The document discusses research methods in psychology. It explains that psychology relies on empirical research using observation and experimentation. There are two main types of research - applied research which has practical applications, and basic research which explores questions out of curiosity. Some key research methods discussed include descriptive research using surveys and case studies, correlational research which examines relationships between variables, and experimental research which tests causal relationships by manipulating the independent variable. Important concepts like hypotheses, variables, sampling, ethics are also covered.

2. Research
 The systematic investigation into and study of
materials and sources in order to establish facts and
reach new conclusions

3. Psychology-research- empirical
 Psychology as a science, so psychologists embraced
empiricism as the means to advance understanding
about human behavior.
 The empirical approach emphasizes direct observation
and experimentation as a way of answering questions.
It is perhaps the most important characteristic of the
scientific method.
 Using this approach, psychologists focused on
behaviors and experiences that could be observed
directly

4. goals of research
 to describe behavior,
 to explain its causes,
 to predict the circumstances under which certain
behaviors may occur again, and
 to control certain behaviors

5. Applied V. Basic Research
 Applied Research has
clear, practical
applications.
 YOU CAN USE IT!!!
 Basic Research
explores questions
that you may be
curious about,
 but not intended to be
immediately used.

7. Applied Research Examples
 How to cure Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
 How can bullying be prevented?
 Ways to market products
 Over population/ causes to increase poverty?
 What changes are necessary to create jobs?
 How to reverse or manage global warming
 Does the marriage prevent certain mental or physical
illnesses?

8. Basic research examples
 A study looking at how caffeine consumption impacts
the brain
 A study assessing whether men or women are more
likely to suffer from depression

11. Methods of research
 descriptive research designed to systematically
investigate a person, group, or patterns of behavior.
 . These methods include
 archival research,
 naturalistic observation,
 survey research,
 and case studies.

12. c
 correlational reseach
 Experimental research

14. Problem statement
 Topic of interest
 Clear
 Precise
 To the point
 Unambiguous
 Relevant to the
topic
 Feasible

15. Example
 Trends of joint families and causes of decline the
family size in Pakistan.
 Alcohol may lead to sundry health problem in the
consumer.
 Development of transgender and perceived role of
socializing agents
 Effects of new packaging and sale of the product

17. Hypothesis
 hypothesis: an educated guess about the relationship
between two variables
 Every experiment has a hypothesis, or an educated
guess, about the expected outcome; the researcher has
some evidence for suspecting a specific answer.
 In a hypothesis, a psychologist will state what he or she
expects to find. The hypothesis also specifies the
important variables of the study.

19.  Example:
 Eating low fat diet improve physical health.
 High quality of nursing education leads to
high quality of nursing practice skill.
 Socializing agents play a vital role the
development of Transgender
 In Pakistan mainly in cities, join family
system is declining


20. Operational Definitions
• Explain what you mean
in your hypothesis.
• How will the variables
be measured in “real
life” terms.
• How you operationalize
the variables will tell
us if the study is valid
and reliable.
Let’s say your
hypothesis is that
chocolate causes
violent behavior.
• What do you mean by
chocolate?
• What do you mean by
violent behavior?

21. Sampling
• Identify the
population you want to
study.
• The sample must be
representative of the
population you want to
study.
• GET A RANDOM
SAMPLE.
• Stratified Sampling

22.  sample: the small group of participants, out of the
total number available, that a researcher studies
 Random sample so that each individual has an equal
chance of being represented.
 For example, a psychologist might choose every
twentieth name on school enrollment lists for a study
of school children in a particular town.
 Random sampling is like drawing names or numbers
out of a hat while blindfolded.

26. Descriptive research method
 Description , explanation, elaboration of behavior
 Not cause and effect
 Tool used in descriptive research to collect data
 Case studies…Interview/ flexible… not possible on large scale
 observation, formal or informal,,,, zoo
 Survey…Questionnaire to know attitudes which movie. Close
ended, Inflexible can apply on large scale
 Check list yes or no… know but unable know how much
good…..
 rating scale ….. Can apply on large scale …..here we know how
much child is good
 Try to use all tools to get good result

27. Case Studies
 A detailed picture of
one or a few subjects.
 Tells us a great
story…but is just
descriptive research.
 Does not even give us
correlation data.
The ideal case study is John and
Kate. Really interesting, but what
does it tell us about families in
general?

28.  case study: research method that involves an
intensive investigation of one or more participants
 Victor: the wild boy who was raised by wolves as well
as living in isolation
 Phineas Gage: who had a steel rod blow through his
brain and survived

30.  survey: research method in which
information is obtained by asking many
individuals a fixed set of questions
 One of the most practical ways to gather
data on the attitudes, beliefs, and
experiences of large numbers of people is
through surveys.
 A survey may consist of questionnaires,

32. Types of Correlation
Positive Correlation
 The variables go in the
SAME direction.
Negative Correlation
 The variables go in
opposite directions.
Studying and
grades hopefully
has a positive
correlation.
Heroin use and
grades probably has
a negative
correlation.

38. Lung Cancer and Smoking
 Very compelling, strong positive correlation
between smoking and lung cancer.
 Tobacco companies still claim for years that
there was no scientific support for the fact that
smoking causes cancer as a correlation between
variables might not be

39.  Scientists use the word correlation to describe how
two sets of data relate to each other.
 , there is a positive correlation between IQ scores and
academic success. High IQ scores tend to go with high
grades; low IQ scores tend to go with low grades.

40. Association between class attendance
and class grade:
positive correlation—when one goes up
the other goes up and vice versa

41. Experimental Method
 Looking to prove causal
relationships.
 Cause = Effect
 Laboratory v. Field
Experiments
Smoking causes health issues.

42. variable
 any factor that is capable of change
There are two types of variables:
 independent and
 dependent

43.  The independent variable is the one experimenters
change or alter so they can observe its effects.
 For example, the number of hours you study (the
independent variable) affects your performance on an
exam (the dependent variable).


44. Independent Variable
 Whatever is being
manipulated in the
experiment.
 Hopefully the
independent variable
brings about change.
 Because drug is the
cause not the effect
If there is a drug in an
experiment, the drug
is almost always the
independent variable.

45. Dependent Variable
The dependent variable
would be the effect of
the drug.
• Whatever is being
measured in the
experiment.
• It is dependent on the
independent variable.

48. Beware of
Confounding Variables
If I wanted to prove that
smoking causes heart
issues, what are some
confounding variables?
 The object of an
experiment is to prove
that A causes B.
 A confounding variable is
anything that could
cause change in B, that
is not A.
Lifestyle and family
history may also
effect the heart.

50.  Participants who are exposed to the independent
variable are in the experimental group.
 Participants who are treated the same way as the
experimental group, except that they are not exposed
to the independent variable, make up the control
group
 A control group is necessary in all experiments.

58. Ethics
 Research is very Nobel act
 Confidential
 Voluntary participant
 Willingness
 Participant can withdraw any time
 No harm

59. Assignment survey
 perception towards psychology as subject and as
profession
 Theoretical background
 Hypothesis
 Sample
 Collect data
 Analyze data
 Present result