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Research methods in psychology are essential for building theories and understanding human behavior. Various methods, including experiments, correlational studies, naturalistic observation, and case studies, each have their advantages and disadvantages regarding control, applicability, and ethical considerations. The document also includes recommended readings and websites for further exploration of research methods in psychology.

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MOHAMAD ADRI BIN MAILI Moe
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11 views

Research+Methods+in+Psychology

Research methods in psychology are essential for building theories and understanding human behavior. Various methods, including experiments, correlational studies, naturalistic observation, and case studies, each have their advantages and disadvantages regarding control, applicability, and ethical considerations. The document also includes recommended readings and websites for further exploration of research methods in psychology.

Uploaded by

MOHAMAD ADRI BIN MAILI Moe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Research Methods in Psychology

- Research is vitally important to the science of Psychology. Theories are built on


findings of research studies over the years. The knowledge is gathered and
advanced through research!

- Experiments are conducted within psychology daily and they are used for a great
variety of research questions (which are formed into ‘hypotheses’). The aim of the
experiment is to examine the relationship between two or more variables.

- The advantages of experiments:

1. The researcher is in control of the situation that is used for this method.
2. The researcher can identify the cause and effect within the experiment.
3. When the experiment is completed the researcher can quickly draw the
conclusions.

- The disadvantages of the experiments:

1. When an experiment is set up, the situation can be seen as ‘artificial’, so the
results maybe not that applicable to the ‘real world’.
2. Sometimes the participants subconsciously would try ‘to help’ the researchers
(with their responses) so the results may not be as accurate as they would be in
more ‘natural’ settings.
3. Sometimes experiments maybe not be possible at all or ethical!

- Correlational study method examines the relationship between two variables that
correlate with each other. An increase in one variable associated with an increase
in another variable, this would be called positive correlation. An increase in one
variable associated with decrease in another variable would be called negative
correlation.

- Correlation cannot explain the causation between variables. If one variable is


correlated with another, this doesn’t mean that ‘one is causing the other’.
Also, we cannot make any assumptions beyond the received data.
- Naturalistic observation, where the researcher allow the situation unfold in a
natural environment. Nothing or very little can be controlled in that situation, and the
results are simply based on the researcher’s observations (which can be biased).

- Case study method is used to analyse a person, a group or a phenomenon in-


depth. It is not just a single research method, but an in-depth investigation which
employs a variety of research tools, sources and methods.

Recommended Reading:

Nestor, P.G. & Schutt, R.K. (2014). Research Methods in Psychology: Investigating
Human Behaviour. 2nd ed.

Howitt, D. & Cramer, D. (2007). Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology.

Recommended websites:

‘Top 10 Online Psychology Experiments’. PsychCentral. Available from: http://


psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/08/18/top-ten-online-psychology-experiments/

‘7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Experimental Research’. Flow Psychology.


Available from: http://flowpsychology.com/7-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-
experimental-research/

© Elmira Strange, MPhil

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