Instruments and Measurements

1
Instruments and Measurements

• Accuracy
• Calibration
• Precision
• Validity
• Reliability

2
Hypotheses

• Guys like to leave an empty seat between them at
  the movies because
• they both want an armrest.
• they want to look available.
• they need room for their coats, etc.
• Exposure to religious symbols can lead one to
  make negative assessments of non-religious
  people.

3
What makes a hypothesis testable?

• Concepts they refer to must be adequately
  defined.
• Can not be circular.
• Must focus on ideas recognized by science.

4
Skepticism

• Why is skepticism important?
• Science is a human endeavor and humans make
  mistakes.
• Scientists carefully examine findings before
  accepting them.
• Results must be replicated before they are widely
  accepted.

5
Overview of what weve covered so far.

• General scientific approach
• Observation
• Reporting
• Concepts
• Instruments
• Measurement
• Hypotheses
• Attitude

6
So, what are the goals of the scientific method?

• Description
• Prediction
• Understanding
• Creating change

7
(1) Description

• We want to know about the world around us.
• When you describe something in great detail, you
  provide information and knowledge that can be
  used to identify that thing.
• DSM-IV

8
Types of Description

• Nomothetic Approach
• Attempt to establish broad generalizations and
  general laws that apply to a diverse population

• Idiographic Approach
• Describe the individual, not the group

9
Another decision to make

• Quantitative Research
• Findings are generally the result of statistical
  summary and analyses.

• Qualitative Research
• Findings are generally the result of interviews
  and observations.

10
(2) Prediction

• SAT scores may be predictive of GPA in college.
• Scores on certain selection tests are predictive
  of job performance.
• May allow us to identify people who are at risk.

11
(3) Understanding

• We understand something when we can identify its
  causes, we are able to make causal inferences.
• This is why correlations are often not especially
  meaningful because they dont answer the
  question, Why?
• Experimental research allows us to identify the
  causes of a phenomenon.

12
Three Conditions for Making a Causal Inference

• Covariation of events.
• Time-order relationship.
• Elimination of plausible alternative causes.

13
(4) Creating Change

• Research is not conducted in a vacuum . goal is
  to apply research to create some change in
  peoples lives.
• Applied research typically more hands on
  direct application to individuals.
• Basic research attempt to understand behavior
  and mental processes

14
Ethics

• Chapter 3

15
Ethical Considerations

• Individuals must not be harmed in research.
• The testing of a new drug/treatment may cause
  harm.
• The final results of the study may provide
  important health benefits for society as a whole.
• What do you do?

16
Getting Approval for Your Study

• A method to ensure proper ethical standards
  require approval for all studies.
• Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  (IACUC)

17
Risk/Benefit Ratio

• Is it worth it?
• IRB ultimately answers this question.
• Several factors are considered
• Nature of the risk
• Magnitude of foreseen benefit
• Validity and interpretability of results

18
Types of Risk

• Physical injury
• Social injury
• Mental or emotional stress
• At risk
• At minimal risk

19
Informed Consent

• Both researchers and participants have
  responsibilities.
• Researchers
• Must describe procedures
• Must identify any potential risks
• Must answer all questions
• Participants
• Must behave appropriately (no lying, cheating,
  etc)

20
Informed Consent

• Cant force someone to participate.
• Paying college students 5 is probably ok.
• Recruiting homeless people off the street and
  paying them 5 is probably not ok.
• So, what about requiring PSYC 100 students to
  participate in experiments for course completion?

21
Deception

• Sometimes it is necessary to deceive.
• But, researchers can not use deception in order
  to get you to participate.
• Researchers must explain their use of deception
  as soon as possible.

22
Research with Animals

• Highly regulated.
• Must protect against unnecessary stress/harm.
• Also, must recognize the benefit of animal
  research for humans.
• Should human suffering always be put ahead of
  nonhuman suffering?

23
Ethics in Reporting

• Publication credit
• Plagiarism
• Secondary sources