HOW PSYCHOLOGIST DRAW SOLID CONCLUSION

In this activity you will explore how psychologists draw solid conclusions from the complex and often ambiguous phenomena they study -- how you think, feel, and behave.

To begin, imagine you are a research psychologist. You will learn about and then put into practice some of the key terms and concepts you will need to master if your research is to succeed. Even if you never conduct your own research, mastering this information can help you become a wiser consumer, as you assess research-based claims that you confront in everyday life.

The Question
In the initial phase of research, often referred to as the discovery phase, your observations, beliefs, and general knowledge lead you to come up with a new question around an unexplored area of interest. At the core of your approach is the concept of determinism, the idea that all events are determined by knowable and therefore testable factors. Next, you may develop a theory around your question. Your theory accounts for both known facts about your question and your new idea and explanation. This new explanation is your hypothesis.
Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:
Question 1: Your ___ is your tentative and testable explanation of how two or more events or things are related. a. theory b. conclusion   c. hypothesis d. correlation   Question 2: ___ is the doctrine that all events are determined by specific and potentially knowable factors. a. general knowledge b. observational knowledge   c. determinism d. personal belief system Procedures   In the next phase of research, often referred to as the justification phase, you bring evidence to bear on your hypothesis. The Scientific Method of inquiry helps you, the researcher, to minimize error and yield dependable generalizations. In order to obtain reliable evidence that will generate valid conclusions, your research must be as objective as possible. To maximize objectivity and reduce influences and biases that could distort your evidence, you must follow certain procedures.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: The scientific method is a ___.   a. general set of procedures you use throughout your study b. general set of ethics and codes developed by scientists c. general set of procedures applicable only if you conduct your research in a lab d. protocol for publishing your findings in a journal   Question 2: In order to obtain reliable evidence in your research, you must do everything you can to minimize ___ and maximize ___. a. cost; results b. reliability; validity c. operational definitions; confounding variables   d. bias; objectivity   Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a placebo bias? a. when your expectations influence participant response b. when cultural beliefs influence participant response   c. when participant behavior changes even when not receiving the experimental treatment d. when participant behavior doesn't change even though receiving the experimental treatment   Sample and Variables   Now that you are following the scientific method and ensuring objectivity, you can next clearly define who and what you will study.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: The participants selected for your study make up a group called the ___.   a. sample b. population c. dependent variable d. independent variable   Question 2: The variable that you manipulate so that its effects may be observed is called the ___. a. manipulated variable b. causal variable c. dependent variable   d. independent variable   Question 3: Having a representative sample in your study allows you to: a. come up with new questions about the larger population   b. generalize your results to the population your sample represents X c. generalize your results to one age group or gender d. reduce the number of times you have to test your participants   Methodology   After defining your sample and describing your variables of interest, you can then decide on the best research method and design, and what, if any, control procedures you may need in order to safeguard from alternative explanations. Alternative explanations result when factors other than those you are researching cause the observed effects.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: If your study is designed to test the cause-and-effect relationship between two variables, you are using ___. a. correlational methods   b. experimental methods c. experimental bias d. between subjects design   Question 2: If, in your study, you measure participants against themselves, you are using ___.   a. within-subjects design b. the scientific method c. between subjects control procedures d. the self-test method   Question 3: Using a double-blind-control allows you to ___. a. ensure that you don't have to do double the amount of work b. prevent the possibility of two explanations   c. eliminate experimenter bias d. double-check your methods   Data Collection   Now you are ready to assess the phenomenon in your hypothesis by collecting data. Because psychological processes are so varied and complex, it is very difficult to quantify them. Although some actions and processes are easily seen, many, such as anxiety and dreaming, are not. As a result, one task for you as a researcher is to make the unseen visible, internal events and processes external, and private experiences public. To do so, you must select the proper measurement technique to collect your data, then ensure that it is accurate.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: Questionnaires, surveys, and interviews are all ___ measures. a. self-administered   b. self-report c. interpersonal d. oral   Question 2: In order for your chosen measure to be accurate, it must be ___ and ___. a. tested; re-tested b. coherent; concise c. quantified; qualified   d. reliable; valid   Data Analysis   Now that you've collected your data, how do you make sense of it? Statistical analysis allows you to discover if your hypothesis is correct. Psychologists use two types of statistics to make sense of the data they collect and to provide a quantitative basis for the conclusions they draw.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: Using descriptive statistics could help you to ___.   a. see if there are any patterns in your data b. rule out alternative explanations c. account for chance variation d. describe the data you collected for each participant   Question 2: If you found differences between the groups you are studying, inferential statistics could help you determine if the differences are ___. a. the result of bias b. the result of error   c. statistically significant d. relevant to your study   Ethics   Respect for the basic rights of humans and animals is the obligation of all researchers. As a result, you must always consider a variety of safeguards to guarantee ethical and humane treatment of all participants. Professional organizations conducting or overseeing research have established detailed guidelines, standards, and review processes to ensure that participants' rights are honored.   Click on the links to learn more, then test your knowledge:   Question 1: Before beginning an experiment, all of your participants must read and sign a statement of ___. a. confidentiality   b. the research procedures, benefits, and risks c. personal responsibility d. purpose   Question 2: Talking with participants after your study is called ___. a. consent b. deception   c. debriefing X d. summative discussion