Openstax Psychology - Ch2 - Psychological Research

Summary

Dr. Market Alum's lecture in the Open Stax Psychology textbook delves into the significance of psychological research, distinguishing it from opinions with empirical evidence. It explores research methods like induction and deduction, and various approaches including case studies, surveys, and observational studies. The lecture addresses ethical considerations in research, such as informed consent and the use of animals, emphasizing the importance of objectivity and the scientific method in understanding human behavior.

Takeaways

• 🔬 Research in psychology is crucial for gaining an objective understanding of human behavior and mental processes, moving beyond personal opinions and cultural superstitions.
• 🌐 Scientific knowledge in psychology is empirical, relying on observable evidence, but challenges arise with internal mental states that aren't directly observable.
• 📺 The impact of media violence on aggression and the effectiveness of prevention programs like DARE are examples where research is necessary to test claims and separate facts from opinions.
• 🔍 Deductive reasoning starts with a generalization and moves to specifics, while inductive reasoning builds theories from observations and tests them, highlighting the importance of both in psychological research.
• 🧠 Theories like Freud's psychoanalytic theory explain observed phenomena, but hypotheses derived from them must be testable and falsifiable to be scientifically valid.
• 📝 Clinical or case studies provide in-depth data on individuals but may not generalize well to the broader population, pointing to external validity concerns.
• 🐵 Naturalistic observation, such as Jane Goodall's chimpanzee studies, offers ecological validity but can be limited by observer effects and high resource investment.
• 📊 Surveys and archival research allow for the collection of large datasets but come with challenges in external validity and potential biases in existing records.
• 📉 Longitudinal and cross-sectional research designs help understand changes over time or differences between age groups, respectively, but each has its own set of limitations and biases.
• 🔗 Correlation indicates a relationship between variables but does not imply causation, often confounded by external factors or misinterpreted due to illusory correlations.
• 🔬 Experimental designs involve control and experimental groups, with operational definitions and manipulations of variables, aiming to eliminate bias and placebo effects for reliable results.
• 📋 Ethics in research are paramount, with Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) ensuring the protection of human and animal participants.

Q & A

Why is psychological research important?

Psychological research is important because it allows us to gain an objective understanding of ourselves and our world by divesting ourselves of preconceived notions and superstitions through systematic scientific research.

What is the difference between empirical knowledge and the study of the mind in psychology?

Empirical knowledge is grounded in objective, observable evidence, but the study of the mind in psychology is challenging because behaviors are observable, while the mind is not.

How does research help differentiate between facts and opinions?

Research helps differentiate between facts and opinions by examining claims through systematic investigation. Facts are observable realities, while opinions are personal and may not be accurate.

What is the difference between deductive and inductive reasoning in psychological research?

Deductive reasoning is top-down, starting with a generalization and testing it against real-world observations. Inductive reasoning is bottom-up, using empirical observations to formulate theories and generate hypotheses that are then tested through deduction.

Why might a clinical or case study be conducted in psychological research?

A clinical or case study is conducted to gain an enormous amount of data and insight into specific individuals or a small group, although it may have issues with generalizing to a larger population.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of naturalistic observation in psychological research?

Naturalistic observation has the advantage of high ecological validity as it observes behavior in its natural context. The disadvantages include potential changes in behavior due to awareness of being observed and issues with observer bias.

How do surveys contribute to psychological research?

Surveys contribute to psychological research by allowing researchers to collect data from a subset of the population through a list of questions answered by research participants.

What is archival research and what are its potential issues?

Archival research uses existing records to answer research questions without direct interaction with participants. Potential issues include lack of control over data collection and inconsistency between datasets.

What is the difference between longitudinal and cross-sectional research?

Longitudinal research involves data gathering repeatedly over time from the same subjects, while cross-sectional research compares multiple segments of the population at the same time.

Why is correlation not the same as causation in psychological research?

Correlation is not the same as causation because correlation only indicates a relationship between variables, but does not imply that one causes the other, due to the possibility of confounding variables.

What is the role of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) in psychological research?

An IRB is a committee that reviews proposals for research involving human participants to ensure ethical standards are met, including obtaining informed consent and protecting participants' rights.