Psychologists use three main research methods to study human behavior: observation, correlation, and experimentation. Observation involves directly observing and recording behaviors in natural settings, correlation examines relationships between variables, and experimentation systematically manipulates variables to test hypotheses about causation. Each method has advantages like providing naturalistic, quantitative, or controlled data, but also limitations such as lack of control, inability to determine causation, or reduced ecological validity.

1. Research methods in Psychology
How do psychologist actually go about the task of
adding to our knowledge about human behavior?

2. Group Members
Trishna Nepal
Priyanka Shahi
Deena Parajuli
Projjwal Adhikari
Hari Timsina
Yaman Bastola
Swikar Dahal
Roll No.
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3.  Psychology uses scientific methods for the systematic
study of an organism’s behavior.
 The scientific study of psychology for the 1st time was
started by Wilhelm Wundt in 1879 at Leipzig
University in Germany.
 Psychologists use three strategies to describe, predict
and explain behavior and mental precision.

4. 1. Observation : Describing the World
Around Us
 This is the simplest method of scientific enquiry where
the researcher naturally describe the organism.
 It is a basic method of science in which the natural
world, or various events or processes in it, are observed
and measured in a very careful manner.
 Researchers are skilled and experienced person free of
bias or prejudice to understand the behavior of the
organism.
 There are three techniques under descriptive method.

5.  It is a research method in which behavior is studied in
the settings where it usually occurs.
 It is one of the oldest scientific method where data are
collected by the careful observation of events in their
natural setting.
 Naturalistic observation ranges from watching
chimpanzees societies in the jungle, behavior of ants
,bees, parent-child interaction in different culture, etc.
 Use of cameras , recordings, questionnaires.
I. Naturalistic observation:

6. Advantages:
Accurate and natural information
Insight into the real world
Examine Behavior that cannot be manipulated

7. Disadvantages:
Variables may react different
Lack of control over the variables
Subjective interpretation of researchers
Time consuming

8.  It is the research method in which detailed
information about individuals is used to develop
general principles about behavior.
 Researchers gather detailed information on specific
individuals, use those information to formulate
principle or reach conclusions and thus apply to large
number of population.
 This method is based on history and past information.
 While using this method, the investigator uses tests,
checklist, interviews, etc.
II. Case Studies:

9. Advantages:
Detailed in-depth information got of a single case
concerning a person, a family, an organization or an
event.
It is useful for diagnosis, therapy and other practical
case problem.
It enables the researchers for careful historical analysis
of the past life.

10. Disadvantages:
Subjectivity of researcher may hamper the report.
Interviewer or observer may bias.
Lack of scientific validity : no cause-effect conclusions
can be made.
It consumes more time , effort and money.

11. III. Survey:
 A research method in which large number of people
answer questions about aspects of their views or their
behavior.
 The questions are based on individuals’ attitudes,
values, habits or other characteristics and they are
usually mailed, telephoned or directly interviewed
 It facilitates to collect large amount of data efficiently
with less time and effort.

12. Advantages:
 Large amount of standardized information
 It is comparatively quite easy method.
 It is very economical and also saves time and effort.

13. Disadvantages :
The individual may falsify information.
The population should be the representative of larger
population.
People may do not complete the questionnaires, and
thus the investigator is left to decide whether the
results represent the true sample of population.

14. 2. Correlation:
 It is the research method in which researchers attempt to
determine whether, and to what extent, different
variables are related to each other.
 It is a statistical measure which helps in the prediction of
behavior.
 A positive correlation (0 to +1) indicates direct
relationship.
 A negative correlation(0 to -1) indicates indirect
relationship.

16. Advantages :
The correlation technique is useful in situations where
an experiment would be unethical or impractical.
 Correlation technique is abe to produce quantifiable
data in the form of a co-efficient
It reveals how closely two things vary together and how
well either one predicts the other.

17. Disadvantages:
It does not provide the result about whose
contribution is greater.
No cause-effect conclusions can be reached.
 Correlation does not allow us to go beyond the data
that is given.

18. 3. Experimental method
 A research method in which researchers systematically
alter one or more variables in order to determine
whether such changes influence some aspect of
behavior.
 The factor systematically varied by the researchers is
termed the independent variable , while the aspect of
behavior studied is termed the dependent variable.

19. What is the relationship between “typing speed”
and “background music” ?
‘Hypothesis’

20. Advantages :
Controlled condition
Testing casual relationship
Replication

21. Disadvantages :
Manipulation of everything is not possible
Impossible to control for all extraneous variables
Lack of ecological validity due to artificial laboratory
environment