Notices

1. Notices • Homework • Memory test & Mark • Psychology Trip • Blog http://psychologyjca.wordpress.com/ • Research Methods

2. To Start.. Types of Experiments If we were going to conduct a psychological experiment on memory… what would we need? Make a list…

3. Lesson Objectives Big Q: What experiments do we use in psychology and how useful are they? • ToUNDERSTAND the experimental method. (Grade E) • To Applythe experimental method advantages and disadvantages. (Grade C) • To EVALUATE the experimental design. (Grade A) • designand carry out a study into memory improvement

4. Experiments To research cognitive psychology, experiments are usually the main method used. But, in order for you to fully understand the Experimental Method… you must know a few important terms first!

5. Experiments Task You each have an envelope of cards. Each card makes up part of a key word table. Try and re-create the first two columns of the table by matching up the key term to the definition. When you have finished and have had your table checked… complete your worksheet. For each key term draw an image or diagram to help you remember/revise from.

6. Experiments Memory Test You now have 5 minutes to try and learn the key terms in preparation for a mini test… Timer

7. Experiments Thinking Point… 2) Why might we conduct psychological experiments in a laboratory? What are the advantages? 1) Where might we conduct psychological research? http://www.thepsychologyfaculty.org/a-levels/item/92-why-use-laboratory-experiments-in-psychology Why do we use lab experiments?

8. Experiments Other types of experiment… In pairs try to write a definition of the three main types of experiment used in Psychology… An experiment conducted in a tightly controlled environment where the IV is manipulated at the researcher observes the effect of this on the DV. An experiment carried out in an natural environment. The IV is still manipulated but it is done in an environment which is typical to the behaviour being studied. This is also carried out in a natural environment however the IV is not directly manipulated. Instead the IV is naturally occurring.

9. Experiments Other types of experiment… Now try and think of an area of psychology we might want to investigate by using each of the experiments. You could even come up with a research question if you wish… Study of sleep, perception and physiology (specialised conditions required). Social investigations. The influence of other people on individual behaviour. Studies that take advantage of changes in the environment. E.g. comparing the effect of television on children before and after the introduction of the TV.

10. Experiments The Scientific Method..

11. Observation Experiments The Scientific Method.. Define the Problem Propose a hypothesis Gather Evidence Keep Hypothesis Reject Hypothesis Build a theory Publish results

12. Experiments Class Experiment Research has shown that eating chocolate can improve your memory, especially first thing in the morning. Sugar on the donuts helps the brain to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine which helps you to learn and remember and maintain attention. Aim: To investigate whether eating chocolate will improve memory. What could our hypothesis be? Write a suitable hypothesis to test out during this experiment?

13. Experiments Hypotheses Experimental Hypothesis Statement about a predicted outcome of a study, usually based on theory. Null Hypothesis This is another hypothesis that also needs to be stated. It states that the results will occur do to chance – i.e. are the results significant enough not to have occurred due to chance. It always states there will be no difference! “There will be no difference on scores on a memory test between those who ate chocolate before, and those who didn’t eat chocolate.”

14. Experiments Experimental Hypothesis Two types: One Tailed or Two Tailed? One Tailed = ‘directional’ The direction of the results is predicted. ‘Students who eat chocolate before a memory test will recall more words than students who didn’t eat chocolate.’ Two Tailed = ‘non directional’ A change or difference is predicted but a direction is not specified. ‘There will be a difference in the number of words correctly recalled between those students who eat chocolate and those who don’t’

15. Experiments Memory Test CAR FRAME APPLE LIGHT FLOWER RING CLOCK BOWL FIRE WATCH

16. Experiments Answers: CAR FRAME APPLE LIGHT FLOWER RING CLOCK BOWL FIRE WATCH

17. Experiments IV & DV? What was the Independent Variable in our experiment? (What did we manipulate) What was the Dependent Variable in our experiment? (What did we measure?)

18. Experiments Operationalisation How did we measure our variables? We must define how we intend to measure the IV and DV = operationalisation. How might we operationalise the variable of ‘time’?

19. Experiments Experimental Design How many groups of participants did we use? Experimental design refers to how your participants are distributed. Complete the worksheet

20. Experiments Repeated Groups Condition A Condition B There is only one group of participants. This group takes part in both conditions.

21. Experiments Independent Groups Condition A Condition B There are two separate groups of participants. One group takes part in condition A, the other takes part in condition B.

22. Experiments Matched Pairs Condition A Condition B There are two separate groups, but this time they are matched into pairs for certain qualities, such as age or intelligence. One of each pair takes part in condition A, the other takes part in condition B.

23. Experiments Participant Design Which participant design did we use? Why?

24. Experiments Order Effects Can you think of any problems with the experimental designs?

25. Experiments Order Effects • Order effects occur in repeated groups design, when all participants take place in all the experimental conditions. • Practice effects might occur. After they have done the first condition they may be well practised to complete the second condition. • They also may become tired after the first condition and fatigue may affect their performance on the second condition. • The solution = counterbalancing and randomisation. • Counterbalancing. • E.g. half of the participants participate in condition A before condition B and vice versa. This means that the first and second condition is not the same for every participant. • Randomisation. • Participants are assigned to condition A or B first by tossing a coin or picking out a name.

26. Experiments Reliability We are now going to repeat the experiment just as before in order to test how reliable it is.

27. Experiments Memory Test VAN PHOTO PEN BULB ROSE EAR MUSIC SPOON RAIN SOCK

28. Experiments Answers VAN PHOTO PEN BULB ROSE EAR MUSIC SPOON RAIN SOCK

29. Experiments Reliability Did we get about the same results as last time? Can we establish a cause-effect relationship? Why do you think this is? Do you think we’d get the same results if we repeated it in a field or natural setting?

30. Experiments Additional Variables Which we can’t control! What other factors might have affected our results? What about things we can’t control? Anything about the situation which may have affected our results? Anything about the participants which may have affected our results?

31. Experiments Additional Variables Which we can’t control! These could all affect the VALIDITY of the findings. What’s validity again?

32. Experiments Experiments Evaluation Let’s evaluate the different types of experiment! Match the type of experiment to the correct advantage/disadvantage Triminoes

33. Experiments Experiments Evaluation What are the disadvantages and advantages of using lab, field and natural experiments? When you’ve finished, look out the textbook to pad out your notes!

34. Designing your own Study into memory improvement • What type of memory improvement will you investigate? • Will it be a replication or something new? • What resources will you need? • Who will your participants be? • How is your study an improvement on the classic studies? • Hypothesis • IV and DV • Experimental design • Lab field natural experiment.

35. Experiments To Finish How far do you agree that experiments are the best method to use to study cognitive psychology?