Research Methods Used by Psychologists - Essay Example

RESEARCH METHODS USED BY PSYCHOLOGISTS By s + s Introduction Psychology research method refers to scientific methods used by the psychologist to conduct studies and research on human behavior. The researcher should follow scientific method of researching which include: drawing of hypothesis from the topic interested in, determine the method of collecting data that also involve designing an experiment, examining the data that have been collected and drawing conclusion and then preparing a report for the findings. The method to be used depends on the source of information they are drawn on, how the information is sampled and the means used to collect data. The goal of the researcher is to find measure and explain behaviors, to understand why, when and how events occur and to apply this knowledge to solve real-world problems. The researcher deals with variables and values. A variable refers to a set of related events that can be changed. There are two types of variables; independent variable which are directly manipulated by a researcher and dependent variable which are affected by the manipulation of the independent variables. These research methodsinclude: Experimental Method Experimental method is used when the researcher intend to determine the cause-effect relationship between variables. The researcher uses random assignment to divides the variables into two groups; experiment group (independent variables) and control group (dependent variables) in a way that gives each subject a chance to be placed in either group. During the experiment, the researcher manipulates the independent variable and at the same time observes changes caused to the dependent variable under controlled conditions. For example, in a population of 100 people a researcher may intend to find the effects of alcohol on family matters, he therefore divides the 100 peoples into two equal groups of 50 people. Gives one group alcohol, deny the other group, and observe their family matters. In case, alcohol is the independent variable and family matter the dependent variable. If there are other changes in their family matters not caused by the alcohol then these changes are called extraneous variables. Experimental method has the following advantages; relationship between two variables can easily be identified. It also distinguishes placebo effect and real effect of a treatment. Its disadvantages; there can be sample or subject bias which occur when the experiment does not correctly represent the population the researcher is interested on and when the researcher subjects’ expectation changes the behavior of the subject respectively and experimental bias that occur when the researcher preferences and expectation influences the outcome of the research being conducted(Chow 13). During experimental research, the following should be ensured: independent variables are completely controlled, sample of research participant is randomly chosen and research subject or participant is assigned randomly to the condition. Correlational Design This method is used when the researcher wants to describe links between two or more variables. In correlation, two variables may be related without one causing the other to occur and often a third factor explains the correlation. To determine the nature of relationship between variables, a researcher must calculate the correlation co-efficient, which is always a number between -1 and +1. The higher the coefficient of correlation +0.9 or -0.9 the strong the correlation. Likewise, the lower the coefficient of correlation +0.1 or -0.1 means a very weak correlation. A positive correlation indicates that as one variable increases the other one do so too while a negative correlation means that as one variable increases the other one decrease.Common correlational research methods include; case studies, survey method, naturalistic observation, and laboratory observation. Each method is discussed below: Case study; suitable when the researcher intend to cover a subject in depth. The researcher collects data about the subject through interviews, psychological testing, direct observation or examination of documents and records about the subject. Interviews will includeunstructured (informal) interview that are as casual conversation with no set questions and the participant is allowed to raise any topic he or she feels is relevant and questions in theirown way. Structured or formal interview every participant is presented with a fixed set of questions in same way and order. Psychological test is used when the researcher is interested in knowing about the personality traits, emotional states, behavior, interests, abilities and attitude of a participant. It provides data that is qualitative and has a high level of ecological validity. Validity is the extent to which a measurement and a property is conceptually related (miller 44) (miller, 1986) Survey research method is used to determine beliefs and attitudes of a large population. It involves defining a specific population of people to be described and collecting data from the people by asking questions or requesting them to perform a particular task. During the survey, a representative sample is chosen with all the characteristics researchers want to determine from a population. Representative sample compute the statistics that properly show the nature of the sampling process used to select individuals in a population. When creating of hypothesis, careful wording is ensured to avoid bias on the question used by the researcher. Survey method is fast and efficient where the population to research on is large. However, it does not provide in-depth knowledge of the survey and there is no guarantee that the researcher is open and honest. Naturalistic observation research method is used when the researcher intend to observe the population he or she is interested in by observing them in their natural setting without interfering with them. The researcher should do nothing and be inconspicuous to change the environment or normal on-going behavior of the participants. Naturalistic observation can be covert observation where the researcher pretends to be ordinary member of the population and observes in secret or overt observation where the researcher notices the group he or she that they are being observed (Robert 540). The goal of this Naturalistic observation method is to study the behavior of people or animals in their everyday environment. Researcher feels confident that the behavior being observed is “natural” if the behavior is unaffected by the experiment’s presence. There are two ways to accomplish this is first when the researcher is hidden from those being observed. However when observing some subjects such as animals, the researcher does not have to hind because animals sensethe presence of something and researcher may not observe their natural behavior. Therefore, the researcher has to show off to the animals. Video recorder can be used to collect data observed to be investigated later. Laboratory research method is used when the researcher intend to carry out his or her research in a controlled condition. In the laboratory there is special facilities designed for careful instrumentation. The advantage of this kind of research method of having a controlled condition is also a weakness of removing the research from natural setting and activities. Simulation research method: involves the researcher creating the main features of real world setting and then placing subjects in the setting performing activities performing that situation and the goal is to determine the effects of a situation on the subjects behavior(Zimbardo 345). Archival research method: sometimes the researcher my use existing data from archive sources to answer a theoretical question. Data is available in the archive because people like keeping record about them. For example, data concerning political leadership is frequently found in archives. Moreover, for a psychologist to develop his or her study start by reading chosen subjects available in biographies. Such biographies range from obituaries to magazines. Ethics of science that should be applied in psychology research methods Ethics refers to the code of conduct. During research, a psychologist researcher should practice the following: Protection from harm: a psychologist should protect the participants from physical and psychological harm such as forcing them to participate and insulting them respectively. Instead, the psychologist should use any possible safe method to get information from the participants and in case there is no possible method the study should not be conducted. Risk benefit analysis: although the participant may be asked to bear with minor risks such as shocks, he or she should not be subjected to major risks that can cause psychological or physical harm or pain. To avoid the possibility of these major risks from happening the psychologist must first demonstrate to the participant in order to win their confident while giving the information. Confidentiality: it is the psychologist obligation to keep private and personal information obtained from the participant confidential. This ensures that the participants’ private information does not reach to the public. It will also help the psychologist to create a good relationship in case he or she is going to conduct another study on the same population. In case the information is breached to the public, the psychologist should be held accountable. Freedom from coercion: participants should not be coerced to give information. In this case, coercion will not just be physical or psychological but also monetary where participants are given money or any other token in order to give out information to the psychologist. Informed consent: participants should sign an agreement of participation in a psychology study. By signing this agreement, the participant is informed of the risk that may arise due to his or her participation. This means that the participant know everything that might be harmful. Deception: psychologist should never deceive participants about any aspect of study that can cause physical or psychological harm or pain. In case the participants are aware of the deception of the psychologist, he or she may decide to deny him or her information for the study (Weathington 790). A researcher emerges or develop a theory that relate to particular incidence, facts or events that describe the effect on people or animals psychology from the data collected during study and not from the predetermined hypothesis or formulations. Researcher progressively abstract categories of incidents, facts and events by integrating and explaining the data and organize the relationship among them (Kerry, 184). For example: Mood Questionnaire on Different Feelings and Emotions at Different Places. (PANAS) 1.Very slightly.2.Not at all. 3.A little moderately.4. Quite a bit.5.Extremely. This data shows that people’s mood is different at different occasions and the mood can never be the same for all people in the same environment and conditions. Reference List Aiken, L.S. 2002. Applied Multiple Correlation Analysis for The Behavioral sciences. Psychology Press Adèr, H. J., & Hand, D. J. 2008. Advising on Research Methods. The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing. Andres, Lesley 2012. "Designing and Doing Survey Research". London: Sage publishers Miller, 1986.A Case Study on Controversy Social Science. New York.Praeger. Nicewander 1988. Thirteen Ways to Look at the Correlation Coefficient. The American Statistician, 42(1):59–66, Ornstein, M.D. (1998). "Survey Research." Current Sociology. Patricia M. Shields. 2013. A Playbook for Research Methods: Integrating Conceptual Frameworks and Project Management. Stillwater: New Forums Press. pp. 109-158 Pashler, H 2000. Stevens Handbook of Experimental Psychology; New York: Wiley Pittenger, D.P. 2010. 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