Research Methods Chapter 4 Abnormal Psychology. Researching Abnormal Behavior Scientific method...
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Transcript of Research Methods Chapter 4 Abnormal Psychology. Researching Abnormal Behavior Scientific method...
Research Methods
Chapter 4Abnormal Psychology
Researching Abnormal Behavior
Scientific method
Developing a hypothesis
Research design
Research Methods
Case study
Correlation
Controlled experiment
Case Study
In depth study of a single person
Case studies in the history of psychology
Benefits and drawbacks to the case study method?
Withdrawal Designs
Getting a baseline
Gradually removing/reducing treatment
Notable behavior/symptom changes? May happen naturally over the course
of treatment
Correlational Method
Measures the degree and strength of a relationship
Are the variables linked/related?
Is there a link between social support and recovery from depression?
Is there a link between stress and mental illness?
Correlational Method
Positive correlation: both variables increase or both variables decrease
Negative Correlation: an increase in one variable is associated with a decrease in another variable
Correlational Design
Correlational designs measure the strength of a relationship
Are the variables strongly related?
Strongest positive correlation value= 1.0 Strongest negative correlation value= -
1.0
Correlational Designs
Epidemiological Research Prevalence: the number of people
with the disorder at any given time
Incidence: estimated number of new cases during a specific period of time
Helps to determine historical influences, reactions to interventions, etc.
Controlled Experiment Experimental Group: receives the
treatment
Control Group: no treatment
The experimental and control groups only differ in regard to the independent variable
Randomization- to reduce systemic bias
Controlled Experiment Independent variable: the variable
we manipulate/change
Dependent variable: the variable we measure
Experimental Method Single-blind procedure: participant
doesn’t know if he/she is receiving drug or placebo
Double-blind procedure: participant and researcher do not know if the participant receives drug or placebo
Experimental Method
Placebo effect: participants feel better after taking a sugar pill (which they think is a drug) because they expect to feel better
Comparative Treatment Groups
Comparing treatments across multiple groups
Comparable groups- to assess the effectiveness of different interventions
Internal Validity
Internal Validity: making sure nothing but the independent variable can influence the outcome
High internal validity- when the study is carefully controlled
External Validity
External Validity: findings can generalize to real-life settings
Psychological realism: extent to which psychological processes triggered in an experiment resemble real life psychological processes
External and Internal Validity: often a trade-off
Genetic Studies
Family studies
Adoption studies
Twin studies
Study Design Cross-sectional: comparing
different “cohorts” or age groups
Longitudinal: following the same group over time
Sequential: combines cross-sectional and longitudinal
Generalizability and Replication
Do the findings generalize to diverse groups?
When replicated, do the results hold?
Use of meta-analyses: combining the results of many studies on the same topic
Cross-Cultural and Cultural Research Are psychological disorders
universal or culture-specific?
Diversity in symptom patterns Depression: US- loss of interest; China-
worthlessness and suicidality
Cross-cultural research vs. cultural research
Ethical Issues
Principle: Do No Harm
Informed consent
Use of deception
Debriefing