Deck 2: B: Research Methods

Question 1

Illustrate why being an informed consumer about research,research designs,and statistics will be helpful in identifying incorrect statements about research in the media and on the Internet.

Answer 1

Answers will vary but should contain at least four of the following,including the first idea,for full credit.
--Student should mention that understanding research designs will aid in identifying when statements of cause and effect are appropriate and when they are not.(Need to give supportive evidence for this and all statements to see that they truly demonstrate an understanding of each idea. )
--One will recognize misleading or inaccurate statistical statements.
--One will recognize when headlines are inaccurate summaries of the research results.
--One will recognize when reporters or writers have used sharpening or leveling.
--One will consider the source and whether the story coverage is balanced or whether it muddies the discussion.

Question 2

Discuss how the concept of the illusory correlation would explain a friend's complaint that his fraternity/her sorority (or other student group)is always being displayed in a negative light by the campus newspaper while other groups are not treated the same.

Answer 2

Answers will vary but should include the following to earn full credit.
--Student should define or describe what the illusory correlation is in his or her answer (either directly or demonstrate an understanding indirectly).
--Student should discuss the general ideas associated with the Great Fourfold Table of Life from page 56.More specifically,he or she should focus on the fact that the student-in the question-is focusing on instances where negative portrayal of the fraternity/sorority are occurring but is neglecting stories about the fraternity/sorority that are positive or have no evaluative component.Likewise,the student-in the question-is also ignoring when other groups are discussed negatively or other negative stories that are irrelevant to friend's group are published.

Question 3

Identify and describe two pitfalls in experimental design,what the implications are for interpreting the results of a study with these pitfalls,and how these pitfalls can be avoided.

Answer 3

Answers will vary but should contain the any of the two following points for full credit.
--Placebo effect: improvement resulting from expectations,implications are that improvements may not be stemming from the "treatment" per se,can overcome this by using single-blind procedures
--Nocebo effect: harm resulting from the mere expectation of harm,people can subjectively experience pain if they believe they may be hurt,can overcome using single-blind procedures
--Experimenter expectancy effect: researcher's predictions unintentionally bias the outcome of a study,implications are that the experimenter can sometimes give away cues without knowing it that influence the participants' behaviours,can overcome by double-blind procedures
--Demand characteristics: cues that participants pick up from an experiment that allow them to guess what the hypothesis of a study does,implications are that the participants can alter their behaviour based on their knowledge of the study,can overcome by double-blind procedures

Question 4

Explain why no single measure of central tendency and measure of dispersion exists that a researcher can use every single time.

Question 5

Describe the roles of research ethics boards and statements of informed consent within the human research process.

Question 6

Compare and contrast the differences between a correlational and experimental design.

Question 7

Why is it necessary for psychologists to have so many different research designs to study human behaviour?

Question 8

Distinguish between the different types of reliability and validity,and what are the main differences between them.

Question 9

Your friend Sasha has approached you because she just read an article in the Paranormal Enquirer magazine that described a research finding that introverts are more likely to have extrasensory perception (ESP).What tips would you recommend to your friend in evaluating the legitimacy of this claim?