Research Methods
Psychology is a discipline that asks big questions and finds little answers.
You probably find yourself wondering about a lot of things every day. Do companies who use Twitter do more business than companies who don't? Does Powerade or Gatorade make me run faster? Will my hair really stay in place for eight hours if I use that molding paste? Taste great? Less filling?
Luckily for you, these questions can all be answered by research. Researchers in psychology tend to ask questions that may be more significant to human development, but then again, what's more important than your hairstyle?
The answer, of course, is nothing.
Scientific investigators set up experiments and evaluate the significance of the results. For the AP Psychology exam, you'll need to be able to differentiate between different kinds of research, the pros and cons of each method, and how results are determined and analyzed.
What are the variables? The dog? The dog food? The bell? Is this experiment ethical in practice? Ever hear of ablation? What kind of statistics do we need to understand the results? Is one success in a million significant?
For the answers to these questions—well, most of them, anyway—read on.
Study Break
"Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose." – Zora Neale Hurston, American folklorist and writer
Experimental, Correlational, and Clinical Research
Psychology is a science based on evidence. This isn't poetry or government contracts; psychologists don't just make things up, even if it can sometimes seem like it. When a psychologist has a burning question or idea, he or she can test it using a controlled experiment.
When conducting experiments, psychologists follow the scientific method, the gold standard for how to support valuable research with credible findings. Psychologists assume that psychological processes follow patterns, so an experiment should yield similar results if it's performed more than once. These processes are also measurable and explainable…although scientists, being people, often jump early to conclusions in order to make waves. And we're not talking brainwaves, here.
There are four steps to the scientific method that must be followed. No excuses. ("I didn't think we reallyneeded an experiment.")
1. Hypothesis
First of all, a scientist forms a hypothesis, or testable question that describes a relationship between two things that she wants answered. Is this perfume an aphrodisiac?
2. Experiment
Then, an experiment is designed that will control variables, or factors that can influence the outcome. Researchers identify variables and give operational definitions, or explanations of how the variables will be measured. Different types of perfume, different ladies, different dudes.
Logically, the independent variable acts alone, and the dependent variable relies on it. An experiment might be designed to find out whether using Titleist golf balls (independent variable, controlled) help John hit the ball farther (length of drive, dependent on golf balls).
3. Results
When the experiment is complete, the scientist will review her results, analyzing what they mean and deciding whether they prove or disprove her hypothesis. Is there more or less canoodling post-perfuming?
