Chapter One: What is Psychology?

Descriptive Studies: Establishing the Facts

INTRODUCTION

Descriptive methods allow a researcher to carefully describe and understand behavior. While future behavior can be predicted with descriptive methods, they do not allow us determine causal relationships.

WHAT'S AHEAD

• When are psychological case studies informative and when are they useless?
• Why do psychologists often do research in laboratories instead of observing people in “real life”?
• Why should you be skeptical about psychological tests in magazines and newspapers?
• What’s the difference between a psychological survey and a poll of listeners by your local radio talk-show host?

KEY CONCEPTS

Case Studies
Observational Studies
Tests
Surveys

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Table 1.3 has a great summary comparing the advantages and disadvantages of all the research methods. Click on me to go to an interactive version of the table.

Case Studies

INTRODUCTION

A detailed description of a particular individual that gives us insight into a person's behavior

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

	Case studies include careful observations, interviews, and/or psychological testing.
	Benefits of the Case Study Method Case studies can produce a more detailed picture of principles and individuals than other methods. Can be used as a source of hypotheses.
	Drawbacks The person who is the focus of a case study may be unrepresentative of the people we are trying to understand in general. Not sufficient to choose one explanation for the cause of a behavior over another.

GLOSSARY

		descriptive methods
		case study
		observational study

LINKS About a Case Study:

Theodore John Kaczynski -- the Unabomber. wwwlink: Theodore John Kaczynski - Evil Man or Tortured Soul? wwwlink: Psychiatric testimony at the trial.

Observational Studies

INTRODUCTION

Researcher systematically observes, measures, and records behavior while not interfering with the subject's behavior.

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

Naturalistic observation is used to find out how subjects behave in their natural environment.

Laboratory observation allows more control and special equipment.

Drawbacks:

• Presence of researchers and equipment may alter the subject's behavior.
  
  
• Observation more useful for describing behavior rather than explaining it.

GLOSSARY

observational study

LINKS About Observational Studies

• wwwlink: Want to learn how to conduct naturalistic observations of preschoolers?

Tests

INTRODUCTION

Tests measure and evaluate traits, emotional states, abilities and values.

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

	•	Objective Versus Projective Tests:
			Objective tests measures beliefs, feelings, and behaviors of which we are aware; projective tests tap the unconscious.
				"Fast Forward" to Chapter 10
	•	Characteristics of a good test:
			Standardized	Uniform procedures for giving and scoring the test
			Uses Norms	Scoring is based on established standards and performance.
			Reliable	Like an accurate thermometer, the test must produce the same results from one time and place to another.
			Valid	The test must measure what it is suppose to measure.

GLOSSARY

		standardized
		norms
		reliability
		validity

LINKS About Psychological Tests

• wwwlink: Debate over the usefulness of standardized tests like the SAT.

Surveys

INTRODUCTION

Questionnaires or interviews that ask about attitudes, opinions and experiences..

KEY CONCEPTS EXPLAINED

	A key issue is selecting a representative sample.
	It is important to survey a group of subjects that is representative of the larger population of interest. A small sample that is representative of the larger population may be more accurate than a large survey sample that failed to use proper sampling methods.
	Volunteer bias
	Those who volunteer for a survey may differ from those who don't. This produces an unrepresentative sample.
	Other Problems
	People sometimes misinterpret questions or may even lie a little. How the question is asked may produce the result the researcher is looking for.

GLOSSARY

		surveys
		representative sample
		volunteer bias

LINKS About Surveys

• wwwlink: Would you like to know how to write questionnaires? For the truly dedicated because this is a report from the FEDERAL COMMITTEE ON STATISTICAL METHODOLOGY.

Next Topic - Correlational Studies: Looking for Relationships.......... Chapter Contents