Non-true-experimental Designs

PSY 231 Research Methods in

Psychology

Announcements

This week in labs—running group projectsplease be on timeFill out Rating Sheet #1 by Monday (can

turn in Th/Fr)Journal Article Summary #2 due in lab next

week research participation alternative

last section of the course

Chapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy

Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy

Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs

Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs

Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data

today

Chapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy

Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy

Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs

Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs

Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data

descriptive research

talked about observation research designs (naturalistic, participant, contrived) and case studies earlier

focus on survey research design (most common method)

survey research methodwhy use it?

provides way to learn about peoplestudy relationships among variables/ways

that attitudes and behaviors change over time

assumes people respond accurately and truthfullyresponse sets

steps in survey researchdecide objectiveconstruct questions/responsesfinalize surveyadminister survey

constructing questions1. define research objectives

attitudes or beliefsfacts and demographicsbehaviors

constructing questions2. word questions carefully

simplicity is key

constructing questions2. word questions carefully

simplicity is keyavoid

double-barreled questions

double-barreled questions

BAD GOOD

Should senior citizens be given more money for recreation centers and food assistance programs?

Should senior citizens be given more money for recreation centers?

Should senior citizens be given more money for food assistance programs?

constructing questions2. word questions carefully

simplicity is keyavoid

double-barreled questionsloaded questions

loaded questions

BAD GOOD

Do you favor eliminating the wasteful excess in the public school budget?

Do you favor reducing the public school budget?

constructing questions2. word questions carefully

simplicity is keyavoid

double-barreled questionsloaded questionsnegative wording

Negative wording

BAD GOOD

The city should not approve the proposed women’s shelter.

The city should approve the proposed women’s shelter.

Constructing questions2. Word questions carefully

simplicity is keyavoid

double-barreled questionsloaded questionsnegative wordingyea-saying and nay-saying

Yea-saying and nay-saying

The members of my family and I spend a lot of time together.

I spend most of my time with my friends.

I feel isolated from others.

I feel I am very close to my group of friends.

constructing responses3. closed-ended or open-ended?

advantages and disadvantages to both

constructing responses

Closed-ended Open-ended

What is the best thing about ISU? (choose one)1. Location2. Academics3. Dorm food4. People who sell

things between Milner and the Bone

What is the best thing about ISU?

constructing responses4. if closed-ended

decide number/label of response alternativesshould use odd number (5 or 7 best)labels should be clear

decide scalerating: PSY 231 is an important course in the

major.1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Agree Disagree

constructing responses4. if closed-ended

decide scalesemantic differential: PSY 231 Important _____: _____: _____: _____: _____:

Unimportant Boring _____: _____: _____: _____: _____: Interesting

nonverbal scale for children:Point to the face that shows how you

feel about the toy.

finalizing the questionnaire 5. formatting

neatly typed and free of errorsgroup questions by topicuse scales consistentlysequence

interesting questions firstsensitive questions in the middledemographic questions last

finalizing6. refining

give to small groupask to ‘think aloud’help to improve questionnaire

administeringquestionnaires

less costly than interviews allows anonymity requires participants can read/understand

questionsmay find it boringresponse bias

administeringquestionnaires

personal administrationmail surveysInternet surveys

administeringinterviews

often establish rapport more likely to respond to personable to clarify questionsinterviewer bias

administeringinterviews

face-to-facetelephonefocus groups

correlational research determine relationship between variablescorrelation coefficient (r): statistic that

describes relationship between variables range: -1……0……+1

negative relationship: as one variables increases, the other decreases

positive relationships: as one variable increases, the other increases/as one variable decreases, the other decreases

correlational researchcorrelation coefficient (r): statistic that

describes relationship between variables strength

small—r = .10 and -.10medium—r = .30 and -.30large—r = .50 and -.50

scatterplotsstrong positive relationship (.89)

scatterplotsweak positive relationship (.27)

scatterplotsstrong negative relationship (-.91)

Scatterplotsweak negative correlation (-.31)

scatterplotsNo relationship (.13)

correlational researchadvantages

good starting point for researchobserve natural relationshipsallows study of variables that are

impossible/unethical to manipulate

correlational researchdisadvantages

no causality!!!directionality problemthird variable problem

Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013)

administered a survey asking college students about their consumption of alcohol and their G.P.A.

surveyed included:On average, how many alcoholic drinks do

you consume on a weekly basis? __________What is your college G.P.A.? __________

Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013)

found a strong negative correlation (r = -.998) between number of alcoholic drinks and college G.P.A.

Cutting, Bock, & Herrmann (2013)

based on the results, they suggested that drinking alcohol causes lower grades

What do you think?It turns out that between May 2010 and

May 2011 (time of data collection), all of Chicago’s major sports teams (Cubs, Bears, Bulls) had good seasons and went to their respected playoffs

next timeChapter 12—The Correlational Research Strategy

Chapter 13—The Descriptive Research Strategy

Chapter 10—The Nonexperimental and Quasi-Experimental Strategies: Nonequivalent Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs

Chapter 14—Single-Subject Research Designs

Chapter 15—Statistical Evaluation of Data