All sciences require evidence based on careful observation and experimentation. To collect data systematically and objectively, psychologists use a variaty of research methods:
- Naturalistic Observation:
- Systematic study (of animals or human behaviour) in natural setting.
- Advantages: behaviour observed is more natural, spontaneous and varied than that observed in a laboratory. Provides new ideas and suggests new theories.
- Limitations: no control (to stop), observer bias (expectations or biases of the observer), results should not be generalized, takes lots of time, presence of observation may alter participants' behaviour.
- Best practice: team of observers, study is videotaped.
- Case Studies:
- Detailed description and analysis of one or a few people. Variety of methods used to collect information.
- Advantages and best practice: good for special cases (ex: brain-damaged patients). Useful for forming hypothesis.
- Limitations: observer bias, results should not be generalized, time-consuming.
- Surveys:
- Questionnaires or interviews, such as polls prior to an election. Provides raw data to describe beliefs, opinions and attitudes.
- Advantages: can generate a lot of information for a fairly low cost
- Limitations and best practice: questions must be constructed carefully as to not elicit dishonest answeres, sampling group should be selected with care.
- Correlational research:
- Research technique based on the naturally occurring relationship between two or more variables
- Advantages: used to make predictions, such as the relation between SAT scores and school success
- Limitations: cannot be used to determine cause and effect
- Experimental Research/Method:
- Research technique in which an investigator deliberately manipulates selected events or circumstances and then measures the effects of those manipulations on subsequent behavior.
- Components of an Experiment:
- Participants or subjects
- Independent variable (IV): Cause (hypothesis), variable that is manipulated by the experimenter
- Dependent variable (DV): Effect (result of experiment), variable that is measured by the experimenter
- Experimental group: Receives treatment
- Control group: Does not receive treatment, but is the same in every other way
- Advantages: the only research method that can be used to determine cause and effect; can explain behaviour
- Limitations: artificiality of the lab may influence participants' behaviour; unexpected/uncontrolled variables may confound results; many variables (love, hartred, grief) cannot to controlled and manipulated, ethical issues.
- Multimethod Research: Studies often combine several methods
- The Importance of Sampling in Research
- Sample: Small representative subset of a larger populationpopulation
- Random sample: Every subject had equal chance of being selected
- Representative sample: Characteristics of participants correspond to larger population
Ethics and Psychology
- The first code of ethics was published in 1953
- After Milgram's Obedience to Authority Experiment (1963) a new code of ethics on psychological experimeentation was approved.
- The APA code of ethics requires that:
- Researchers obtain informed consent from participants
- Participants must be informed of nature of research. Deception about the goals of research used only when absolutely necessary.
- Risks and limits on confidentiality must be explained.
- Deception cannot be used about aspects of research that would affect participant's willingness to participate
- If participation is a course requirement in an academic setting, alternative activities must be offered
- Researchers are required to follow goverment's set of regulations conserning the protection of human participants in all kind of research
References and more info
- Milgram's Obedience to Authority Experiment videos: 1st part, 2nd part, 3rd part
- Morris & Maisto, "Understanding Psychology" (2007), chapter 1 pp. 26-35
- Human-Computer Interaction & Cognition: reading list
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