This document provides an introduction to psychological research. It defines research as a systematic investigation to establish facts through information gathering. The goals of psychological research include description, explanation, prediction, and control. Research methods can be experimental, involving the manipulation of independent variables, or correlational, exploring relationships between non-manipulated variables. Key aspects of the research process are identifying problems, formulating hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data. Ethical considerations like informed consent and protecting participants are also discussed.
4. What Research is?
Attempt to achieve systematically and with the
support of data the answer to a question, the
resolution to a problem, or the greater understanding
of a phenomenon
Generation of new information and testing of ideas
5. Scientific Research
Characteristics of scientific findings are:
Empirical
Systematic
Precise
Verifiable
Public
Ethical & Ideological neutrality
Objective
7. Goals Questions asked to
reach the goal
Description What happens?
When and where does it
happen?
How does it happen?
Explanation Why does it happen?
Prediction What will happen next?
Control How can we influence this
behavior or intervene in
this situation?
8. Goals of Psychological Research
Description of social behavior
Are people who grow up in warm climates different from those in
cold climates?
Establish a relationship between cause & effect
Does heat cause higher amounts of aggression?
Develop theories about why people behave the way that
they do
We dislike Duke students to feel better about ourselves
Application
Creating effective therapeutic treatments, more successful
negotiation tactics, and greater understanding amongst groups of
people
9. Purposes of Research
A research can be undertaken for two different
purposes:
To solve a currently existing problem (applied
research)
To contribute to the general body of knowledge in a
particular area of interest (basic/fundamental
research)
10. The Scientific Research Process
Identifying the
problem
Defining the
problem
Formulating
Hypothesis
Data collection
Analyzing the data
Preparing a report
11. The Process of Doing Research
First, select a topic
Good theory:
Has predictive power
Is simple & straightforward
Then, search the literature
Find out what others have done that
may be applicable to your area of
interest
12. The Process of Doing Research
Next, formulate hypotheses
Hypothesis: specific statement of
expectation derived from theory
State the relationship between two variables
Variable: can be any event, characteristic,
condition, or behavior
13. Let’s take a closer look . . .at variables
Dependent variable (outcome variable)
Dependent on the influence of other factor(s)
How do we operationally define?
Independent variable (predictor variable)
Factor(s) that change the outcome variable
How do we operationally define & manipulate?
Control group
14. The Process of Doing Research
Then pick your research method
Experimental vs. co relational (DesignDesign)
Field vs. laboratory (SettingSetting)
Finally, collect & analyze your
data
15. Correlational research
The purpose of correlational research is to discover
relationships between two or more variables.
Relationship means that an individuals status on one
variable tends to reflect his or her status on the other.
16. Cont.
Helps us understand related events, conditions, and
behaviors.
Is there a relationship between educational levels of
farmers and crop yields?
To make predictions of how one variable might
predict another
Can high school grades be used to predict college
grades?
18. Experimental ResearchResearcher manipulates one variable (IV) to see effect
on other variable (DV)
Try to hold everything else constant
True experiments have
Random sampling: selecting Ps randomly from
population
Random assignment: chance assignment to condition
19. Let’s take a closer look . . . at research
methods
Research methods used in psychology:
Observation
Case Study
Tests, Questionnaire, Survey
Experiment
20. Imp. Concepts in Research
Population: any set of individuals (or objects) having some common
observable characteristics.
Sample: the subset of a population which represents the
characteristics of the population.
A sample consists of respondents or subjects
An informant: a person from whom a linguist obtains information
about language, dialect, or culture.
A corpus is a collection of written or spoken material.
A hypothesis is a tentative statement that proposes a possible
explanation to some phenomenon or event
21. Triangulation
Triangulation is an approach to data analysis that
synthesizes data from multiple sources.
a combination of Quantitative & Qualitative
techniques are implied
Ideas stemming from Qualitative research are
tested empirically through Quantitative studies.
Combined findings enable psychologists to design
more meaningful and effective strategies.
22. Major Limitations in
Conducting a Research
Time
Costs
Access to resources
Approval by authorities
Ethical concerns
Expertise
23. Ethics in ResearchShould the study be done?
Value vs. potential cost
APA guidelines
How do we protect Ps?
Informed consent
Confidentiality & anonymity
Debriefing