PSY 202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Spurious Relationship, Naturalistic Observation, Observer-Expectancy Effect
2 Jul 2018
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Week 2 Class 1
Chapter 2-Research Methodology
Consider this advertisement:
● super weight loss pill
● research shows that people who took 2 pills daily with healthy meals and exercised at least
three times a week lost weight
● If this research is valid, we can conclude that this supplement helps people lose weight?
○ NO
○ because we are mixing it with diet and exercise, people can lose weight on their own
through these methods
○ could create a control group to make research more accurate, give one group a
placebo
Topics
● scientific method
● types of studies
○ descriptive
○ correlational
○ experimental
Scientific Inquiry
● Scientific inquiry: is a way of finding answers to empirical questions (questions that can be
answered through observation and measurement)
● Scientific method: systematic procedures for observing and measuring phenomena to
answer questions
The scientific attitude
● composed of curiosity (passion for exploration), skepticism (doubting and questioning), and
humility (ability to accept responsibility when wrong)
The scientific method depends on theories, hypotheses, and research
●the four goals of psychological science are:
○describe (what)
○predict (when)
○control (what causes)
○explain (why)
Steps of Scientific Method
●Hypothesize
●Operationalize
●Measure
●Evaluate
●Replicate/Revise/Report
Theory
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●an explanation that integrates and organizes and predicts behavior or
events
●example: low self-esteem contributes to depression
Hypothesis
●a testable prediction, often prompted by a theory, to enable us to
accept, reject or revise the theory
●people with low self-esteem are apt to feel more depressed
Operationalize
●constructs
○internal attributes or characteristics that cannot be directly
observed
○useul for describing and explaining behavior
●Operational definition
○identifies a measurement procedure for measuring an extreme
behavior
○uses the resulting measurements as a definition and
measurement of hypothetical construction
Research Objectives
●research would require us to administer tests of self-esteem and
depression
●individuals who score low on a self-esteem test and high on a
depression test would confirm our hypothesis
Barker, Dembo, & Lewin (1941)
●examined whether frustration caused aggression in children
●showed students a room full of attractive toys
●half were able to play right away and half have to wait outside the door
●children that had to wait engaged in more aggressive play styles
(throwing toys, breaking them, crashing them together)
Unexpected Findings can be valuable
●unexpected discoveries sometimes occur
●only researchers who are prepared to recognize the importance will
benefit from them
Types of studies
●descriptive
○research method that involves observing and noting the behavior
of people or animals to provide systematic and objective analysis
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Research shows that people who took 2 pills daily with healthy meals and exercised at least three times a week lost weight. Because we are mixing it with diet and exercise, people can lose weight on their own through these methods. Could create a control group to make research more accurate, give one group a placebo. Scientific inquiry: is a way of finding answers to empirical questions (questions that can be answered through observation and measurement) Scientific method: systematic procedures for observing and measuring phenomena to answer questions. Composed of curiosity (passion for exploration), skepticism (doubting and questioning), and humility (ability to accept responsibility when wrong) The scientific method depends on theories, hypotheses, and research. The four goals of psychological science are: An explanation that integrates and organizes and predicts behavior or events. A testable prediction, often prompted by a theory, to enable us to accept, reject or revise the theory.
