Title: Conducting Research in Social Psychology
Headings: 1.3
Conducting Research in Social Psychology

1.3 Conducting Research in Social Psychology
Learning Objectives
The Importance of Scientific Research
Measuring Affect, Behavior, and Cognition
Social Neuroscience: Measuring Social Responses in the Brain
Observational Research
The Research Hypothesis
Correlational Research
Experimental Research
Factorial Research Designs
Deception in Social Psychology Experiments
Interpreting Research
Key Takeaways
Exercises and Critical Thinking

Content: doi: 10.1037/a0023963 But although we do learn about people by observing others and therefore social psychology is in fact partly common sense, social psychology is not entirely common sense. In case you are not convinced about this, perhaps you would be willing to test whether or not social psychology is just common sense by taking a short true-or-false quiz. If so, please have a look at Table 1.1 "Is Social Psychology Just Common Sense?" and respond with either “True” or “False.” Based on your past observations of people’s behavior, along with your own common sense, you will likely have answers to each of the questions on the quiz. But how sure are you? Would you be willing to bet that all, or even most, of your answers have been shown to be correct by scientific research? Would you be willing to accept your score on this quiz for your final grade in this class? If you are like most of the students in my classes, you will get at least some of these answers wrong. (