PSYCHOLOGY
310
Research Methods
Workbook
Fall 2007
2007 Jeff Dressel, portions used with
permission from Dr. Paul Atchley
Assignment 1 - WAYS OF KNOWING
NAME: _______________________________________
Goal
This assignment is designed to make you consider how various
sources of information in our society gather and report
knowledge that supports a claim, conclusion, or decision.
Task
You should find one print media statement of fact. This should
be a statement more complex than “The Royals lost”, or “The
iPhone costs $600”. That is, it should be a claim of some sort of
information that a citizen might use in their lives, or make a life
decision as a result of hearing. We will share these in class.
What “way of knowing” did your statement use? (tenacity,
authority, logic, observation, or scientific method)
NOTE: it may be difficult to pigeonhole your statement into one
of these categories. If you feel that your statement strongly uses
more than one, list both.
Describe how you decided that your statement used that way of
knowing.
Assignment 2 – ETHICS
NAME:___________________________________
Goal
To demonstrate the application of ethical principles in
experimental research.
Task
Watch the Stanford Prison Experiment video (in class). Complete
the following worksheet:
Were spectators to the arrest told of the experiment?
What was done to minimize risk to participants?
What risks were present? What was done to the “prisoners”?
Did the participants explicitly consent to this?
How did they assign “guard” status? Did this assignment
change?
How did they determine the aspects of prison life to simulate?
Did the experimenters systematically manipulate the treatment
of “prisoners”?
How were guards instructed to behave? Did they control this, or
merely observe it?
What was done to reduce the likelihood that subjects (guards
and prisoners) would behave merely as they thought they
“should”?
What new information was gained as a result of this study?
Did this information gain outweigh the costs/risks involved in this
study?
What would have been the harm to society if this information had
not been conducted?
Is this study ethical?
On the back, describe how this experiment could be conducted
in a more ethical manner.
Assignment 3 – LIBRARY RESEARCH
NAME:_________________________________________
This exercise is designed to familiarize you with using PsychInfo,
a database for scholarly Psychology journals. Even if formal
research isn’t in your future, you should be able to use an
academic library to find things of interest to you, and to think
about academic journal articles.
Go to www.lib.ku.edu, and click on the “P” on he alphabet bar in
the upper right. Scroll down to “PsychInfo”, log in, and begin.
1. Do an advanced search limiting Publication Year to 1997-
present. Search for the key concepts “attention” and
“schizophrenia”. How many results are found?
2. How many results are found for Harold Pashler as an author
(remember to clear the limits)?
3. Find a peer-reviewed journal article that interests you on any
psychological topic.
Write down:
The name of the Journal it is printed in
(“source”):________________________
The authors’ names:_________________________________________
The article title:_________________________________________
The year and possibly month the journal was
published______________________
The volume and possible issue that the journal was published in
________________
The page numbers of the
article___________________________________________
4. Go back to the www.lib.ku.edu website and click on “Books at
KU”. Type the name of your journal, and highlight “Journal Title”.
Search to find the call number for the journal, and photocopy at
least the first page, attach it.
5. What is the (or one of) independent variable in the study?
6. What is the (or one of) dependent variable?
7. What is the hypothesis that the study is investigating?
8. Why did you choose this article?
Assignment 4 – OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
NAME:_____________________________________________
Goal
To provide an understanding of what operational definitions are
and how they might affect research outcomes.
Task
Imagine that you are a social psychologist interested in
researching a complex, abstract concept… love. You have a
theory that couples that have more in common will exhibit
“greater” love. In order to research this topic, you will need to
create an acceptable definition of “love”, something that can be
observed and measured. Ignoring for now the possibility of
neurophysiological indicators of love – and while trying to keep
things classroom appropriate – create an operational definition of
love.
How will you observe “love”? What will you measure, or count?
Is there a “lack” of something that could be part of your
definition (i.e., tally “anti-love” indicators)?
Do you think this is a reasonable way to measure love?
Give an example of a poor operational definition of love – and
briefly discuss how that may affect your study.
Assignment 5 – SURVEYS
NAME:_______________________________________________
Goal
To gain an understanding of how survey research is conducted,
and of factors contributing to their outcomes.
Task
Below are two surveys of a similar topic with different results.
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=790
Harris Interactive polls show 66% of people polled would
consider an independent candidate.
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/default.aspx?ci=28279
Gallup reports 37% of people polled identify themselves as
“independent” political affiliation.
1. For each survey, indicate
a. The sampling frame
b. The number surveyed
c. The survey method
d. The “actual question used” for each poll
2. Why do these poll results appear to differ by such a large
amount?
3. A CNN reporter hears of the Harris poll and creates a piece
stating that “the majority of Americans favor independent
candidates.” Is this a justifiable generalization, given these
data? Why or Why not?
4. A Kansas City Star columnist hears of the Gallup poll and
writes a column stating that “the majority of Americans are
against independent candidates.” Is this a justifiable
generalization, given these data? Why or why not?
5. Go to “polling the nations” in the KU library “databases” (or
search for polls using your search engine of choice) and
search for polls regarding attitudes toward independent
candidates
a. Find 3 polls, report the same information as for #1,
above
b. Report the results of the survey
c. INCLUDE a link/citation to the location of the poll, and
ONE page from the poll report
6. In your own “lay-person” words, summarize people’s
attitudes toward independent candidates, and perhaps why
some polls show different information.
Assignment 6 – CORRELATIONAL DESIGNS
NAME:________________________________________
Goal
To evaluate, analyze, and compare results of correlational
research as presented by the mass media and in scientific form
(i.e., peer-reviewed journals).
Task
Read the two media reports provided on the BlackBoard website.
Answer the following questions regarding these articles:
1. What overall conclusions do you draw from these
results?
2. What statements, data, etc. do you find compelling or
moving, and what leaves you feeling skeptical? Why?
3. What action, if any, would you take in terms of caring for
your/a child as a result of these articles? Why?
4. Do you feel that these articles made an appeal to your
emotions regarding Video Games and Violence?
5. What further information might you seek to improve your
understanding of these findings?
Then, read the two scientific reports, also provided on
BlackBoard. Answer the same 5 questions as above.
For both types of articles, what information is missing that might
make these claims less valid and reliable as a result? That is,
what is still unknown after reading these articles that might be
important with regards to what they are reporting?
Assignment 7 - CONFOUNDS
NAME:___________________________________
Goal
To develop the skill of identifying confounds, or design flaws, in
experimental research.
Task
Watch a partial episode of “Mythbusters” in class. Discuss the
following:
1. Were the participants informed of the nature of the
hypothesis?
2. How were they tested initially (be specific)?
3. When were they tested initially?
4. How did they do, exactly?
5. How were they tested the second time (be specific)?
6. When were they tested the second time?
7. How did they do, exactly?
8. To what factor did the Mythbusters attribute the outcome?
9. To what factors could the outcome be attributed?
10. Besides hypnosis, what else was done to the
participants?
11. Briefly describe ways in which this experiment could
have been conducted to reduce these confounds.
Assignment 8 – FACTORIAL DESIGNS
NAME:__________________________________________
A researcher is trying to determine the best way to help people
to stop smoking. He conducts an experiment in which he uses
both drugs (nicotine gum and nicotine patch) and mood
modification (sad movies of dying smokers or funny clips from TV
shows). Half the participants get to use gum and half use the
patch. Within these groups, half the participants get to watch the
TV clips each time they visit the lab, and half get to watch a 22-
minute movie depicting dying smokers telling their life stories.
The average number of cigarettes smoked per day over a two-
week period at the conclusion of the study is the dependent
measure.
1. What type of a design is this? What type of independent
variables (between or within)?
2. Graph the following data in a bar graph.
Avg. cig / day Mood
Drug Sad Happy
Gum 10 12
Patch 10 4
3. Provide a description of what the graph shows. Consider a
difference of 4 cigs/day to be “significant”.
a. Describe all main effects.
b. Describe all simple main effects.
c. What do those results mean?
Assignment 9 – INTERACTIONS
NAME:______________________________________
Outcome 1:
B1 B2
A1 4 6
A2 3 8
1. Is there a main effect of IV A?
What does it mean?
Marginal means of A1 _____ A2 _____
2. Is there a main effect of IV B?
What does it mean?
Marginal means of A1 _____ A2 _____
3. Is there an A X B interaction?
What does it mean?
Outcome 2:
Depression
Mild Severe
Treatment Drug 10 40
Book 40 10
1. Is there a main effect of Depression?
What does it mean?
Overall means of Mild _____ Severe _____
2. Is there a main effect of Treatment?
What does it mean?
Overall means of Drug _____ Book _____
3. Is there an A X B interaction?
What does it mean?
Outcome 3:
Coke Pepsi
kids 1 5
adults 2 4
elderly 3 3 (hate it)1-7(love it) scale of taste test
1. Is there a main effect of IV A?
What does it mean?
Overall means of A1 _____ A2 _____ A3 _____
2. Is there a main effect of IV B?
What does it mean?
Overall means of B1 _____ B2 _____
3. Is there an A X B interaction?
What does it mean?
Outcome 4:
B1 B2 B3
A1 5 6 7
A2 6 7 10
A3 6 8 15
1. Is there a main effect of IV A?
Overall means of A1 _____ A2 _____ A3 _____
2. Is there a main effect of IV B?
Overall means of B1 _____ B2 _____ B3 _____
3. Is there an A X B interaction?
4. Graph the results.
Outcome 5:
C1 C2
B1 B2 B1 B2
A1 5 1 10 1
A2 10 5 5 5
1. Is there a main effect of IV A?
Overall means of A1 _____ A2 _____
2. Is there a main effect of IV B?
Overall means of B1 _____ B2 _____
3. Is there a main effect of IV C?
Overall means of C1 _____ C2 _____
4. Are there any two-way interactions? (Create a data matrix or figure to help you
determine the answer).
A X B interaction:
A X C interaction:
B X C interaction:
5. Is there a three-way interaction? (Draw a figure for the A X B interaction at C1, and
another for the A X B interaction at C2, to help you answer.)
Assignment 10 – END OF THE SEMESTER FEEDBACK
NAME:___________________________________________
For each assignment we have done in class since midterm,
please answer the following questions:
1. Did you enjoy doing this assignment?
2. What, if anything, did you learn as a result of doing the
assignment?
3. What aspects of the assignment did you find most
rewarding?
4. What aspects of the assignment did you find least
rewarding?
5. Should this assignment be kept for future classes?
6. What could be done to modify this assignment to make it a
better learning experience?
RESEARCH REPORT #1 -- USING THE LIBRARY
Goal
To gain familiarity with the literature search tools available to
psychologists and to use these tools to find and evaluate
relevant information.
Task
Imagine that you are a therapist working in private practice. You
are seeing a client who is struggling to cope with parenting a
child who has recently been diagnosed with Autism. Your client,
who typically demonstrates symptoms of depression and feelings
of hopelessness about his situation, arrives appearing quite
happy. He tells you that he recently read a newspaper article
explaining a treatment, Facilitated Communication (FC), used to
treat Autism. He hands you the following article:
“Jane is a 13 year-old girl who has spent almost the entire duration of her young life
trapped in her own mind, unable to express her thoughts and emotions to anyone,
including the parents that love her and want nothing more than to connect with their
daughter. Jane has a condition that all too commonly devastates families and proves to
be one of the most difficult psychological disorders to cope with. Jane was diagnosed
with Autism at age 3. Throughout her life, Jane has been unable to speak, has difficulty
navigating her environment and does not connect emotionally with anyone, including her
parents and older sister. To the outside observer, Jane lives in complete isolation,
without any ability to interact socially. Obviously, this condition has completely
overwhelmed her parents who have taken her to countless professionals and have tried
anything and everything that has been recommended to them, but nothing has worked.
That is until 3 months ago when Hanes’s mother, on the recommendation of a coworker
she barely knew, took Jane to see an individual practicing Facilitated Communication
(FC). FC is an intervention that allows individuals who are unable to directly
communicate to speak to others by typing out phrases on a keyboard with the
assistance of a trained communicator. The communicator serves only as an “assistive
device”, holding the patient’s arm and hand to provide the physical support necessary to
allow the patient to use a keyboard and type out words and phrases. With this help, the
patient, who is normally unable to communicate at all, becomes able to answer
questions, hold conversations, and express his or her innermost thoughts through
typing. In a matter of a few sessions of FC, Jane’s mother reports that she began talking
to her daughter for the first time in 13 years. She was able to ask her questions,
understand her thoughts and feelings, and build a relationship with someone that had
been locked in her own mind for her entire life. It is discoveries like this that give hope to
everyone who suffers or knows someone suffering from a severe illness and reminds us
all that there are miracles.”
Your client asks your opinion of FC and whether this will be the
answer to all his hopes. You tell him that you have never heard of
the technique, but that you will research it, and let him know
your professional opinion.
Your task is to research FC and gather information about the
effectiveness of FC in the treatment of Autism. You will use this
information to form conclusions about the overall effectiveness
of this intervention and present recommendations to your client
about whether or not to pursue FC for his daughter.
Specifically, you will need to perform the following steps:
1) Find TWO articles on the effectiveness of FC, one of each
type:
a. An article found using PsycInfo or WebOfScience
b. A popular press report (e.g., newspaper, magazine,
website)
2) For each article, complete the following:
a. Provide a brief summary
b. Identify the source of the article
c. Identify the intended audience
d. Identify the (first) author’s qualifications
e. Briefly discuss the level of detail present in the
articles
3) Brief your client on your findings.
a. Indicate what information you found
b. Provide your opinion regarding the efficacy of FC,
using the information you found to support the opinion
c. Make specific recommendations about how he should
proceed.
RESEARCH REPORT #2 -- TERRITORIALITY IN THE PARKING LOT
Collect your own data using the data sheet made in class.
Staple your own observation sheet to the report
Goal
Form hypotheses, collect data and evaluate outcomes.
Task
Part A
1) State an hypothesis regarding how territoriality will interact with
parking behavior
2) Briefly describe how this hypothesis was generated. What does it
mean? If it is true what are the implications?
3) Operationally define territoriality in terms of this experiment (Hint:
what was measured?)
4) Provide a graph of territoriality (as defined above)
a. Plot (bar graph) average time to pull out of a spot for “car
waiting” versus “car not waiting conditions”
b. Indicate the number of observations for each condition on the
graph
5) Based on looking at the data, was the hypothesis supported? Do you
think this would be “statistically significant”? Why or why not?
6) Write a paragraph discussing the limitations of this research project.
Do you trust the data? What are the limits of this observational
method? What would you do differently if you were to do a similar
experiment?
Part B
1) State a new hypothesis of what might influence parking behavior
(gender, race, passengers, and participant vehicle type). Define how
this additional variable was assessed.
2) Briefly describe how this hypothesis was generated. What does it
mean? If it is true what are the implications?
3) Provide a graph of territoriality with this new variable
a. Plot (bar graph) average time to pull out of a spot with your new
variable
b. Indicate the number of observations for each condition on the graph
4) Based on looking at the data, was the hypothesis supported? Do you
think this would be “statistically significant”? Why or why not?
5) Describe (in a paragraph) a “true experiment” that could answer the
same hypothesis.