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Psychological Research Methods
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Hindsight Bias The tendency to
believe, after learningthe outcome, that youknew it all along.
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Overconfidence We tend to think we
know more than we do.82% of U.S. drivers considerthemselves to be in the top30% of their group in terms of
safety
81% of new business ownersfelt they had an excellent
chance of their businessessucceeding. When asked aboutthe success of their peers, theanswer was only 39%. (Nowthat's overconfidence!!!)
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Scientific Method1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a theory that is consistent with whatyou have observed.
3. Use the theory to make predictions.4. Test those predictions by experiments or
further observations.5. Modify the theory in the light of your results.6. Go to step 3.
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Hypothesis A tentative theory that has not yet been tested.
Have operational definitions.Be replicable.
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Types of Research
DescriptiveCorrelational
Experimental
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Descriptive Research Any research that observes and records.
Does not talk about relationships, it justdescribes.
What is going on in this picture?
We cannot say exactly, but we
can describe what we see.
Thus we have..
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Types of Descriptive Research
The Case Study
The Survey
NaturalisticObservation
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The Survey Method Used in both descriptional and correlational
research.
Use Interview, mail, phone, internet etc
The Good- cheap, anonymous, diverse
population, and easy to get random sampling(a sampling that represents your populationyou want to study).
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Random Sampling
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Why do we sample? One reason is the False
Consensus Effect: thetendency to overestimatethe extent to which others
share our beliefs andbehaviors.
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Survey Method: The Bad
Low Response Rate
People Lie or justmisinterpretthemselves.
Wording Effects
How accurate would a survey beabout the frequency of diarrhea?
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Naturalistic Observation Observing and
recording behavior innatural environment.
No control- just an
observer.
What are the benefits and detriments of Naturalistic Observation?
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Correlational Research
Detects relationships
between variables. Does NOT say that one
variable causes another.
There is a positive correlationbetween ice cream and murderrates. Does that mean that ice
cream causes murder?
What might account for this correlation, possibly?
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Measured using a correlation coefficient.
A statistical measure of the extent to which
two factors relate to one another
Positive or Negative?
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Correlation Coefficient - + or - ?
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How to Read a Correlation Coefficient
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Experimental Research Explores cause and effect relationships.
Eating too many bananas causes Constipation
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Steps in Designing an Experiment
1. Hypothesis
2. Pick Population: Random Selection thenRandom Assignment.
3. Operationalize the Variables
4. Identify Independent and Dependent Variables.
5. Look for Extraneous Variables
6. Type of Experiment: Blind, Double Blind etc..
7. Gather Data
8. Analyze Results
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Experimental Vocabulary Independent Variable: factor that is
manipulated
Dependent Variable: factor that is measured
Extraneous Variables: factors that effect DV,
that are not IV.
Experimental Group: Group exposed to IV
Control Group: Group not exposed to IV
Placebo: inert substance that is in place of IVin Control Group
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Analyze Results Use measures of central tendency(mean,
median and mode).
Use measures of variation(range andstandard deviation).
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A Skewed Distribution
Are the results positively or negatively skewed?
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