including research methods.

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What is Psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mind.
Research Methods in Psychology:
Psychologists conduct research because they know that they
cannot rely on “feelings, intuitions or just plain commonsense”
to answer the questions about peoples and their behavior.
Goals of research:
Psychologists strive to achieve four main goals in their research:
1. To describe a phenomenon.
2. To make predications about that phenomenon.
3. To introduce control on that phenomenon in their research.
4. To explain the phenomenon with some degree of confidence.
In psychology these steps are basically taken in the methods of study:
1. Reliance on empirical method.
2. Systematic methods to measure and quantify the aspects of behavior and processes of mind.
3. Procedural safeguards are adopted to increase objectivity and reduce the personal biases.
4. Keeping complete records of observations and data analysis.
5. Finding and conclusions communicated in ways that others can replicate the findings.
There are Four Major Forms of Research:
1. Experimental Research Method.
2. Correlation Research Method.
3. Interview Research Method.
4. Survey Research Method.
5. BiographicalResearch Method.
Experimental Research:
The process of posing and answering questions using
careful controlled techniques that include systematic, orderly observation and the collection of data.
Psychology also focuses on critical
thinking and is scientific, whereas
pseudo psychologies are nonscientific.
The Science of Psychology:
� Psychological research can be either:
• Basic: It is conducted to advance
scientific knowledge.
• Applied: It is a conducted to solve
practical problems.

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a) Facts are what need to explain:
1. Objective -viewable by others.
2. Based on direct observation.
3. Reasonable observers agree are true.
b) Theory is a set of ideas that:
1. Explains facts.
2. Makes predictions about new facts.
3. They are from the specific to the general.
c) Hypothesis:
1. They are from the general to the specific.
2. Prediction about new facts.
3. Can be verified or falsified.
d) Research:
1. It is a term for the multiple ways by which hypothesis can be tested.
2. How you will test and measure the variables of interest.
3. Collect the Data that could be though direct observation, questionnaires, or behavioral tests.
Steps in Experimental ResearchMethod:
1. Formulation of problem.
2. Hypothesis and variables.
3. Experimental design.
4. Experimental and control group.
5. Controlled conditions.
6. Apparatus.
7. Analysis of results.
There are two different types of research:
1. Theoretical Research:
This research is designed specifically to test some developmental explanation and expand
scientific knowledge.
2. Applied Research:
This research is meant to provide practical solutions for immediate problems.
Advantages and DisadvantagesofExperimental Research:
Advantages Disadvantages
 It is the only form of research that can
establish cause and effect.
 Experiments are often artificial.
 Experiments allow the researcher precise
control over variables.
 Some experiments cannot be conducted due
to ethical concerns.
Psychology’s Intellectual Roots:
� Wilhelm Wundt: “Father of psychology.”
� Structuralism:Emphasized the elements
of conscious experience.
(Wundt and Titchener key leaders).
� Functionalism:Emphasized how the mind
functions to adapt organisms to their
environment (James key leader).

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CorrelationResearch:
1. Correlation simply means association.
2. It is a non-experimental form of research that shows a directional relationship between
variables.
Types of correlation:
There are three types of correlation:
1. Positive correlation.
2. Negative correlation.
3. Zero correlation.
a) Positive Correlation:
When there is an increase in one variable that tends to be associated with an increase in the other
then this is known as a positive correlation.
 High scores on X are related to high scores on Y, and low scores on X are related to low scores
on Y.
b) Negative Correlation:
If an increase in one variable tends to be associated with a decrease in the other then this is known as
a negative correlation.
 High scores on X are related to low scores on Y, and low scores on X are related to high scores
on Y.

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c) Negative Correlation:
A zero correlation occurs when there is no relationship between variables.
 A correlation coefficient of (0) indicates there is no relationship between variables.
CorrelationCoefficient:
In this the numerical value that determines the strength of relationship between variables is in-
between -1 and +1.
Advantages and DisadvantagesofCorrelationResearch:
Advantages Disadvantages
 It allows researchers to study variables that
would be unethical to manipulate.
 They provide little control over extraneous
variables.
 Researchers can study variables as they exist
naturally.
 The direction of the relationship is unclear.

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Comparison Between Experimental and Correlation Research Method:
Interview Research Method:
Interview:
1. It is the direct or face to face conservation of subject and research is called interview.
2. This method is based on questions. Purpose of interview may be different from different
persons.
Types of interview:
There are two types of interview:
1. Structured Interview:
Structured interview is formal. These types of interviews are like a job interview. There
is a fixed, predetermined set of questions that are put to every participant in the same
order and in the same way. The interviewer stays within their role and maintains social
distance from the interview.
2. Unstructured Interview:
Unstructured interview is informal. This type of interviews are like a casual
conversation. There are no set questions and the participant is given the opportunity to
raise whatever topics he/she feels are relevant and ask them in their own way. In this
kind of interview much qualitative data is likely to be collected.

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Observational method:
Observation:
1. Observation is a very common and specific technique used in different sciences.
2. Observation can be the first step while discovering why we behave the way we do.
ObservationalGoal:
1. The primary goal of observational method is to describe behavior accurately with detail.
2. Observation is a principal data-gathering technique in this advanced age of technology.
3. Science begins with observation and must ultimately return for its final validation.
Types of observation:
Observations
WithIntervention WithIntervention
Structured FieldStudy Naturalistic Correlation
Observation Observation Method
ParticipantObservation Non-ParticipantObservation
Survey Method:
You might be aware that television news channels or newspapers ask you to send your view through
SMS on current issues of national or international importance. While doing this they try to seek the
opinion of people on those issues to communicate their view to the Government as well as to the
society.
For example: They conduct opinion poll during the election as to which political party enjoys support
of the majority of the people. Conducting such a study is called survey research. It is one of the popular
research methods not only in psychology but also in other disciplines such as sociology, political
science, economics and management.
Naturalistic Observation:
Observation and recording of behavior in
the participant’s natural habitat.

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Steps in Survey Method:
1. Formulation of problem.
2. Population and sampling.
3. Tools of survey.
4. Data collection.
5. Data analysis.
6. Results.
Uses of Survey Method:
1. This is used to assess people thoughts, opinions and feelings.
2. Survey can be specific and limited in scope or more global in their goals.
3. In this research data can also be collected from illiterate people.
4. If sample can be selected carefully then its findings can be generalized.
Advantages and DisadvantagesofMail Survey ResearchMethod:
Advantages Disadvantages
 One advantage of mail survey is that they
usually can be completed quickly.
 Cost of mailing, waiting time and degree of
responses must be carefully considered.
 When respondents are widely widespread
geographically it seems very useful.
 As the respondents are not able to ask questions,
the questionnaire must be self-explanatory.
Biographical ResearchMethod:
Biography:
The complete life history so that’s why this is
called biography.
1. This method is use to collect information about important personalities such as political
leathers, writers, players, poets and may other important legends.
2. Some biographies are written to pay tribute by their well wishers or followers.
3. Some biographies are written during their life time and some after their death.
4. After reading their biographies we come to know that how they have spent their life, how they
faced the difficulties and how they overcome the hardship which came in their way and how
they become legends.
5. In this technique the observer have the opportunity to collect lots of information from one
place. But careful section is still required while consulting biographies as they are written for
different proposes.
Cautions:
While consulting biographies following points must be considered:
1. It should be noted weather it is biography or autobiography.
2. If it is written by someone else weather written during the lifetime of subject or not.
3. In case of biography what was the relation to the subject what was his intention.
4. The biases of writer should be in mind.
Surveys:
Assessment of behaviors and attitudes of a
sample or population.
Biological Research:
It is the studies the brain and other
parts of the nervous system.