Introduction to Research Methods

1. Introduction to Research Methods Psychologists try to explain human behaviour. They do this by conducting research.

2. How is research conducted? You might decide to investigate gender roles, and ask why do men and women behave like they do? Are humans born with certain behaviours (nature) or do they learn them? (nurture)

3. Your Task In small groups brain storm how you think psychologists could investigate this. You have five minutes and we will feed back to the group.

4. Experiments An experiment is a way of conducting research in which one or more variables are manipulated. You will have conducted experiments in GSCE science. For example you might have grown one batch of plants with light and one without and compared the difference. These differences are known as variables.

5. Experiments In psychology there are different types of experiments that you can conduct. For example: • Lab experiments • Field experiments • Natural experiments

6. Experiments What not to do

7. Lab experiments An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment where the independent variable (IV) is manipulated.

8. Natural experiments The researcher takes advantage of a naturally occurring differences. The IV(s) occur naturally rather than being manipulated by the researcher. For example does the introduction of television lead to more cases of eating disorders?

9. Field experiments (no not really in a field!) An experiment that takes place in a natural environment; the IV is manipulated. For example you might want to see if people are likely to help on a busy train.

10. Your Task You must: In small groups, read the experiments on the sheet and decide if they are lab experiments, field experiments or natural experiments. You should: Give reasons explaining how you arrive at your decision. You could: List problems you think might occur in each experiment.

11. Pilot Study A smaller version of a larger study that is conducted to prepare for that study and ‘iron out’ any problems.

12. Your Task In small groups make a table and see if you can think of advantages & disadvantages for the types of experiment.

13. Lab Experiment -Advantages High level of control of both the IV and Ev’s. The IV (independent variable is the variable you manipulate or change). The EV’s (extraneous variables) are any other variable that may impact on your research.

14. Lab Experiment -Advantages Replicable - Because lab experiments are so highly controlled, it is easy to replicate them, that is to copy them exactly and do them again.

15. Lab Experiment - Disadvantages Artificial - The tasks in a lab experiment can sometimes seem very artificial and not reflect real life. This is known as mundane realism. Mundane realism is a criticism you can use for A02 comments.

16. Lab Experiment Disadvantages There is a high chance of the investigator influencing the way the participant behaves. This is know as demand characteristics. There are many types of demand characteristics. The two you need to know are: • The Hawthorn Effect • Evaluation Apprehension

17. The Hawthorn Effect Imagine you are being timed to see how fast you can run round a track. Normally you might take your time running, but if you are being watched, you might try and run faster, to impress the person watching you. In psychology experiments, sometimes participants try to improve their performance to please the experimenter.

18. Evaluation Apprehension Imagine you are doing your driving test. Normally you might drive as well as Lewis Hamilton but as soon as you start your driving test you drive like this.

19. Field Experiment Advantages A reduction of demand characteristics. Can be seen as having higher mundane realism than a lab experiment.

20. Field Experiment Disadvantages Less control over variables than a lab experiment. Can be more time consuming than a lab experiment.

21. Natural Experiment Advantages Can be very useful in situations where you can not manipulate the independent variable. For example, if you want to see if the media has an impact on eating disorders. Very high mundane realism.

22. Natural Experiment Disadvantages Problems with internal validity - many extraneous variables might impact on your research so concluding cause and effect can be difficult. You can not allocate participants to groups.

23. Participants The people who take part in your research are called participants. In some older books they might be called subjects. You have an obligation to ensure your participants are not caused distress or harmed.

24. Confederates/Stooges Sometimes in psychological research, the experimenter gets people to play certain roles in the experiment. These people are a part of the experiment and are called confederates or stooges.

25. Lab experiment Field experiment Natural experiment Variables Independent variable Dependent variable Pilot study Extraneous variable Replicable Mundane realism Confederate/stooges Hawthorn effect Evaluation apprehension Copy and define these key words for your dictionary section. Key Words