Research Methods
Textbook Reading
Chapter 1: pages 5-20
Wiki Notes | |
File Size: | 102 kb |
File Type: | doc |
research_methods_study_guide.doc | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Helpful Links
APA's Code of Ethics
A little unorthodox but a very good explanation of concepts in this unit
Practice telling the difference between descriptive and explanatory questions in Psychology
Take a practice test
The Stanford Prison Experiment - website and slideshow
Great website explaining how to calculate standard deviation, it's so easy even I could do it!
A little unorthodox but a very good explanation of concepts in this unit
Practice telling the difference between descriptive and explanatory questions in Psychology
Take a practice test
The Stanford Prison Experiment - website and slideshow
Great website explaining how to calculate standard deviation, it's so easy even I could do it!
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In this video on stereotypes they discuss several experiments. Can you identify the hypotheses, experimental groups, control groups, independent variables, dependent variables, confounding variables, placebos, and/or issues with biases?
From the College Board:
II. Research Methods (8–10%)
Psychology is an empirical discipline . Psychologists develop knowledge by doing
research . Research provides guidance for psychologists who develop theories to
explain behavior and who apply theories to solve problems in behavior .
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following:
• Differentiate types of research (e .g ., experiments, correlational studies, survey
research, naturalistic observations, case studies) with regard to purpose,
strengths, and weaknesses .
• Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be
drawn (e .g ., experiments are useful for determining cause and effect; the use of
experimental controls reduces alternative explanations) .
• Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in
experimental designs .
• Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in
experiments and random selection of participants, primarily in correlational
studies and surveys .
• Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research
design (e .g ., confounding variables limit confidence in research conclusions) .
• Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics .
• Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and
constructing graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics
(e .g ., measures of central tendency, standard deviation) .
• Discuss the value of reliance on operational definitions and measurement in
behavioral research .
• Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices .
• Describe how ethical and legal guidelines (e .g ., those provided by the American
Psychological Association, federal regulations, local institutional review boards)
protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice
II. Research Methods (8–10%)
Psychology is an empirical discipline . Psychologists develop knowledge by doing
research . Research provides guidance for psychologists who develop theories to
explain behavior and who apply theories to solve problems in behavior .
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following:
• Differentiate types of research (e .g ., experiments, correlational studies, survey
research, naturalistic observations, case studies) with regard to purpose,
strengths, and weaknesses .
• Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be
drawn (e .g ., experiments are useful for determining cause and effect; the use of
experimental controls reduces alternative explanations) .
• Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in
experimental designs .
• Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in
experiments and random selection of participants, primarily in correlational
studies and surveys .
• Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research
design (e .g ., confounding variables limit confidence in research conclusions) .
• Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics .
• Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and
constructing graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics
(e .g ., measures of central tendency, standard deviation) .
• Discuss the value of reliance on operational definitions and measurement in
behavioral research .
• Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices .
• Describe how ethical and legal guidelines (e .g ., those provided by the American
Psychological Association, federal regulations, local institutional review boards)
protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice