PSS 321 Introduction to Research Methods in Social Psychology

Summary

This video introduces social psychology as an empirical science, emphasizing the scientific study of social influence and human behavior. It highlights the different research methods used in social psychology, including observational, correlational, and experimental approaches. The video stresses the importance of selecting the appropriate method for specific research questions and addresses common misconceptions about human social behavior. It also explains the concept of hindsight bias, where outcomes seem predictable only after they occur, and sets the stage for further exploration of the observational method in upcoming videos.

Takeaways

• 😀 Social psychology is an empirical science, meaning it studies observable human behavior.
• 😀 Social psychologists aim to study social influence scientifically through research and experiments.
• 😀 Some topics in social psychology may seem obvious because we live them daily, but they can still be complex and require scientific exploration.
• 😀 There are three main scientific methods used in social psychology: the observational method, the correlational method, and the experimental method.
• 😀 The choice of method depends on the nature of the research question being asked in social psychology.
• 😀 About 95% of research in social psychology is conducted using the experimental method.
• 😀 Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, and part of the creativity in research is choosing the right method for the question at hand.
• 😀 Being critical consumers of social psychological research involves understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different research methods.
• 😀 The hindsight bias is a common tendency to believe we could have predicted an outcome after knowing it has already occurred.
• 😀 The true challenge in social psychology is to predict outcomes before knowing them, which highlights the importance of scientific prediction over intuition.
• 😀 The next video will explore the observational method in social psychological research.

Q & A

What does it mean that social psychology is an empirical science?

An empirical science involves studying observable phenomena. In the case of social psychology, it refers to researching social behaviors that can be observed and measured scientifically.

Why is social influence important in social psychology?

Social influence is a fundamental concept in social psychology because it refers to the ways in which people's behaviors, thoughts, and feelings are influenced by others, and understanding this scientifically is a key goal of the field.

Why might some social psychology research findings seem obvious?

Some findings may seem obvious because we all live as social beings and think we understand social behavior intuitively. However, these conclusions often reveal deeper, scientifically validated insights that we wouldn't have predicted without experimental research.

What are the three scientific methods used in social psychology research?

The three main scientific methods used are the observational method, the correlational method, and the experimental method. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and the choice of method depends on the nature of the research question.

Why do social psychologists use three different methodologies?

Social psychologists use different methodologies because certain questions are better suited for different approaches. Some questions are more suitable for observation or correlation, while others require experimental methods to draw more definitive conclusions.

What percentage of social psychology research relies on the experimental method?

Around 95% of social psychology research uses the experimental method, as it allows researchers to test hypotheses in controlled environments to determine cause-and-effect relationships.

How do the different methods in social psychology compare in terms of their power?

Each method has its strengths and weaknesses. The observational and correlational methods are useful for identifying patterns or relationships, but they cannot determine causality, which is a strength of the experimental method.

What is the role of creativity in conducting social psychological research?

Creativity plays a crucial role in selecting the appropriate method for a given research question. Researchers must choose the method that maximizes its strengths while minimizing its weaknesses to answer questions effectively.

What is the hindsight bias, and how does it affect our understanding of research findings?

The hindsight bias is the tendency to believe that an event was predictable after knowing the outcome. This can lead people to think that research findings were obvious, even though they were difficult to predict before the results were known.

Why is it important to predict the outcome of an experiment before knowing the result?

It is important because predicting outcomes beforehand helps ensure that conclusions are not influenced by hindsight bias. This demonstrates the scientific rigor of social psychology and allows for objective analysis of human social behavior.