PSY 3121 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Naturalistic Observation, Quasi, Empiricism
24 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
PSY3121A Dr. Mary-Theresa Howard
Research Sex and Gender 07.05.18
Science
• Some gender researchers have accused science of being biased
• Science as a method of gathering info traced back to 16th century; rests on philosophical traditions
asserting the advantages of objective, observation-based understanding of the world
Science uses:
1. Descriptive methods to gather and evaluate – naturalistic observation, correlation studies, surveys
• Help to answer question of what occurs or exists
2. Experimental methods to understand cause-and-effect relations btwn dependent (measured) and
independent (manipulated) variables; explain why a relation exists
3. Quasi experimental design or ex-post facto method – resemble experimentation but differs in procedure and
tpe of ifo ielded as it does’t iole aipulatio of idepedet aiales
• Does’t allo deteiatio of ause
• Studies using gender as variable are ex-post fato ad do’t hae ailit to eeal ause of differences
found
Research Methodologies
Psychological research is not value free, it is influenced by culture, values, expectations, and biases
• Value-laden language – suggestive of the male dominance (manipulate, control, subject)
• Social values and stereotypes affect implicit and explicit interpretations of facts
o Psychology has given priority to the white heterosexual, middle-class man who have been the
researchers and professors
• Feminists have recently challenged the areas of achievement, psychotherapy, victimization, and cognitive
development
• Empiricism is the premise that knowledge should be acquired through observation
o In God we trust. All others bring data!
o Advantages – good research should be clear with specific hypothesis and precise (intolerant to
error)
Stages of research – Conceptualize the problem (present the problem), Seek literature review, design the research,
collect data, data analysis, interpretation, reporting, additional problems
• some experts believe that part of the problem is that stages in research are incomplete
o do not encourage any modification in the process
o peseletio of stats aalsis does’t eouage alteaties
o stages overemphasize search for differences and define differences in terms of stats
Sources of bias:
• Methodological bias as conceptual bias
• Researcher value judgements – are you unconsciously putting your values on to the concepts
• Journal selection – a’t ol fous o oe issue i oe patiula joual
• Experimenter and researcher bias – culture, values, expectations
o May look at one way and ignore others
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