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Chapter 1

Definition of Psychology

Psyche ->

Logos ->

How is an understanding of research methodology useful?

n    Psychology is a science

¨   

n    Conducting a study

n    Reading & evaluating other people’s studies

n    Making decisions in your daily life

n   

How do you answer questions in your own life?

Method                       Way of knowing/finding answer

Tenacity                     

Intuition                      

Authority                    

Rational                     

Empiricism   

Scientific Approach to Research

Scientific approaches are skeptical and critical and emphasize the following in their data collection methods:

y       Systematic & controlled observations.

y       Accurate & precise measuring instruments that produce valid and reliable measurements.

y       .

y       Unbiased & objective reports of research findings.

Scientific Approach to Research

Nonscientific approaches are accepting and uncritical.  They often involve:

y       Casual, uncontrolled observations.

y       Inaccurate & imprecise measuring instruments that produce invalid & unreliable measurements.

y       .

y       Biased and subjective reports of the phenomena being studied.

The Four Canons of Science

n   Determinism

n   Empiricism

n   Parsimony

n   Testability

Scientific Approach to Research

The advantages of using a scientific approach in psychology are:

y       provides specific rules for gathering, reporting & evaluating information.

y       .

THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

Goals of Psychological Research

1. Description of Behavior

2. Prediction of Behavior 

            Attempt to anticipate how people will think, feel, or act based on past  behavior.

Goals of Psychological Research

3.         Explanation of Behavior 

            Why do people think, feel, or act as they do?

4.         Determining Causes of Behavior

Determination of Cause

Temporal precedence

Y            

Covariation of cause and effect

Y            

Alternative explanations have been eliminated

Y            

THE RESEARCH PROCESS

STEP 1:  FIND A RESEARCH IDEA

STEP 2: 

STEP 3:  DETERMINE HOW YOU WILL DEFINE AND MEASURE YOUR VARIABLES

STEP 4:  IDENTIFY THE PARTICIPANTS OR SUBJECTS FOR THE STUDY

STEP 5:  SELECT A RESEARCH STRATEGY

STEP 6:  SELECT A RESEARCH DESIGN

STEP 7: 

STEP 8:  EVALUATE THE DATA 

STEP 9:  REPORT THE RESULTS          

STEP 10: REFINE OR REFORMULATE YOUR RESEARCH IDEA

Types of Research

1.         Basic Research     

Ø           

Ø           

Types of Research

2.         Applied Research 

Ø                       

Ø           

Which of the following are basic and which are applied research questions?

Basic Research Questions

Applied Research Questions

Homework 1