Fall 2013Lecture 2 – Chapter 2

Research is a Process of Inquiry

•Chemist•Astrophysicist•Neuroscientist•Sociologist•Physician•Social Psychologist•Mathematician•Biologist•Criminologist•Molecular Biologist

Whose research is more scientific?

Scientific Method

?1. Idea

QuestionObservations

That place they call the “Library”

2. Develop idea into hypothesis

Deductive/InductiveBasic vs Applied

“If” “Then” Theories & Models

7. Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication

3. Design: procedures, stats, subjects etc FUN PART FUN PART

4. Experiment – collection of data Fun but HARD

5. Data Analysis - Statistics

6. Interpretation: Develop new theory or support oldParsimony

Fun but HARD

Fun and not HARD

1. Research Question

2. Do “lit” search (300B!!!!)

3. Has your question already been asked?

4. What methods have already been used?

1. Research Question

2. Do “lit” search (300B!!!!)

3. Has your question already been asked?

4. What methods have already been used? Refine your research

question..Ramon Y Cajal

1. IdeaQuestion?

Use EBSCO HOST - Psych InfoUSE PUB MED - Medical Sciences

Scientific Method

Deductive/InductiveBasic vs Applied

“If” “Then” Theories & Models

2. Develop idea into hypothesis

Applied Research vs

Basic Research

Applied Research

Generate info that can be applied directly to the solution to a “real world” problem

• research on creating change• interventions, treatments• usually done outside the lab

EX: CATCH Program: Behavioral Intervention Program

LARGEST School-Based Health Study Conducted

• CATCH was created as a research project late (1980’s - early 1990’s)• UCSD, Univ of Minnesota, Tulane Univ and UTHSC at Houston• Purpose of the research: develop an elementary school-based program to reduce the risk factors related to cardiovascular disease

Basic Research

• Gather general info (general laws)• Seek knowledge for its own sake• Not concerned with application • Usually carried out in a lab • “Confirmation” or “disconfirmation” of a theory

Basic: What physiological mechanisms underlie the detection of lights of different wavelengths? What cells are most affected by a visual disease?

Applied: How can I use different wavelengths to diagnose disease?

Basic Research (Can it happen???)vs

Applied Research(Will it happen??)

Which is more important???

External vs internal validity….will discuss in detail in later chapter

Theory:

A set of assumptions (empirical data) that attempts

to explain a phenomena

TestableSupport RejectModify

NEVER PROVE!!!!!

Good Theory: Testable, predictions must be testable, falsification (Sir Karl Popper)

Empirical Observations = collecting data

Basis for Theories

Facts of the Research

• set of assumptions • ideas and facts

• formalized set of concepts•summarized/organized observations & inferences

To explain & predict behavior

Is it All Observable Behavior???

FactsChildren PlayingAdults InteractionPhysiological responses (HR, GSR)Rats eatingAmounts of neurotransmitters

vs ConstructsMemoryIntelligenceLoveAttitudesEmotions

Empirical Observations = collecting data

Inferences: CONSTRUCTS• non observable• defined by us

CONSTRUCTS: Inferences we make

ego

id

Super ego

Reification of a construct: logical error when we confuse a fact with a construct

personality

memory

Deductive vs Inductive

General Specific

Specific General

Based on facts make predictionsabout future observations

Based on observations you make predictions

Top Down Bottom Up

Theory

Hypothesis

confirm

observations

Bottom Up - Inductive

Top Down – Deductive

observationLook for patterns

hypothesis

theory

Inductive theories

deductive theories

Scientific Method

?Idea

Question

Develop idea into

hypothesis

Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication

Design: procedures, stats

Subjects etc..

FUN PART

FUN PART

Experiment – collection of data Fun but HARD

Fun but HARD

Data Analysis - Statistics

Interpretation: Develop new theory or support oldParsimony

Fun and not HARD

Levels of constraint…Design of your experiment

•Nonscientific •Naturalistic Observation•Case Study•Correlational Research•Quasi-experimental Research•Experimental Research

Types of Research (approach to gathering data)Le

vel of

Const

rain

t

HI

LOW

Level of Constraint: control = more precision

Non Scientific: ex: Historians

Doris Kerns Goodwin

Naturalistic Observation – Low constraint

The observation of subjects in their natural environmentThe researcher imposes no limits or changes in the environment or behavior of the subjects

•1960: First recorded instance of tool making by nonhumans•1964: Capable of planning (kidnapped baby in order to get mother and the rest of the group to follow)•1966: Polio and AIDS •1974: Warfare: first record of violence of this type-rival group was eradicated. •1975: Cannibalism •1987: Adoption •1994: short-term monogamous relationships; Technology transfer-Chimps from one community "modeled" the tool making behavior of chimps in another community•1995: medicate-eat plants-a medicinal plant believed to relieve stomach pains or reduce internal parasites.

http://www.janegoodall.org/

Case Study – Low constraint

The subject is in a moderately limiting environmentThe researcher intervenes only slightlyObserve the participant’s responseAn in-depth description of one subject, organization or event ex: medical field: Case of H.M.

- H.M.: Epileptic Seizures- 1953, age 27 years- Bilateral medial temporal lobectomy-Oops..anterograde amnesia- Studied for 40 years

Low Constraint…

H. M. can be considered the single patient that has provided the largest collection of data to the students of memory [Corkin,1984]

[Milner,1968].

Correlational research – Constraint

Quantify the degree of relationship between two variableMeasurement procedure must be carefully defined and precisely followedNo manipulation of variables – two sets of measurements in the same subject then correlate

ex. Is there a relationship between class attendance and grades? Dr. Sumaya’s hypothesis:the greater the attendance the higher the grade…

CANNOT INFER CAUSATION! 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 901000

10

20

30

40

percentage (class grade)

days

att

ende

d

Quasi–Experimental Research (Differential)– high constraint

Two or more preexisiting groups of subjects (variables) a are comparedSetting is highly constrained (controlled)Measurement procedures carefully designed and precisely followed

ex: investigating the differences between 18 and 50 yr olds on sexual activity

ex: survey data – attitude towards banning smoking

Experimental Research – highest constraint“True Experiment”

Subjects are assigned without bias to the various groups or conditions in the study (random assignment!)The setting is ALL about controlMeasurement procedures carefully designed and precisely followed

ex: want to investigate the effects of a drug on

depression

Can infer causation!

•Nonscientific •Naturalistic Observation•Case Study•Correlational Research•Quasi-experimental Research•Experimental Research

Types of Research (approach to gathering data)Le

vel of

Const

rain

t

HI

LOW

Level of Constraint: control = more precision

Scientific Method

?Idea

Question

Develop idea into

hypothesis

Reporting Results: Class, scientific meeting, publication

Design: procedures, stats

Subjects etc..Experiment – collection of data

Data Analysis - Statistics

Interpretation: Develop new theory or support oldParsimony

Whose research is more scientific?

• Depends on the method• Level of Constraint

• Depends on your research question

What level of constraint?