EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

BY: JHONEL NAUTAN,RPM

What is Experimental Psychology and its use?
• - the study of psychology used to investigate and test theories of
human thoughts, actions, and any aspect of human being that
involves the mind. The broad category of experimental psychology
does not, however, cover all areas in psychology (e.g. behavioral
psychology, cognitive psychology).
• - Using scientific methods and data collection and perform
research is the sole focus of interest of experimental psychologists,
they study wide range of behavioral topics among humans and
animals, including sensation, perception, attention, memory,
cognition and emotion.
Kitty Genovese Case
Asch Conformity Study
Little Albert Experiment
Learned Helplessness Experiment

• Dogs in Group One were strapped into harnesses for a period of

time and were not administered any shocks;
• Dogs in Group Two were strapped into the same harnesses but
were administered electrical shocks that they could avoid by
pressing a panel with their noses;
• Dogs in Group Three were placed in the same harnesses and also
administered electrical shocks, but were given no way to avoid
them.
Selective Attention / Invisible Gorilla Experiment
Stanford Prison Study
Stanley Milgram Experiment
Surrogate Mother Experiment
The Good Samaritan Experiment
The Marshmallow Test
Bobo Doll Experiment
History and its People
Wilhelm Wundt
• Known as the Father of Experimental Psychology and first to use the term
“Psychologist”. Experimental psychology has a rich heritage that started when
Wilhelm Wundt created the first psychology laboratory in 1879 at Leipzig,
Germany and in 1883 G. Stanley Hall opened the first experimental
psychology lab in the United States at John Hopkins University. Wrote the first
textbook Grundzüge der physiologischen Psychologie (Principles of Physiological
Psychology). He utilized the use of scientific method to study the human mind
and behavior and made distinct that psychology as a separate of science.
Ernst Heinrich Weber
• - A German physiologist and psychologist and one of the founders of Psychophysics.
In studying physical sensations, Weber conducted experiments that revealed
relationships between physical sensations and judgments. From his researches, he
discovered that the experience of differences in the intensity of sensations depends
on percentage differences in the stimuli rather than absolute differences. This is
known as the just-noticeable difference (jnd), difference threshold, or limen. His
findings led to concepts such as Weber’s law, a notable contribution to experimental
psychology.

Albert Bandura
• - He was a social cognitive psychologist and known for his social and behavioral
experiments including is his most famous experiment the Bobo Doll study. His
experiment was derived from behaviorism’s insistence that all behavior is directed
by reinforcement or rewards. Bandura's social learning theory stressed the
importance of observational learning, imitation, and modeling.
John B. Watson
• - was known for development of behaviorism and as now one of the areas greatly in
contribution to experimental psychology. He endorsed a statement by Pillsbury that
“psychology is the science of behavior”, other behaviorist in line with Watson’s belief were
intent that it is a purely objective experimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal
is the prediction and control of behavior. Little Albert, is the famous experiment of Watson
showing how classical conditioning can be used to condition an emotional response which is
elicited after certain stimuli have been exposed.
Psychology as a Science
• By simple definition, Psychology is the study of human mind and behavior
and rely on facts not on unbiased opinions. Also referred as Social Science,
this is because it deals scientifically in understanding with human
thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and as we are all aware, humans has
unique characteristics and traits and humans are not always predictable.
That is why psychologists use a variety of scientific approaches to gather
information and develop theoretical explanations, as to why humans think
and behave in such way.
• What is Science?
• - According to Oxford dictionary, Science is the intellectual and
practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the
structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through
observation and experiment. Other definition it is the application
of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world
following a systematic methodology based on evidence.
• Science uses an empirical approach. Empiricism which was
founded by John Locke, states that the only source of knowledge
comes through our senses.
Four Canons of Science
• Determinism – Studies look into events and focus on how they are affected by
other events.

• Empiricism – Empirical is derived from an old Greek word meaning “experience.”

This idea believes that knowledge is only derived primarily from experiences that
are related to the senses – only things that are observable can be studied.

• Parsimony – This idea says that researches are to be done on the most simple of
theories.

• Testability – This idea believes that hypotheses and theories should be testable
over time. A theory must be a fit to data being explained.
The scientific method is a process of asking questions and finding answers.  It is a
standardized way of making observations, gathering data, forming theories,
testing predictions, and interpreting results.
Important Characteristics of a Scientific Method
1. One must have a scientific mentality. As research in the field of psychology,
there a specifiable causes for the way people behave and that can be discovered
through research.
2. Gathering Empirical Data.
3. Seek General Principles, Theory or Law. It allows to explain, support and
predict behavior or phenomena on the research study.
4. Good Thinking. The approach to the collection and interpretation of data
should be systematic, objective and rational. Openness to new data or learning
and failure. Research must be written in parsimonious, ways that can be simply
understood.
5. Publicize Results. This is done to avoid duplication of researches and to
exchange information with fellow researchers.
6. Replication. When research is replicated, it should repeat the procedures and
obtain same results.
3 Main Tools of Scientific Method

• Observation – make a systematic noting and record of events on what is

being observed.

• Measurement – assignment of numerical values to objects, events or

characteristics according to conventional rules. Any measurement used
for conducting research must be validated and standardized.

• Experimentation – process of testing a hypothesis.

THEORY

- A set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based,

according to oxford dictionary. Barry Kantowits and other authors,
defined theory as a set of related statements that explains a variety of
occurrences.

Induction and Deduction

• - Inductive an approach where in a specific of observations and

meanings were generated into reaching a hypothesis and a
conclusion as theories may be proposed. While deductive approach
mainly relies on general statements, then later forms hypothesis. It
seeks to test an established theory.
Example of Induction Approach:
Observation: Watching Korean drama
affects most women standards in choosing
their partner.
Conclusion: All Korean dramas affects
women on standards towards choosing
partner.
By developing
Example of Deduction Approach: theory
Conclusion/Idea: Most young adult women
prefer older men.
Observation: Almost young women are
seen dating older men.
• RESEARCH

– Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and

control the observed phenomenon using scientific methods.

• Basic Research - is a type of investigation focused on the

improvement and understanding of a particular real-life situation
or phenomenon, study or law of nature. It provides foundation for
applied research.

• Applied Research – it aims to provide practical solution for existing

problem. It takes quite a while for a concept developed by basic
research to find some useful application in society. Adams (1972)
METHODS OF RESEARCH
• Qualitative – focuses on collecting and analyzing words (written or spoken) and textual data. Its
method in use is exploratory in nature. Examples of qualitative data may include: Focus groups,
Surveys, Participants comments, Observation and Interviews.

• Quantitative – a form of research that analyzes data using numerical assessment. It gives precise
answers for questions that require exact, verifiable responses. Examples of quantitative data may
include: Surveys, Experiments and Analytics.

• Mixed – a form of research that includes both qualitative and quantitative approach in the same
study.

• Experiment – a systematic research method that collects data and tests cause and effect
relationships between variables or factors being measured. All experiments require at least these
two special features, the independent and dependent variables.