Research Methods in Psychology
Observer Bias
-when the individual observing behavior is influenced by their own experiences, expectations, or knowledge about the purpose of the observation or study
Independent Variable
-causing variable that is manipulated by the experimenter -independent:dependent::viewing violence:aggressive behavior
Random Assignment
-condition that each participant is assignes is determined through a random process, such as a lottery -ensures that you get demographic variation -without random assignment- only a quasi-independent variable
Threats to Internal Validity
-dependent variable actually caused by a confounding variable
Case Study
-descriptive record of one or more individuals' experiences and behaviors -strengths- ---provide detailed info about a single person or small group of people -weaknesses- ---results not generalizable to larger public ---possible problem of relying on people's memories ---interviewer bias ---people may withhold info
Surveys
-measure administered through face-to-face, telephone, written, or computer, to get a picture of the beliefs or behaviors of a sample of people of interest -strengths- ---quick, efficient way to gather specific information about a large group of people to make a generalization about the larger population -weaknesses ---self-reporting errors b/c of social desirability bias ---answer can be influenced by how question is worded, who asks it
Dependent Variable
-measured variable expected to be influenced by the experimental manipulation
Correlational Research
-measures relationship btwn or among two or more relevant variables -i.e: height and weight are correlated -when just two variables, one is Predictor Variable, other is Outcome Variable -strengths ---can offer clues about underlying causes ---can identify groups of people at high risk for certain behavioral problems ---increases understanding of relationsip btwn variables or events -weaknesses ---cannot be used to draw conclusions about the causal relationships among measured variables (because of common-causal variables)
Correlation Coefficient
-number btwn +1.0 and -1.0 which indicated strength or weakness of correlation
Experimental Method
-random assignment of research participants into two groups, followed by a manipulation of a given experience for one group while the other is not manipulated, groups then compared -strengths ---precise control over variables ---can draw conclusions about cause and effect relationships -weaknesses ---threats to external and internal validity ---possibility of confounding variable ---contrived environments can be unconvincing
Naturalistic Observation
-research based on the observation of everyday events in the natural environment of the subject -strengths- ---get to objectively view subject in natural environment, subject is probably more comfortable than in a lab -weaknesses ---subject's behavior or natural habitat might be altered by presence of researcher, unless researcher is hidden ---researchers may loose objectivity and become attached to subjects, which would bias their interpretation of events - Observer Bias
Threats to External Validity
-results are not a general as claimed- only found under limited conditions or for specific groups of people
Flaws in Research-
-sampling bias -placebo effects -social desirability bias -experimenter bias
Interrater Reliability
-score which estimates how much agreement there is btwn two observers about what the subjects were doing -can identify observer bias
Descriptive Research
-snapshot of the current state of individuals -case studies, surveys, naturalistic observation -strengths ---attempts to capture the complexity of behavior -weaknesses ---limited to static pictures ---no control group
Common-causal Variable
-third, unseen or unstudied variable which causes both the predictor and outcome variables, making the relationship SPURIOUS
Sample
-those chosen for the study from which researchers make a generalization about the population
Random Sampling
-to make a more general generalization of the population
