Title: Three Types of Research | Experiment | Statistics
Headings: Three Types of Research
Three Types of Research
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Three Types of Research
Theory and Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen
Effect of Time in Psychology Research
1. Cross-sectional research takes place at a single point in time.
2. Longitudinal research is a study that takes place over a period of time.
Causal Relationships Between Variables
• A causal relationship is when one variable causes a change in another
Correlational Relationships Between Variables
• A positive correlation is a direct relationship where as the amount of one
Validity isn’t determined by a single statistic, but by a body of research that
In some instances where a test measures a trait that is difficult to define, an
• Predictive Validity occurs when the criterion measures are obtained at a
The independent variable: the treatment variable that is manipulated by the
The dependent variable: the response that the experimenter is measuring.
The control group: made up of individuals who are randomly assigned to a
The experimental group: made up of individuals who are randomly assigned to
Experimenters use inferential statistics to determine if the results of an
The key to determining if a treatment had an effect is to measure the statistical
Statistical significance is often represented like this:
• Positive Correlations: Both variables increase or decrease at the same
A correlation coefficient of 0 indicates no correlation.
Limitations of Correlational Studies:
Advantages of Naturalistic Observation:
• Gives the experimenter the opportunity to view the variable of interest in a
Disadvantages of Naturalistic Observation:
• Can be time consuming and expensive.
2. The Survey Method
Advantages of the Survey Method:
Disadvantages of the Survey Method:
• Can be affected by an unrepresentative sample or poor survey questions.
Archival research is performed by analyzing studies conducted by other
• The experimenter cannot introduce changes in participant behavior.
Disadvantages of Archival Research:
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Content: Descriptive studies do not seek to measure the effect of a variable; they
seek only to describe. 3. Relational Research
A study that investigates the connection between two or more variables is
considered relational research. The variables that are compared are generally
already present in the group or population. For example, a study that looked at
the proportion of males and females that would purchase either a classical CD or
a jazz CD would be studying the relationship between gender and music
preference. Theory and Hypothesis
A theory is a well-established principle that has been developed to explain some
aspect of the natural word. A theory arises from repeated observation and testing
and incorporates facts, laws, predictions, and tested hypotheses that are widely
accepted. A hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen
in your study. For example, a study designed to look at the relationship between
study habits and test anxiety might have a hypothesis that states, “This study is
designed to assess the hypothesis that students with better study habits will
suffer less test anxiety.”