1. Descriptive Research Methods
and Correlations

2. Psychology is more than Common Sense
• Psychology
– The scientific study of behavior and
mental processes
• Hindsight Bias
– Knew it all along
– The outcome of a study can seem
obvious
• Overconfidence
– Belief that we are more accurate than
we really are
• Solve this anagram: Y O L G S H Y O
P C
• Critical Thinking
– Carefully evaluating
assumptions, evidence and
conclusions
Anagram
COURTRUTOC
ENTRYETYRN
WATERWREAT
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3. The Scientific Method
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Confirm, reject or revise

4. Operational Definitions
• Facial Hair
• Getting out of your seat
• Being Tardy
• Yearbook Smiles
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5. Descriptive Research: Naturalistic Observation
• Observing Behavior without
interfering
• Only Describes, does not explain
• Good for studying different cultures
– Examples: Humans laugh 30 times
more when in social situations
– Students play with their hair when
taking tests
– Note: If you know you are being
watched, you will act differently
(Hawthorne Effect)
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6. Descriptive Research: Case
Study• What is a case study?
– One of the oldest research methods
– Looking at one person or very small
group
– Yields lots of data
• What are they used for?
– To suggest hypothesis for further
research
– Suggests what might happen in other
cases
• What are problems with case
studies?
– Cannot generalize to large groups
– People may be atypical
– Example: „Phineas Gage”
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7. Descriptive Research: Surveys
• What are surveys?
– Verbal assessments or written
questionnaires
• What are the advantages?
– Lots of data in a short time
• What are the disadvantages?
– People lie to look good (or be funny)
– Can‟t prove cause and effect
– Wording Effects might influence data
• Wording can influence how someone
answers a question
• Example: “Aid the needy” or “Increase
Welfare”
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8. Descriptive Research: Surveys
• A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows
how the wording of a survey question
dramatically influences the result.
The poll finds 59% of Americans say they now
support allowing "homosexuals" to serve in the
U.S. military. But when the question is changed to
whether Americans support "gay men and
lesbians" serving in the military, 70% of
Americans say they support that.
There's a further difference when the question
specifies that they "openly" serve. In this
case, just 44% favor allowing "homosexuals" to
openly serve in the military while 58% favor
allowing "gay men and lesbians" to serve openly.
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9. Descriptive Research: Surveys
• 1255 people were surveyed by New
York, American Museum of Natural History:
77% interested in plants and trees, but only
39% interested in botany
48% interested in fossils, but only 39%
interested in paleontology
42% interested in rocks and minerals, but 53%
interested in geology
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10. Correlation Studies
• A statistical measure used to predict a
relationship between two variables
• Cannot be used to prove causation
• Correlation Coefficient = Pearson‟s r
– Ranges on a scale from -1.00 to +1.00
– +/- .60 indicates a strong relationship
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Scatterplot
A visual representation of
the correlation coefficient

11. Types of Correlations
• Positive Correlation (ex. +.80)
– As one variable increases, so does the
other
– Example: GPA and hours studying
• Negative Correlation (ex. - .72)
– As one variable increases, the other
decreases
– Example: Hours exercising and weight
• No Correlation (ex. -.12 or + .08)
– The two variables show no statistical
relationship
– Height and GPA
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12. Correlation and Causation
• Does low self esteem cause depression?
• Confounding Variables or Third Variable Problem
• Example: Ice Cream Sales and Murder Rates
or
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13. Illusory Correlations
• The perception of a relationship
where none exists
• Why do we succumb to illusory
correlations?
– We are sensitive to dramatic events that
seem linked together
• Examples:
– Arthritis and Cold Weather
– Pregnant cravings and sex of the child
– Sugar and Hyperactivity
– Gay Males and High Voices
– Wet Hair and Catching a Cold Virus
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