Post on 16-Jan-2016
Warm Up Journal:Please read the “One Sperm Donor” article.What questions do you have about the article?Do you think sperm banks should be more heavily
regulated by the US government? Why or why not?What kinds of developmental or psychological
issues might children of sperm donation develop?Do you think it is unethical for 1 sperm donation to
lead to 150 children? Why or why not?
Write your answers in your journals.
Psychological Research Methods
Excavating Human Behaviors
Scientific Method
1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a theory/hypothesis that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the theory to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations.
5.Modify the theory in the light of your results.
6. Go to step 3.
Hypothesis
A tentative theory that has not yet been tested. Must be:
•Operational definitions(explain exactly how you will define the variables)•Replicable (someone else should be able to complete the same experiment.
Hindsight Bias
The tendency to believe, after learning the outcome, that you knew it all along.
Other Bias
Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for information that confirms a preconception.
Participant Bias: the tendency for research participants to behave a certain way because they know they are being observed
Overconfidence
We tend to think we know more than we do or that we are more correct that we are.
81% of drivers rank themselves as being in the top 15% of safe drivers. Obviously, they cannot
all be in the top 15%!
Types of Research
DescriptiveCorrelationalExperiments
Descriptive ResearchAny research that observes and
records.Does not talk about relationships, it just
describes.
What is going on in this picture?
We cannot say exactly, but we can describe what we see.
Thus we have…..
The Case StudyWhere one person (or situation) is
observed in depth.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of using a tragedy like the Columbine School shootings as a case study?
The Survey Method
Used in both descriptional and correlational research.
Use Interview, mail, phone, internet etc…Benefits: cheap, anonymous, diverse
population, and easy to get random sampling (a sampling that represents your population you want to study). Why do we sample? One reason is the False Consensus Effect: the
tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.
Survey Method: The Bad
Low Response Rate
People Lie or just misinterpret themselves.
Wording Effects
How accurate would a survey of high school students be about the frequency drinking if Mrs. King was conducting the study?
Naturalistic Observation
Observing and recording behavior in natural environment.
No control- just an observer.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of Naturalistic Observation?
Correlational Research
Detects relationships between variables.Does not say that one variable CAUSES
another.
In the 2008 election, there was a positive correlation of young people voting for Barack Obama… does that mean being young caused someone to vote for Obama?
Correlations
Strength of correlation is measured using a correlation coefficient.
A statistical measure of the extent to which two factors relate to one another
Experimental Research
Explores cause and effect relationships.
Listening to music while studying Good grades
Steps in Designing an Experiment
1. Form a hypothesis2. Pick Population: Random Selection then Random
Assignment.3. Operationalize the Variables (explain the exact
procedures used to define research behaviors)4. Identify Independent and Dependent Variables.5. Look for extraneous variables that may disrupt
your experiment6. Type of Experiment: Blind (don’t tell
participants what hypothesis is), Double Blind (don’t tell data collectors or participants) etc..
7. Gather Data8. Analyze Results: Use measures of central tendency
(mean, median and mode) Use measures of variation (range and standard deviation).
Experimental VocabularyIndependent Variable: factor that is
manipulatedDependent Variable: factor that is
measuredExtraneous Variables: factors that effect
DV, that are not IV.Experimental Group: Group exposed to IVControl Group: Group not exposed to IVPlacebo: inert substance that is in place of IV
in Control Group
Analyze Results
Use measures of central tendency (mean, median and mode).
Use measures of variation (range and standard deviation).
Types of Research
Use p29-41 to fill in this table.
Type of Research Describe it Benefits? Problems?
Naturalistic Observation
Case Study
Experiment
Survey
Longitudinal Method
Short Answer #3: Why are we altruistic?
Considering the scene we just viewed, how would these types of psychology explain why we help strangers?
socio-cultural psychologypsychoanalysisbehavioral psychologycognitive psychology
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