EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY

Experimental Psychology

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Special Areas in Psychology • • • • • • • •

Experimental Clinical Counseling School Emotional Developmental Personality Social

• Environmental • Industrial/ Organizational • Health • Consumer

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Experimental Psychology • Research on learning, cognition, sensation, perception • Biological basis of both human and animal behavior

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Clinical Psychologists • They treat people with psychological problems like depression and schizophrenia • They administer tests, counsel, and conduct research • Psychiatrists Slide # 4

Counseling Psychologists • They help people clarify their goals and make life decisions • The school setting

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Educational Psychologists • They study issues relating to the measurement of intelligence and the processes involved in educational and academic achievement • They usually work in schools and conduct research Slide # 6

Developmental Psychologists • They focus on processes that influence social, cognitive, and physical growth, as well as personality development • They study both “nature” and “nurture” Slide # 7

Personality Psychologists • They study the psychological characteristics and behavior that distinguishes us as individuals • They examine personality traits Slide # 8

Social Psychologists • They study how specific groups or society in general can influence individual behavior and outlook • Research focuses on attitudes, prejudice, conformity, obedience Slide # 9

Environmental Psychologists • They study relationships between psychological factors and physical health

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Industrial/ Organizational Psychologists • They study people’s behavior at work or school • Conduct research in academic/work settings • Human factors research Slide # 11

Health Psychologists • They focus on the relationship between psychological factors and physical health • How to quit smoking, avoiding risky sexual behavior

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Consumer Psychologists • They study why people purchase particular products and brands • They examine consumer attitudes

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Early Researchers

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Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) • He used introspection as a research technique • Wundt’s lab

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Edward Titchener (1867–1927) • Structuralism (an early school of psychology) • The mind is structured by breaking down mental experiences into their components • G. Stanley Hall, American Psychological Association Slide # 16

William James and Functionalism • The school of psychology that focuses on the adaptive functions of behavior • The study of why we do what we do • The influence of Darwin Slide # 17

John Watson • Behaviorism—the study of overt behavior • He rejected introspection • Psychology should become a science of behavior • Environment molds the behavior of us all

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B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) • Behaviorism gets a boost from Skinner • Behavior is shaped by rewards and punishment

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Gestalt Psychology • Max Wertheimer • Gestalt studies the ways in which the brain organizes and structures our perceptions • The whole is greater than the sum of its parts Slide # 20

Sigmund Freud • The unconscious mind • We do and say things without understanding our motives

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The Empirical Approach • A method of developing knowledge based on gathering evidence, performing experiments, or careful observation • Psychologists need to distinguish between inference and observation

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The Scientific Method • A framework for acquiring knowledge through observation and experimentation (4 steps) — Come up with a question — Develop a hypothesis — Gather evidence — Draw conclusions Slide # 23

Research Questions • Sources used: observation, previous experiences, beliefs • Questions eventually become hypotheses

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The Hypothesis • A precise prediction about the outcome of an experiment • Example: Is there a relationship between reckless driving and gender? • Dependent vs. independent variables Slide # 25

Gathering Evidence • Develop a research design or strategy to provide a scientific test of the hypothesis • The type of research used depends on what a researcher wants to try to measure

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Drawing Conclusions About The Hypothesis • Conclusions about the hypothesis are based on the evidence collected • Statistics • Replication

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Selecting a Sample • Random sampling • The sample needs to be representative • Generalize or transfer

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Stratified Samples • Selecting individuals from a larger group based on age, sex, ethnicity, etc.

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Research Methods • • • • • •

The case study method The survey method The naturalistic observation method The experimental method The longitudinal method The cross sectional method Slide # 30

The Case Study Method • An in-depth study of one or more individuals • Information collected from interviews, observation, written records, artwork • The work of Jean Piaget

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The Artwork of Mental Patients •Using artwork as a research tool

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Jose de Goya: Self Portrait

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The Stabbing

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William Blake: “Satan Comes To The Gates Of Hell”

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Self-Portraits: Joanne

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Franz Messerschmidt

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Schizophrenic Boy

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Lonnie

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Vincent Van Gogh

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Review • If you were a psychologist, what general observations could you make about the artwork of mental patients? • How are colors important in the psychology of art? Remembering the drawings made by Joanne. Explain how her progression of selfportraits reflects her psychological improvement. Slide # 45

The Survey Method • Uses structured interviews or questionnaires to gather information about groups of people • Disadvantages

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Common Uses of and Concerns about the Survey Method • Anonymity: Subjects may open up more than in other situations • Studies about mental health or consumer satisfaction • Social desirability bias and volunteer bias Slide # 47

Naturalistic Observation Method • Based on careful observation of behavior in natural settings without interfering • What researchers have learned using this technique • Problems Slide # 48

Longitudinal Studies • The same person or group of persons are studied at regular intervals over a period of time • Used to determine whether people’s behavior/feelings have changed • An example Slide # 49

Cross-Sectional Studies • Data is collected from groups of participants of different ages • Data is compared, conclusions are drawn • Advantages, disadvantages

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Correlations and Explanations • Correlations: the measure of a relationship between two variables or sets of data • Positive correlations between high IQ and good grades Slide # 51

Correlations vs. Cause and Effect • A correlation describes a relationship between two things; it does not mean that one causes the other • There may be a third factor involved with positive correlations

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Correlation Types • Correlation coefficient: a statistical measure of association between variables; it can vary from -1.00 to +1.00

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Benefits of a Correlational Method • It offers clues to underlying causes of behavior • It can identify people at risk for physical or behavioral problems • It can increase understanding of relationships between variables or events

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The Experimental Method

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The Experimental Method • Independent variables: factors manipulated in an experiment • Dependent variables: the effects or outcomes of an experiment that are believed to be dependent on the values of the independent variables

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Application Look at the following photographs and decide which subjects you consider most attractive

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Gertrude

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Kristen

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Ethel

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Christine

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Maude

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Prudence

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Matilda

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Sheri

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Megan

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Gladys

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Evaluation • Does the popularity of a woman’s name affect judgment of their physical attractiveness? • The independent variable: type of name • The dependent variable: ratings of attractiveness Slide # 68

Control Groups • Groups of participants in a research experiment who do not receive the experimental treatment or intervention • Placebo effects Slide # 69

Single-Blind Experiments • Keeping subjects uninformed

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Double-blind • Both the subject and the experimenter are kept uninformed

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Ethics In Research • Stanley Schachter’s 1959 study on anxiety and affiliation

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Ethics in Research (cont.) • How would you have felt if you were one of the subjects in the high-anxiety group? • Should researchers be allowed to misrepresent their research? Slide # 73

Deception • Deception has been fairly common in psychological research since the 1960s, especially in the area of social psychology • Deception is used to reduce problems associated with the placebo effect

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Animal Research • Do the laws of behavior apply to both humans and animals? • Animals are sometimes exposed to treatments that would be “unthinkable” to perform on humans Slide # 75

Guidelines for Ethical Research • Participation is voluntary • No exposure to harmful procedures • If deception is used, a full explanation should follow the session • Privacy should not be violated • Harmful procedures imposed on animals must not be allowed • Approval from host institutions is necessary

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