psychology and the law research methods. plan for today research methods class experiment
Post on 03-Jan-2016
216 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Psychology and the Law
Research Methods
Plan for Today
• Research methods
• Class experiment
Levels of Explanation
• Poem written on a piece of paper
a) Ink marks on paper
b) Chemical constituents of paper and ink
c) A collection of letters in English language
d) A collection of words in English language
e) A work of art and meaning
Research Methodology
1. General biases- self serving bias- I knew it all along phenomena
2. Biases in assessing covariation- illusory correlation
3. Biases in inferring causation- the fundamental attributional error- The illusion of control
Correlational vs. Experimental Research
• Smoking is correlated with lung cancer
• High grades are correlated with successful careers
• Eating Frosted Flakes is correlated with lower cancer rates
• In Taiwan birth control use is correlated with number of household appliances
Correlational Research
• Establishes whether there is a relationship between two or more variables
• CANNOT INFER CAUSALITY
1. Directionality problem
2. Potential for a third variable (confound)
Experimental Research
• Considered the most powerful tool for determining causal relationships
• Random Assignment: ensures that every participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the conditions
• This minimizes the chance that a pre-existing difference between groups is the cause of the “experimental effect”
Trial and Error
• Try something, if it works try it again, if not discard
• If it works again, try it again.• If it works often, use it often.• Problems:• Harder to understand the mechanisms
behind why something works.• Ignores research in related areas.
Example word generation task
O F R E
C M P A
K L I N
E T P S
Word Generation Task
A B T I
C K S A
H R O M
E T P L
Research Demonstration
• Purpose of study?
– the effects of anxiety on performance
• Eperimental hypothesis?
- anxiety will decrease performance, those in anxiety condition will generate less words than those in the control condition
Research Demonstration
• Independent variable?- made to feel anxious or not• Dependent variable?- number of words generated • Manipulation check?- people in anxiety condition will score
higher on questionnaire than control condition
Research Demonstration
• Random assignment
• Random sample
• Internal validity
• External (ecological) validity
• Reliablility
Legal Quiz
• If I were charged with negligent manslaughter in Toronto:
• What type of offense would it be?
• What court would I be remanded to?
• Where would I appeal my conviction?
Legal quiz
• Who writes the laws of the land?
• What are the Division of Powers?
• What are the two dimensions of evidence?
• When can an opinion be offered by a witness in court?
top related