Non-true-experimental Designs

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PSY 231 Research Methods in Psychology

• Non-true-experimental Designs

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Announcements

• This week in labsrunning group projects
• please be on time
• Fill out Rating Sheet 1 by Monday (can turn in
  Th/Fr)
• Journal Article Summary 2 due in lab next week
• research participation alternative

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last section of the course

• Chapter 12The Correlational Research Strategy
• Chapter 13The Descriptive Research Strategy
• Chapter 10The Nonexperimental and
  Quasi-Experimental Strategies Nonequivalent
  Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs
• Chapter 14Single-Subject Research Designs
• Chapter 15Statistical Evaluation of Data

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today

• Chapter 12The Correlational Research Strategy
• Chapter 13The Descriptive Research Strategy
• Chapter 10The Nonexperimental and
  Quasi-Experimental Strategies Nonequivalent
  Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs
• Chapter 14Single-Subject Research Designs
• Chapter 15Statistical Evaluation of Data

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descriptive research

• talked about observation research designs
  (naturalistic, participant, contrived) and case
  studies earlier
• focus on survey research design (most common
  method)

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survey research method

• why use it?
• provides way to learn about people
• study relationships among variables/ways that
  attitudes and behaviors change over time
• assumes people respond accurately and truthfully
• response sets

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steps in survey research

• decide objective
• construct questions/responses
• finalize survey
• administer survey

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constructing questions

• 1. define research objectives
• attitudes or beliefs
• facts and demographics
• behaviors

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constructing questions

• 2. word questions carefully
• simplicity is key

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constructing questions

• 2. word questions carefully
• simplicity is key
• avoid
• double-barreled questions

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double-barreled questions

• BAD

• GOOD

• Should senior citizens be given more money for
  recreation centers and food assistance programs?

• Should senior citizens be given more money for
  recreation centers?
• Should senior citizens be given more money for
  food assistance programs?

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constructing questions

• 2. word questions carefully
• simplicity is key
• avoid
• double-barreled questions
• loaded questions

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loaded questions

• BAD

• GOOD

• Do you favor eliminating the wasteful excess in
  the public school budget?

• Do you favor reducing the public school budget?

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constructing questions

• 2. word questions carefully
• simplicity is key
• avoid
• double-barreled questions
• loaded questions
• negative wording

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Negative wording

• BAD

• GOOD

• The city should not approve the proposed womens
  shelter.

• The city should approve the proposed womens
  shelter.

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Constructing questions

• 2. Word questions carefully
• simplicity is key
• avoid
• double-barreled questions
• loaded questions
• negative wording
• yea-saying and nay-saying

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Yea-saying and nay-saying

• The members of my family and I spend a lot of
  time together.
• I spend most of my time with my friends.

• I feel isolated from others.
• I feel I am very close to my group of friends.

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constructing responses

• 3. closed-ended or open-ended?
• advantages and disadvantages to both

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constructing responses

• Closed-ended

• Open-ended

• What is the best thing about ISU? (choose one)
• 1. Location
• 2. Academics
• 3. Dorm food
• 4. People who sell things between Milner and the
  Bone

• What is the best thing about ISU?

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constructing responses

• 4. if closed-ended
• decide number/label of response alternatives
• should use odd number (5 or 7 best)
• labels should be clear
• decide scale
• rating PSY 231 is an important course in the
  major.
• 1 2 3 4 5
• Strongly Agree
  Neutral Disagree Strongly
• Agree
  Disagree

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constructing responses

• 4. if closed-ended
• decide scale
• semantic differential PSY 231
• Important _____ _____ _____
  _____ _____ Unimportant
• Boring _____ _____ _____ _____
  _____ Interesting
• nonverbal scale for children
• Point to the face that shows how you feel
  about the toy.

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finalizing the questionnaire

• 5. formatting
• neatly typed and free of errors
• group questions by topic
• use scales consistently
• sequence
• interesting questions first
• sensitive questions in the middle
• demographic questions last

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finalizing

• 6. refining
• give to small group
• ask to think aloud
• help to improve questionnaire

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administering

• questionnaires
• less costly than interviews
• allows anonymity
• requires participants can read/understand
  questions
• may find it boring
• response bias

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administering

• questionnaires
• personal administration
• mail surveys
• Internet surveys

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administering

• interviews
• often establish rapport
• more likely to respond to person
• able to clarify questions
• interviewer bias

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administering

• interviews
• face-to-face
• telephone
• focus groups

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correlational research

• determine relationship between variables
• correlation coefficient (r) statistic that
  describes relationship between variables
• range -101
• negative relationship as one variables
  increases, the other decreases
• positive relationships as one variable
  increases, the other increases/as one variable
  decreases, the other decreases

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correlational research

• correlation coefficient (r) statistic that
  describes relationship between variables
• strength
• smallr .10 and -.10
• mediumr .30 and -.30
• larger .50 and -.50

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scatterplots

• strong positive relationship (.89)

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scatterplots

• weak positive relationship (.27)

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scatterplots

• strong negative relationship (-.91)

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Scatterplots

• weak negative correlation (-.31)

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scatterplots

• No relationship (.13)

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correlational research

• advantages
• good starting point for research
• observe natural relationships
• allows study of variables that are
  impossible/unethical to manipulate

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correlational research

• disadvantages
• no causality!!!
• directionality problem
• third variable problem

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Cutting, Bock, Herrmann (2013)

• administered a survey asking college students
  about their consumption of alcohol and their
  G.P.A.
• surveyed included
• On average, how many alcoholic drinks do you
  consume on a weekly basis? __________
• What is your college G.P.A.? __________

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Cutting, Bock, Herrmann (2013)

• found a strong negative correlation (r -.998)
  between number of alcoholic drinks and college
  G.P.A.

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Cutting, Bock, Herrmann (2013)

• based on the results, they suggested that
  drinking alcohol causes lower grades
• What do you think?
• It turns out that between May 2010 and May 2011
  (time of data collection), all of Chicagos major
  sports teams (Cubs, Bears, Bulls) had good
  seasons and went to their respected playoffs

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next time

• Chapter 12The Correlational Research Strategy
• Chapter 13The Descriptive Research Strategy
• Chapter 10The Nonexperimental and
  Quasi-Experimental Strategies Nonequivalent
  Group, Pre-Post, and Developmental Designs
• Chapter 14Single-Subject Research Designs
• Chapter 15Statistical Evaluation of Data