intro to research method

7/28/2019 Intro to research method

1/41

Introduction

Chapter 1

1


2/41

Psychologists

develop theories

conduct research

answer questions about behavior and mentalprocesses

2


3/41

Exposure to media violence causes

increase in aggressive thoughts, emotions, andbehaviors

short- and long-term effects Effects of media violence

consistent across research studies and methods

people types of media

3


4/41

Long-term studies

childhood exposure to media violence leads to adult aggression

Theories about exposure to violence activates aggressive cognitions and arousal

models aggressive behaviors

desensitizes people to violence

4


5/41

Factors affect likelihood of aggressive responsefollowing media violence

characteristics of viewers

social environment media content

No one is immune to the effects of mediaviolence

5


6/41

Scientific method

an abstract concept

not a particular technique or method

ways in which scientists ask questions logic and methods used to gain answers

6


7/41

Two important aspects

__________ approach

__________attitude

7


8/41

Empirical approach

_________ behaviors directly

_______________

systematic control

8


9/41

Historical Context

increased scope of scientific psychology

psychological organizations: APA, APS

Early 1900s: empirical approach 20th century: computer revolution

shift: ___________to __________psychology

9


10/41

Social and Cultural Context

_________ (spirit of the times - general trend ofthought or feeling) influences: research questions

resources for science

societys acceptance of psychological research

potential bias of _______________(peoples view ofanother culture are biased by their own culture)

10


11/41

Ethnocentrism bias

understand behavior of individuals in differentculture through framework ofown culture

be aware of cultural influences

11


12/41

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 againststereotypes

12


13/41

Ethnocentric bias influences how we interpretbehavior

Stereotypes based on dress or hairstyle

(e.g., Goths (Barbarian), HipHop) Hasyourbehavior ever been interpreted in terms of

an ethnocentric bias?

13


14/41

Moral Context

high standards for integrity and ethical conduct

scientists do not fabricate data

plagiarize

selectively report research findings

14


15/41

Ethical Principles of APA

Evaluate research dilemmas involving

risks and benefits

deception animal research

15


16/41

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 _______________

16


17/41

Science and Legal System

Both make decisions based on evidence

Legal system small amount of evidence leads to __________

large amount of evidence is needed to ____________

17


18/41

Scientific Evidence

varies according to strength of evidence

____________

____________ evidence for the _______of a behavior

___________

Stronger evidencemore confident claims

about behavior

18


19/41

Quality & Extent of

Legal Decision Evidence Scientific Decisions

suspicion of guilt low description

arrest prediction

arraignment/critical statement aboutexam causes

conviction high replication of findings

19


20/41

Pseudoscience science

Be skeptical

Scientists may disagree

Research is generally about ___________Go to the ___________source

20


21/41

What should I study?

Choose a research topic by reviewing psychology journals

textbooks

courses

21


22/41

Research hypotheses

A hypothesis (plural: hypotheses) is

a ___________________________________

stated in the form of a __________and an______________

22


23/41

Example hypothesis

Research participants who play violent video gamesarepredictedto behave more aggressively thanparticipants who passively watch televised violence

because

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

23


24/41

A different hypothesis

Research participants who play violent video gamesarepredictedto behave less aggressively thanparticipants who passively watch televised violence

because

video-game participants have the opportunity torelease any aggressive impulses

24


25/41

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

25


26/41

Is the research question a good one?

scientifically important?

scope?

likely outcomes? psychological science advanced?

anyone interested in the results?

26


27/41

One scientific method

Many psychological research questions andresearch methods

different areas of psychology require multiplemethods

clinical, social, industrial/organizational,developmental, counseling, physiological, cognitive,

educational, personality, human factors,neuropsychology, etc.

27


28/41

No single research method of technique cananswer all of the different questions inpsychology

_____________approachmore complete understanding

28


29/41

No perfect research method

each method or measure of behavior has flaws

Multimethod approach

flaws associated with any particular method areovercome by other methods to fill in the gaps

29


30/41

Toolbox with different tools for conductingresearch

Focus of this class

introduce different research tools

30


31/41

Develop a research question Be aware of ethnocentrism

Gain personal experience doing research

Read psychological literature

Generate a research hypothesis Read psychological ___________on your topic

Consider personal experience, think of exceptions,and notice _____________in previous research

31


32/41

Form operational definitions Look at previous researches to see how others have

defined the same __________(_________)

Identify the variables you will examine

Choose a research design Decide whether your research question seeks to

describe, allow prediction, or identify causalrelationships

Choose the appropriate research design for yourquestion

32


33/41

Evaluate the ethical issues

Identify the potential _________ & ___________ofthe research and the ways in which participantswelfare will be protected

Submit a proposal to an ethics review committee

Seek permission from those in authority

33


34/41

Collect and analyze data; form conclusions

____________the data

__________the data

__________what the data reveal

34


35/41

Report research results

Present the findings at a psychology conference

Submit a written report of the study to a psychologyjournal

35


36/41

Have you heard or read media reports aboutpsychological 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?

36


37/41

Do you remember ever being skeptical aboutresearch presented in the media?

Why were you skeptical?

What information would have made you lessskeptical?

Did a finding seem too good to be true?

Did anyone have anything to gain through thereport?

Have the findings been replicated (repeated)?

37


38/41

What research topics in psychology interestyou?

What hypotheses can you form about your topic? What ___________might exist between variables (factors)

youve identified?

Can you make __________regarding your topic?

Can you identify potential _________for the behavior orphenomenon?

38


39/41

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

topic similarly?

Consider people with different sex, age, racial,socioeconomic status than yourself

Might these characteristics make a difference foryour topic?

Are there other cultural variables that would make adifference?

39


40/41

What research topics and theories are currentlypopular among psychologists?

E.g.

What research topics are investigated at yourschool?

E.g.

40


41/41

How might our current social and culturalcontext be related to the prominence of certainresearch topics?

E.g.To what extent does ethnocentrism play a role

in the prominence of current research topics?

E.g.

intro to research method

Documents