PSYCH101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Random Assignment, Confounding

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH101
• Professor: Stephanie Denison

Document Summary

2 types of research methods commonly used in psychology: exploratory research: kind of research we do when we are looking at things without predetermined theories, theory testing: involving empirical research and empirical evidence. Why do we research: exploratory research: explores a phenomenon with no predetermined theories. Examples include: case studies (individuals), observations (watching people) Most researchers in psychology start off with this method: theory testing: testing theories about the cause and effect relationships among variables (empirical research) A theory is: proposed set of principles. Idea designed to organize and explain existing facts, and to make predictions about those yet to be discovered facts: can be dynamic (change over time, have to be explanatory, helps you generate predictions. A theory is not: and opinion, has no evidence or facts to support, generalized idea. What is empirical research: theory testing (must have potential to falsify the theory, generating hypothesis.