Research Methods in Psychology

I. Characteristics of Psychology Research

1. Theoretical Framework
2. Explain what a theory is

• Explain what a hypothesis, is. Explain how it is different than a theory – use an example.

• Explain what a variable is. Use an example.

1. Standardized procedures

Explain what they are - use an example.

1. Generalizability – explain what it is. Refer to a sample versus a population in your explanation, and the idea of a sample being representative of the population.

1. Measurement

• What is a measure of behavior?

• Explain what test-retest reliability is

• Explain what inter-rater reliability is (You don’t need to explain interitem reliability)
• Explain what validity is. The text describes different kinds of validity – just explain what it means if a measure is valid.

III. Descriptive Research Methods

1. Case Study

Strengths:

Weaknesses/ limitations:

1. Naturalistic Observation

Strengths:

Weaknesses/ limitations:

1. Survey

Strengths:

Weaknesses/ limitations:

*You don’t need to explain the different kinds of samples

IV. Correlational Research

Assesses the degree to which two or more variables are related, so that the value of one predicts the value of the other to that degree.

Explain this definition - what a correlation is.

1. Type of correlation – explain each, and use examples

Positive correlation

Negative correlation

1. Strength of correlation: correlation coefficient

Explain what it is. Use an example.

The statistic has a value from 0 to 1:

0 = no relationship between 2 variables

> .3, a significant relationship

> .5, a strong relationship

1. Weakness of correlational research

Explain how correlational research only describes relationships between variables. It can’t be used to test for cause and effect. Correlation doesn’t imply causation, only co-occurrence.

V. Experimental Research

In an experiment, a researcher manipulates one variable – the independent variable – to see how it affects at least one

other variable – the dependent variable.

Explain by using the famous experiment by Pennebaker that began the chapter - effect of emotional expressiveness on health.

*You don’t need to explain each of the 6 steps of constructing an experiment in the text – just the items below.

1. Variables and Conditions/Groups

• Independent variable (IV): always manipulated, creating

experimental and control conditions/groups.

Use Pennebaker’s experiment, explain what an IV is, and to explain what the experimental and control groups are.

• Dependent variable: always measured.

Use Pennebaker’s experiment to explain what a DV is

1. Threats to validity: Confounding variables/ confounds

Explain each of these three confounds, and the measures that are used to prevent them. The text does not identify #2 and #3 as confounds, but they are.

Confounding variable Preventive measure

1. Participant bias Blind the participants

2. Experimenter bias Double-blind study

3. Participant characteristics Random assignment

1. Strengths and weaknesses of experiments

Explain each:

Strength: can test cause-effect relationships between variables.

Weakensses:

-Sometimes, the findings of an experiment – a highly controlled procedure - don’t generalize to real-life.

- Some phenomena can’t be studied with an experiment.