potential risks and benefits of the

research and the ways in which participants’ welfare will be protected

• Submit a proposal to an ethics review committee

• Seek permission from those in authority

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Research Steps, continued

Collect and analyze data; form conclusions• Get to know the data• Summarize the data• Confirm what the data reveal

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Research Steps, continued

Report research results• Present the findings at a psychology

conference• Submit a written report of the study to a

psychology journal

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Discussion Questions

Have you heard or read media reports about psychological research?• Did you accept the report without questions?

Why or why not?• Did you have enough information?

What do other scientists say about the topic? Could the reporter be biased?

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Discussion Questions, continued

Do you remember ever being skeptical about research presented in the media?• Why were you skeptical?• What information would have made you less

skeptical?• Did a finding seem “too good to be true”?• Did anyone have anything to gain through the

report?• Have the findings been replicated (repeated)?

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Discussion Questions, continued

What research topics in psychology interest you?• What hypotheses can you form about your

topic? What relationships might exist between variables

(factors) you’ve identified? Can you make predictions regarding your topic? Can you identify potential causes for the behavior

or phenomenon?

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Discussion Questions, continued

Does your cultural background influence your choice of topic and hypotheses?• Would people with different backgrounds view

your topic similarly?• Consider people with different sex, age, racial,

socioeconomic status than yourselfMight these characteristics make a difference for your topic?

• Are there other cultural variables that would make a difference?

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Discussion Questions, continued

What research topics and theories are currently popular among psychologists?

What research topics are investigated at your school?

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Discussion Questions, continued

How might our current social and cultural context be related to the prominence of certain research topics?

To what extent does ethnocentrism play a role in the prominence of current research topics?