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Exploring Research Methods in Psychology: An Introduction to the Scientific Inquiry Process

This lecture covers the fundamental concepts of research methods in psychology, exploring the scientific process of inquiry, gathering knowledge, and seeking explanations for behavior. Topics include pseudoscience, characteristics of scientific explanations, and the distinction between science and non-science. Gain insights into human nature and the application of the scientific method in understanding phenomena.

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Exploring Research Methods in Psychology: An Introduction to the Scientific Inquiry Process

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  1. This is not fear factor…. WELCOME TO RESEACH METHODS Fall 2013 Lecture 1 – Chapter 1

  2. YOU Hebbian Yerkes-Dodson Law

  3. Psychology Has Many Faces: Science, Academic Discipline, Healing Profession Teacher Clinician Researcher Understand Research Methods

  4. Behavioral Neuroscientist… Behavior in relation to the Brain Strong Background in Research Methods! Psychology

  5. What is science? "the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena." Is that it? Is this what science is? …what’s missing????

  6. Who Does It? • intellectual activity done by humans • satisfies a human desire • stems from need to overcome ignorance & fear Passion humans

  7. Science: a process of inquiry The process of formulating specific questions and then finding answers …better understanding… Basic Curiosity “We Ask Questions of Nature And Get Answers” D.E. Moss

  8. Inquiry…Can be hazardous to your health… QuestionedOutcome Socrates Hemlock Moral & Ethics Galileo House Arrest Church Dogma/Geocentrism Darwin Ridicule Evolution Natural Selection Creation

  9. Vatican admits Galileo correct Los Angeles Times, October 31, 1992 VATICAN CITY -- It's official: The Earth revolves around the sun, even for the Vatican.The Roman Catholic Church has admitted erring these past 359 years in formally condemning Galileo for entertaining scientific truths it long denounced as anti-scriptural heresy.

  10. Psychology: the science of human & non human animal behavior Goal: gather an organized body of knowledge Psychological research seeks scientific explanation for behavior

  11. Top 10…top 3 reason that an explanation is not scientific • Tenacity: accept explanation because it has been accepted for so long or repeated so often • 2. Intuition: feels intuitively true • 3. Authority: accepting explanation based in who gives the • explanation (respected) Demands….not so much

  12. Top 10…top 3 reasons that an explanation is scientific • 1. Empirical: based on observable evidence • 2. Testable: verifiable through direct observation • 3. Rational: follow rules of logic, consistent with known facts (not based on assumptions known to be false or beliefs) Demands much….

  13. Homework#2 Non Scientific: Pseudoscience does not use scientific method… http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/bad-science-quiz.htm

  14. Pseudoscience Non Scientific: does not use scientific method… but pretends to… includes beliefs, theories, or practices that have been or are considered scientific, but have no basis in scientific fact. This could mean they were disproved scientifically, can’t be tested or lack evidence to support them.

  15. - Leptoprin • 9 out of 10 Dentists… • - makeup: reverse the aging process • lab coats, actors, anecdotal, testimonies

  16. Pseudoscience Related to Space and Astronomy Examples! 2012 Phenomenon - end of the world Crop Circles - made by aliens Face on Mars - A rock formation: evidence of life Pseudoscience Related to the Earth Cryptozoology - search for Bigfoot (Yeti), Loch Ness monster, El Chupacabra Pseudoscience Related to the Paranormal Channeling - Involves communicating with a spirit through a person Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) - Used by ghost hunters to record messages from spirits Extra-sensory Perception (ESP) - clairvoyance, telepathy, levitation Numerology - A belief in a relationship between certain numbers and people or events Pseudoscience Related to Psychology Conversion Therapy - change a person’s sexual preference (homosexual to heterosexual) Hypnosis - method of deep relaxation where the subject is open to suggestions Psychoanalysis – Freud Other Pseudoscience Examples Feng Shui - A Chinese method of arranging objects and living spaces in a certain way Handwriting Analysis - A belief that a person’s personality can be seen in their handwriting

  17. Homework#2 Is the TummyTuckBeltPseudoscience? http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/bad-science-quiz.htm

  18. Scientific explanations strive to be: 1. Parsimonious: offer the least complex explanation that requires the fewest assumptions 2. General: can be applied to more than the original set of circumstances – broad explanatory power 3. Tentative (Skepticism): readily replaced by better explanation Occam’s Razor: “Do not multiply hypotheses unduly” Choose the simplest explanation!!!!

  19. Occam’s Razor: “Do not multiply hypotheses unduly” Choose the simplest explanation!!!!

  20. Characteristics of the scientific method vs human nature

  21. What is Science? 1. Immediate solution to practical problem? 2. Objective search for the truth? 3. Grows continuously? 4. Collection of facts? 5. Finished Product? 6. Technology?

  22. What is Science? 1. Immediate solution to practical problem? Immediate solutions: NO! Science proceeds slowly… “Shifts in Paradigms” EX: Classical Conditioning Pavlov vs Garcia NS(CS) +UCS = UCR(CR)

  23. What is Science?

  24. Can anything be turned into a CS? “Equipotentiality Hypothesis” “Any natural phenomenon chosen at will may be converted into a conditioned stimulus…any visual stimulus, any desired sound, any odor, and stimulation of any part of the skin” (Pavlov, 1928)

  25. Taste Aversion doesn’t follow CC, or Equipotentiality Theory Bell: NS(CS) +Meat: UCS = Salivate UCR(CR)

  26. What is Science? Search for the Truth: NO! Implies there is one right answer every phenomena …tentative...

  27. What is Science? Just a Collection of Facts: NO! Integration of data but also theory driven – relating data to principles (theories)

  28. What is Science? Technology: NO! Immediate contribution to human welfare Ex: The Genome Project

  29. Sequencing of the human genome: “the book if life” <> Francis Collins Human Genome Project (NIH) J. Craig Venter Celera Genomic http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=genomeprj&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Overview&list_uids=9558

  30. What is Science? Finished Product: NO! One experiment inevitably leads to other questions…serendipity!

  31. Serendipity!! • Electrical Stimulation of frog legs • Contraction of the muscles Followed up with “Animal Electricity” Luigi Galvani (1596-1650) Italian Physician Physicist

  32. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors: • Iproniazid • First antidepressant (1957) • - Treatment for TB • A flop!…serendipity intervened

  33. What is Science? Science Grows Continuously: NO! Science grows awkwardly One direction then another direction.. Science has a history of fads (style that interests many people for a short time) Ex: Schools of Psychology

  34. Structuralism: the study of the structure of conscious experience (1832-1920) 50 years • moved psychological study from the domain of philosophy and the natural sciences and began to utilize physiological experimental techniques in the laboratory – SCIENCE

  35. Functionalism: Consciousness as well as behavior must serve some sort of purpose – the function of the mind William James (1842-1910) “my thinking is first, last always for the sake of doing” Professor at Harvard Taught first class in experimental Psych in US • moved psychological study from the domain of just the “mind” to behavior • influence of Darwin - animal research • applied research (practical questions ie., education, training, developmental) 50 years

  36. Behaviorism: All other schools to mentalistic and to subjective – not observable, not science Focus is on relationship between the environment and behavior John Watson (1878-1957) University of Chicago Johns Hopkins 60 years • moved psychological away from the mind – only behavior • transferred all mentalistic content into S-R: “we only think we think” • animal research (Pavlov. Skinner) • Against Freud!

  37. No longer One School of Psychology Social Psychology Cognitive Psychology Biological Psychology Developmental Psychology Neuropsychology Clinical Psychology

  38. Homework Assignment #1: • Read Goodstein (2000) Article • “How Science Works” • Read Article for Wed. Class Discussion • answer question in group discussion • present answers as a group in class • If you did not read, you will be asked to leave during discussion

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