Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. This course examines how psychological research is conducted. As scientists, psychologists collect data and make observations about the ways in which humans and animals behave and think in order to understand behavior and mental processes. Psychologists use a variety of research methods and designs to conduct their research. These tools help them develop psychological theories about behavior and mental processes. To ensure that their results are valid and reliable, psychologists’ research must adhere to strict ethical and procedural guidelines. Historical research is the foundation of the field of psychology and has become the basis for the many subfields within psychology that exist today.
Embedded Files
essential questions
essential questions
- How does the methodology of the research affect the outcome of a study?
- How do ethical guidelines impact psychological research?
Unit Goals & Learning Targets
Unit Goals & Learning Targets
1.2 Research Methods in Psychology
1.2 Research Methods in Psychology
- 1.F Differentiate types of research with regard to purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.
- 1.G Discuss the value of reliance on operational definitions and measurement in behavioral research.
1.3 The Experimental Method
1.3 The Experimental Method
- 1.H Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in experimental designs.
- 1.I Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn.
- 1.J Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in experiments and random selection of participants, primarily in correlational studies and surveys.
- 1.K Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research design.
1.5 Statistical Analysis in Psychology
1.5 Statistical Analysis in Psychology
- 1.L Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and constructing graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics.
- 1.M Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.
1.6 Ethical Guidelines in Psychology
1.6 Ethical Guidelines in Psychology
- 1.N Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices.
- 1.O Describe how ethical and legal guidelines protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice.
Myers' Textbook modules
Myers' Textbook modules
04. The Need for Psychological Science (30-36); 05. The Scientific Method & Description (38-43); 06. Correlation and Experimentation (46-53).pdf07. Statistical Reasoning in Everyday Life (56-61).pdf08. Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology (64-69).pdfSlide deck
Slide deck
Practice Resources
Practice Resources
Video Resources
Video Resources
Episode 2: Research & Experimentation
Episode 2: Research & Experimentation
The Scientific Method (2:06)Case Studies (3:05)Naturalistic Observation (3:48)Surveys and Interviews (4:15)Experimentation (6:35)Proper Research Practices (8:40)
Comparing Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Studies
Comparing Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Studies
What are descriptive studies? What are correlational studies? What are experimental studies? What are the similarities and differences between these studies types?
Ethical Guidelines for Psychological Research (Intro Psych Tutorial #22)
Ethical Guidelines for Psychological Research (Intro Psych Tutorial #22)
This video explains the major ethical guidelines for conducting research in psychology with human subjects including informed consent, freedom from coercion, protection from harm, risk-benefit analysis, anonymity and/or confidentiality, and debriefing.
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