Psychology 2820E Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Note-Taking, Scientific Method, Content Analysis

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2820E
• Professor: Livia Veselka

Document Summary

Shift from introspective techniques to objective practices. Research data should be publically verifiable, objectively defined, and replicable, with minimal extraneous variables. Resulting quantitative methods produced primarily numerical data. Concern that approach may not be well suited to study of psychological processes. Positivism: knowledge is objective, facts are permanent realities that can be uncovered though scientific method. Constructivism: knowledge is relative, facts are social constructs, and individuals construct an understanding of their world through self-reflection. Quantitative methods as limiting: measuring average responses in artificial settings. Qualitative methods preferred: hermeneutic approach: focus on the meaning of actions (interpretations, perceptions), participant involvement: participants as best source for assessing own perceptions. Researchers use qualitative methods to obtain information from participants. Researchers assess data for recurring content or themes, which are brought together to form basis of new theories. Sample size is typically not predetermined: participant recruitment ceases at point of saturation (collection of new data will not shed further light on issue of interest).