EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Module 4
WRITING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
AND THEORY IN RESEARCH

Scientific Research in Psychology

I. Identify Research Problem

 Specify a problem
 Justify and must create insights
 Must suggest the need to study (Why is it necessary)
II. Reviewing the Related Literature

 Locating resources
 Selecting resources
 Summarizing resources
- To review literature means locating articles, books, journals for your chosen topic/study.
Summarize the literatures and include the proper citations of the literature in support of your
study. Remember not to copy paste the sentence or paragraph, you can use paraphrasing if not
quote the author of the literature.

Example of citing the author; This evidence, along with other suspicious facts, led some scientists
and historians to conclude that Burt’s data were not completely honest (Broad & Wade, 1982; Kohn,
1986). This evidence, along with other suspicious facts, led some scientists and historians to conclude
that Burt’s data were not completely honest (Broad & Wade, 1982; Kohn, 1986).

III. Purpose for Research

 Identify the purpose statement

 Narrow it to purpose statement, to research questions or hypotheses
Sample Purpose Statements;
- Aims to search for intervention to lessen the usage of gadgets, what is the implication of
using gadgets and the absence of it on academic performance? Or using gadgets has impact
on academic performance of students.

IV. Collecting Data

 Selecting individuals for the study

 Obtaining permissions/informed consent
 Gathering information
V. Analyzing and Interpreting Data
 Breakdown the data (use statistical method)
 Representing the data (can be shown in graphs numerical if Quantitative and thematic
approach if qualitative)
 Explaining the data (Expound the data in parsimonious ways that readers can understand
the data being concluded in paragraphs)
Note: Our study must be validated and checked by editors/panelists and if there any statistics
used, a statistician must be involved so that the study can be deemed as valid and reliable
results.

Famous Psychological Phenomena

Halo Effect
- The experiment conducted in 1920, educational psychologist Edward Thorndike. It is
when one trait of a person or thing is used to make an overall judgment. It supports rapid decisions,
even if it biases. For example if you find somebody to be physically attractive, it can lead to skewed
favourable perceptions of their other qualities such as generosity, friendliness, intelligence etc.
However the reverse is also true. If you get negative impression of one characteristic it can lead
you to view other personal qualities in a less favorable light.

Hawthorne Effect
- The Hawthorne Effect came from a 1955 study conducted by Henry Landsberger. The
original purpose of the experiments was to study the effects of physical conditions on productivity.
Two groups of workers in the Hawthorne factory were used as guinea pigs. One day the lighting
in the work area for one group was improved dramatically while the other group's lighting
remained unchanged. The researchers were surprised to find that the productivity of the more
highly illuminated workers increased much more than that of the control group.
The experimenters concluded that it was not the changes in physical conditions that were
affecting the workers' productivity. Rather, it was the fact that someone was actually concerned
about their workplace and was observing them. The workers felt important because they were
pleased to be singled out, and increased productivity as a result. This effect is a simple premise
that human subjects in an experiment change their behavior simply because they are being studied.

Bystander Effect
- Social psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley popularized the concept following the
infamous 1964 murder in New York City. Genovese was stabbed to death outside her
apartment while bystanders who observed the crime did not step in to assist or call the police.
Latané and Darley attributed the bystander effect to the perceived diffusion of responsibility
(onlookers are more likely to intervene if there are few or no other witnesses) and social influence
(individuals in a group monitor the behavior of those around them to determine how to act).
 The more people who are present at an emergency situation, the less likely it is that any
one of them will help. (“Click”, sabay caption kawawa si kuya, stay safe guys”, “Gusto ko
tumulong kaso nahihiya ako”, “Kawawa naman siya, pero madami naman sila sigurado may
tutulong dyan”)

Four Theoretical Approach to Research

1. Functional Theories
- Explains psychological phenomena in terms of their function or purpose.
Sample: The Theory of Repeated Self Injury, it focus on the function of self-injury on the people
who engage in it.
2. Mechanistic Theories
- Focuses on specific variables, structures and processes and how they interact to produce
phenomena.
Sample: The Theory of Hypochondriasis, (misinterpret ordinary bodily symptoms as a sign of a
serious illness), this theory explains that a person with high trait of neuroticism will become to pay
attention to negative health especially if they had illness when they were child, etc.
3. Stage Theories
- specify a series of stages that people pass through as they develop or adapt to their
environment.
Sample: Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development
4. Typologies
- provide organization by categorizing people or behavior into distinct types. Theories that
identify: Several basic emotions, (such as happiness, sadness, fear, surprise and anger, etc.),
several distinct types of intelligence (Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence) and distinct types
of personalities (such as Big Five Personality traits)

Note: That we incorporate theories to our research, by two basic ways. First, is to raise a research
question, answer that by conducting a new study and then offer one or more theories to explain or
interpret the results. The second way is to describe one or more existing theories then derive a
hypothesis from one of those theories then test the hypothesis in a new study.

Sample Experimental Design

Title: Immediate Recall

Objective: To determine if the repetition of words have different effects on

immediate recall.

Hypothesis: There is an effect on the immediate recall in repetition of words.

Apparatus: 40 Random Words, Timer, White Board marker and White Board.

Procedure:

1. Divide into 2 groups with the same number in a group.

2. Subjects were asked to pay attention, listen and focus.
3. The experimenter presented the 40 randomly arranged words to the subject.
4. The experimenter asked the first group (A) to go out of the classroom.
5. The experimenter asked the second group (B) to listen for the 40 randomly
words once again.
6. The experimenter asked the second group to discuss and list down the words
presented in 20 minutes.
7. After both groups were done and the experimenter asked both groups to tally
all the words they recalled.
8. The experimenter presented again the 40 randomly arranged words to
compare the number of listed words.
9. The experimenter compared the total number of recalled words of both groups
and that it has an effect on immediate recall.

Subjects:

Quantity Age

Male subjects 5 17 – 20

Female subjects 5 18 – 20

Results:

Subject Vegetables Animals Profession Others Total

Group A 7 8 6 16 37

Group B 8 8 9 13 38
Discussion:

The Group A got a score of 37 while the Group B got 38 scores. The Group
B got higher number of recalled words than Group A that had not receive any
repeated words with 1 difference. Group B obtained the highest score based on the
tallying procedures. The repeated presentation of words has an effect of Group B
being used as experimental group to immediate recall. The groups used the style of
categorizing the words into vegetables, animals, professions and others so that it will
be easy to immediately recall the 40 random words.

Conclusion:

Based on the results that the both group obtained, Group B got the highest
score and our group’s hypothesis is correct. So we therefore conclude that repetition
of words has an effect on immediate recall.

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