Transcript Introductory Psychology

Research Methods
Hypothesis

Students’ Hypothesis
 Speaking
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up in class will kill you.
My Hypothesis
 Speaking
up in class will not kill you.
The Scientific Method
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Scientific vs. Unscientific
 Empiricism
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Theory
 Describe,
explain, predict
 Fits known facts
 Predicts new discoveries
 Falsifiable
 Parsimonious
The Scientific Method
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Hypotheses
Hypotheses ≠ Theory
 Hypotheses are derived from EMPIRICAL
LITERATURE!!
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Population vs. Sample
Research Methods
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Descriptive Methods
 Observe
and describe behavior
 Reactivity
 External Validity
 Case Studies
 Surveys
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Random and Representative Sampling
 Naturalistic
Observation
Research Methods
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Correlational
Research
 Correlation
Coefficient
Positive
 Negative
 No correlation
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Research Methods
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Experimental Methods
 Experimental
and Control groups
 Independent and Dependent variables
Independent/Dependent Variables
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A researcher is interested in how the
activity level of four-year-olds is affected
by viewing a 30-minute video of Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles or a 30-minute
video of Barney.
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IV? DV? Experimental Group(s)? Control
Group?
Independent/Dependent Variables

A therapist wants to test a new drug
designed to increase the ability of
teenagers with ADHD to take accurate
notes in class.

IV? DV? Experimental Group(s)? Control
Group?
Independent/Dependent Variables

A biopsychologist wants to know whether
exposure to testosterone in adult female
rats increases their aggressive behavior.
 IV?
DV? Experimental Group(s)? Control
Group?
Independent/Dependent Variables

An industrial psychologist believes that
cooling the room temperature may have
an impact on the productivity of workers
on the assembly line.
 IV?
DV? Experimental Group(s)? Control
Group?
Research Methods

Experimental Methods
 Experimental
and Control groups
 Independent and Dependent variables
 Extraneous variables
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Internal validity
 Random
Assignment
 Experimenter Bias
 Sample Bias
Correlational or Experimental?

A Dartmouth study found that overweight
young women (age 23) earned 6.4% less
than their non-overweight peers.
Additionally, the study found that young
men’s earnings rose 2% for each 4-inch
increase in height.
Correlational or Experimental?

An Australian study reported that MSG does not
cause people to be sick, as previously reported.
The researcher told subjects that he was
studying ingredients in a new soft drink and fed
them either MSG or a placebo in the drink. The
same number and type of symptoms were
reported in both the MSG and the placebo
groups.
Correlational or Experimental?

USA Today reported that the stock market
ends the year with a gain if the Super Bowl
is won by one of the original NFL
members – all the NFC teams and the
three AFC teams (Indianapolis Colts,
Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland
Browns).
Ethics
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IRB
Informed consent/voluntary participation
Deception
Confidentiality
Animal Participants