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Define systematic procedures used to improve the validity of research findings, such
CONTENT STANDARD 2:
CONTENT STANDARD 3:
Define descriptiv
Define for
3.5 Explain other statistical concepts, such as statistical significance and effect size.
5*
6 5
3 4.5
II
PROCEDURAL TIMELINE 1
INTRODUCTION 3
CONTENT OUTLINE 5
ACTIVITIES 35
III
Activity 1.1: Sampling or Assignment?
1
3
Psychological Science
Overview:
edge and test hypotheses using scientific research methods. Understand
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Theories
Hypotheses
variable
Independent variables
Dependent variables
ADVANCED
quasi-independent variable
Sampling
6
gy majors, the results might not reflect the views of the general
Population
Sample
Random sampling
Convenience sampling
Sampling or Assignment?
operationally defined.
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is a definition of a variable or condition
in terms of the specific operation, procedures, or observable be
research, collect and analyze the data, and report the findings.
Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics
replication
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3. Evolutionary change and influence
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Research Methods
Overview:
Qualitative
Quantitative
case study
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Naturalistic observation
Surveys or questionnaires
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ADVANCED
III. Qualitative Research Methods
interviews
Narratives
focus group
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ADVANCED
Critical Thinking Exercises
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Research Methods, Continued
Overview:
Correlational methods
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ADVANCED
Illusory correlations
positive
negative
Scatterplots
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x
y
Figure 1
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tion. The figure below reflects a positive correlation between
Figure 2
Figure 3
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II. Experimental Methods
Experimental methods
experiments
independent variable
dependent variable
experimental group
control group
placebo
Random assignment
True experiments
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ADVANCED
Quasi-experiments
lab experiments
Generalizability
Ethical considerations
Participant bias
Experimenter bias
pants differently and influence their behavior according to
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ADVANCED
Carryover effect
one task may influence how they act in another task.
longitudinal research
cross-sectional research
Pattern Recognition
ADVANCED
blind study
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ADVANCED
Counterbalancing
External validity
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ADVANCED
Critical Thinking Exercises
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Ethical Issues in Research
Overview:
d. confidentiality
e. debriefing
http://www.apa.org/science/
about/publications/index.aspx
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The current APA Ethics Code is strongly influenced by the Belmont
ADVANCED
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ADVANCED
III. Standards for the Humane Treatment and Care of Nonhuman
Animals in Research
Policy on
Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals Guide
for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
http://www.
apa.org/science/leadership/care/animal-guide.aspx
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Research Ethics
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Statistics
Overview:
I. Descriptive Statistics
Descriptive statistics
ADVANCED
II. Frequency Distributions
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ADVANCED
Note: Instruction on how to calculate statistics are not included here. If you
wish to teach students to compute statistics, it would be best to consult a
book on behavioral statistics for thorough instructions. Some resources
are given at the end of this lesson plan.
mean
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median
mode
range
Frequency distributions
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ADVANCED
positive skew
negative skew
x y
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Figure 4
ple, 34% of data fall between the mean and the first standard
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Figure 5
V. Inferential Statistics
Inferential statistics
study are statistically significant and potentially generalizable beyond the
probability
null hypothesis
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ADVANCED
alternative
hypothesis research hypothesis
experimental hypothesis
esis and say the results are not due to chance but must reflect
p
p
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ADVANCED
There are many tests of significance that are used f
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Sampling or Assignment?
sample
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Answer Key
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A Tasty Sample(r): Teaching About
package of plain M&M’s and quantifies the sample by color. Students use
Concept
One concept that causes students some difficulty is sampling. Students
Materials Needed
Instructions
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provide (see Activity 1.2 Appendix); scratch paper will also suffice. Note
and
Discussion
student has only one orange M&M. Indeed, you will find that the bags,
see those figures and the percentages for the other M&M products on the
official M&M’s website (
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If you wish, you can compare the fit of your sample data to the popula
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References and Suggested Readiing
A little illustrated encyclopedia of M&M/Mars.
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Activity 1.2 Appendix
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Do Cookies/Donuts Improve Memory?
Errors in Methodology
students who are locked out. Once the final bell rings. I open the door for
and the first group the “early” group. This frustrates them even more.
“When you’re ready, flip the paper over and write as many words as you
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are done, they are told to give their papers to someone in the first group
Groups should never be organized so that the first half of those who
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Sometimes we look at AP essays from prior years that include finding
flaws in research, and I hear students say things like, “you cannot put all
the first people in a group like we did in the cookie experiment.”
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Word list (cookie group) Word list (no cookie group)
1. Influenced
5. Influenced
Answer Sheet
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Counting Fidgets: Teaching the Complexity
of Naturalistic Observation
ers to record fidgeting behavior and outlines a simple classroom technique that
operational definitions.]
Concept
Naturalistic observation can play a significant role in the study of social behav
the activity, students count the number of fidgets they observe in classmates and
numbers of fidgets. Students then decide how, as researchers, they would solve
Materials
Instructions
Preparation
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After choosing the two students, take them into the hallway briefly so you
of fidgets is likely to in
fidgets.
Demonstration
five 1-minute segments. During the observation time, the two observers
servers will record very different numbers of fidgets within each 1-minute
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observers illustrates the difficulty associated with monitoring a behavior
as simple as fidgets. Trying to document more complicated psychological
phenomena is enormously more difficult.
Discussion
Students are often not aware of the difficulties associated with naturalistic
ample, some students log a fidget with every occurrence, taking their
not know the purpose. As a result, they may try to figure out the pur
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difficulties inherent in this approach.
Writing Component
lems, but the class discussion extends the listing greatly. As a final writing
Suggested Reading
The practice of social research
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Activity 2.1 Appendix
I would like you to record the number of fidgets that the students in the
when I say “begin,” start recording the number of fidgets. For the first
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Pattern Recognition
One of the first decisions that psychology researchers must make is how
Correlational methods
experimental methods
specific factor, the experimenter determines the impact of that factor. This
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systematically. The first week, Charlie exercises vigorously. The second
methods might make the biggest impact on her students. For the first
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The Lucky Pen
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Copycat Crime
ished, city officials are dismayed to discover that similar acts of violence
tion. Once he identifies the complaint, the physician slips out of the room
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After completing this exercise, you should be able to:
Answer Key
The Problem of Child Abuse: Correlational
combining many individual case studies and trying to define their common
child at risk for physical abuse or merely not exercise sufficient protection
Experimental
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The Curious Teacher: Experimental
final exam to be easier than the midterm. Experimenter effects of this kind
this nature because our brains are geared to find patterns even where
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Copycat Crime: Correlational
It may be tempting to conclude that watching a violent film can induce vio
lent behavior, but we do not have sufficient controlled
who see the violent example in the film would be more likely to commit
violent act than teens who had not seen the film. Obviously, we
Experimental
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Research Ethics
should be a debriefing.
2. Anonymity/confidentiality
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Instructions
Proposal One
with nonsexual topics. After watching the TV shows, all participants will fill
Questions:
What are the benefits that might result from this research? What are the
Proposal Two
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Questions:
What are the benefits that might result from this research? What are the
Proposal Three
Questions:
What are the benefits that might result from this research? What are the
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ADVANCED
Allyson J. Weseley, EdD
Example
For the first part of her data collection, Melissa selects two boys and
two girls to study. She finds that the girls raise their hands an average
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ADVANCED
finds that girls raise their hands an average of 3.1 times per week and
50 girls. This time, she finds that girls raise their hands an average of
Discussion Questions
Why does the small sample size in the first example increase the
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Empirical research using the scientific method is a key difference
between pop psychology and scientific psychology.
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REFERENCES
Ethical principles of psychologists and
code of conduct. http://www.apa.org/ethics/code
General audience books about statistics, research, and quantitative literacy for
background information and examples
adventures in probability
Books about behavioral statistics and research methods for more in-depth
discussions of statistical concepts and computation as well as research
methods and design
that can provide sufficient technical information and examples. Here are two:
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ONLINE RESOURCES
Conducting Psy-
Manual
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