Research Methods

• intro: Methods of research

  Psychologists study human behaviour using a variety of different research methods
• Why do psychologists need research methods?


  The function of the wide range of research methods used in psychological investigations is:

  To provide techniques that can help psychologists to gather and make sense of their data
• Application

  The method used for any investigation depends on what is being studied
• What are some methods

  used?

  a)some behaviours, like memory, are more suited to experimental, laboratory- based research.

  b)other types of behaviour, for example, children‘s social behaviour, are more suited to non-laboratory methods, such se Naturalistic observation. (application + 16 and under)

  c)In some situations, it might not be appropriate to study behaviour directly, but might be more sensible to ask people to report on their own behaviour and attitudes, using interviews or questionnaires; such methods are known as self-report methods.
• When researchers choose a method, what must they do? 


  When researchers choose a methodology to study a problem, they must weigh the strenths and limitations of their options in the context of the overall goals of research
• Experimental methods

  How many key features does a true experiment have?


  The true experiment has 3 key features.
• What are the three key features?

  1)An independent variable(iv) is manipulated (set up) by the researcher to produce a change in the dependent variable (dv)

  2) manipulation and control of other variables (extraneous and confounding variables) (do not want!)

  3) Random allocation- control of variables
• What is a variable? (background)


  a variable is, quite simply, anything that can change in the experimental situation, a general class or category of objects, events or situations.
• Everyday Examples of variables a psychologist might study (pick 


  • reading scores

  • noise level

  • intelligence

  • aggression

  • stress

  • self-esteem

  • depression
• What is an independent variable?


  The independent variable (iv) is deliberately manipulated by the researcher in an attempt to change the performance of participants on another variable referred to as the dependent variable
• Why is it called an independent variable?


  The conditions to test this variable are set up independently before the experiment begins
• What is a dependent variable?


  The dependent variable (DV) is the variable the researcher measures.

  This variable is dependent on the way in which the experimenter manipulates the independent variable
• Research example of independent and dependent variables 


  Consider an experiment:

  set up to investigate- which of two methods is more successful at teaching children to read:

  The teaching method that participants (in this case the children who took part in the study) were exposed to.

  The dependent variable would be:

  some measure of their reading ability (such as scores derived from a standard test of reading ability).