Transcript Fall 2013 Lecture 2 – Chapter 2 Research is a Process of Inquiry.

Fall 2013
Lecture 2 – Chapter 2
Research is a Process of Inquiry
•Chemist
•Astrophysicist
•Neuroscientist
•Sociologist
•Physician
•Social Psychologist
•Mathematician
•Biologist
•Criminologist
•Molecular Biologist
Whose research is more scientific?
?
Observations
1. Idea
Question
Deductive/Inductive
“If” “Then”
FUN PART
Fun but HARD
That place they call
the “Library”
Basic vs Applied
2. Develop idea into
hypothesis
3. Design: procedures, stats,
subjects etc
4. Experiment – collection of data
5. Data Analysis - Statistics
Theories & Models
FUN PART
Fun but HARD
Fun and not HARD
6. Interpretation: Develop new theory or support old
Parsimony
7. Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication
Scientific Method
1. Research Question
2. Do “lit” search
(300B!!!!)
3. Has your question
already been asked?
4. What methods have
already been used?
1. Idea
Question?
Use EBSCO HOST - Psych Info
USE PUB MED - Medical
Sciences
Refine your research
question..
Ramon Y Cajal
Scientific Method
Deductive/Inductive
“If” “Then”
2. Develop idea into
hypothesis
Basic vs Applied
Theories & Models
Applied Research
vs
Basic Research
Applied Research
Generate info that can be applied directly to the
solution to a “real world” problem
• research on creating change
• interventions, treatments
• usually done outside the lab
EX: CATCH Program: Behavioral Intervention Program
LARGEST School-Based Health Study Conducted
• CATCH was created as a research project late
(1980’s - early 1990’s)
• UCSD, Univ of Minnesota, Tulane Univ and
UTHSC at Houston
• Purpose of the research: develop an elementary
school-based program to reduce the risk factors
related to cardiovascular disease
Basic Research
• Gather general info (general laws)
• Seek knowledge for its own sake
• Not concerned with application
• Usually carried out in a lab
• “Confirmation” or “disconfirmation” of a theory
Basic: What physiological mechanisms underlie the detection of lights of
different wavelengths? What cells are most affected by a visual disease?
Applied: How can I use different wavelengths to diagnose disease?
Basic Research (Can it happen???)
vs
Applied Research
(Will it happen??)
Which is more important???
External vs internal validity….will discuss in detail
in later chapter
Theory:
A set of assumptions (empirical
data) that attempts
to explain a phenomena
Testable
Support
Reject
Modify
NEVER PROVE!!!!!
Good Theory: Testable, predictions must be testable, falsification
(Sir Karl Popper)
Empirical Observations = collecting data
Facts of the Research
• set of assumptions
• ideas and facts
• formalized set of concepts
•summarized/organized observations & inferences
Empirical Observations = collecting data
Is it All Observable Behavior???
Facts
Children Playing
Adults Interaction
Physiological responses (HR, GSR)
Rats eating
Amounts of neurotransmitters
vs Constructs
Memory
Intelligence
Love
Attitudes
Emotions
Inferences: CONSTRUCTS
• non observable
• defined by us
CONSTRUCTS: Inferences we make
memory
Super ego
ego
id
personality
Reification of a construct: logical error
when we confuse a fact with a construct
Deductive vs Inductive
Top Down
Bottom Up
General
Specific
Specific
General
Based on facts make predictions
about future observations
Based on observations you make
predictions
Top Down – Deductive
Theory
deductive theories
Hypothesis
observations
confirm
theory
hypothesis
observation
Bottom Up - Inductive
Look for patterns
Inductive theories
?
Idea
Question
Develop idea into
hypothesis
FUN PART
Fun but HARD
Design: procedures, stats
Subjects etc..
Experiment – collection of data
Data Analysis - Statistics
FUN PART
Fun but HARD
Fun and not HARD
Interpretation: Develop new theory or support old
Parsimony
Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication
Scientific Method
Levels of constraint…
Design of your experiment
Types of Research (approach to gathering data)
LOW
HI
•Nonscientific
•Naturalistic Observation
•Case Study
•Correlational Research
•Quasi-experimental Research
•Experimental Research
Non Scientific: ex: Historians
Doris Kerns Goodwin
Naturalistic Observation – Low constraint
http://www.janegoodall.org/
•1960: First recorded instance of tool making by nonhumans
•1964: Capable of planning (kidnapped baby in order to get
mother and the rest of the group to follow)
•1966: Polio and AIDS
•1974: Warfare: first record of violence of this type-rival group
was eradicated.
•1975: Cannibalism
•1987: Adoption
•1994: short-term monogamous relationships; Technology
transfer-Chimps from one community "modeled" the
tool making behavior of chimps in another community
•1995: medicate-eat plants-a medicinal plant believed to relieve
stomach pains or reduce internal parasites.
Case Study – Low constraint
- H.M.: Epileptic Seizures
- 1953, age 27 years
- Bilateral medial temporal lobectomy
-Oops..anterograde amnesia
- Studied for 40 years
Low Constraint…
H. M. can be considered the single patient that has provided the largest
collection of data to the students of memory [Corkin,1984]
[Milner,1968].
Correlational research – Constraint
days attended
40
ex. Is there a relationship between
class attendance and grades?
Dr. Sumaya’s hypothesis:
the greater the attendance
the higher the grade…
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90100
percentage (class grade)
CANNOT INFER CAUSATION!
Quasi–Experimental Research (Differential)
– high constraint
ex: survey data – attitude towards banning smoking
Experimental Research – highest constraint
“True Experiment”
Can infer causation!
Types of Research (approach to gathering data)
LOW
HI
•Nonscientific
•Naturalistic Observation
•Case Study
•Correlational Research
•Quasi-experimental Research
•Experimental Research
?
Whose research
Ideais more scientific?
Question
What level
constraint?
Developof
idea
into
hypothesis
• Design:
Depends
on the method
procedures,
stats
• Level
of Constraint
Subjects
etc..
• Depends on your research
Experiment – collection of data
question
Data Analysis - Statistics
Interpretation: Develop new theory or support old
Parsimony
Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication
Scientific Method