Honours Seminar in Psychology

1
Honours Seminar in Psychology

• Lecture 2 Context of the Research Process

2
Thesis Disasters (that rarely occur)

• Project not approved by ethics
• Lose thesis on computer disk
• Can not get any participants
• Supervisory problems
• Too much, too little attention
• Too slow, or too busy to do a thesis
• Lose interest or motivation
• General panic or physical illness
• Strikes, floods, mortality

3
In groups of three, develop a scientific
hypothesis based on something you have found in
the newspaper (provided in class)

• Nominate someone to present this to the class
• What newspaper piece inspired the question?
• What is the scientific hypothesis?
• What research could be conducted?
• Other people in class should feel free to ask
  questions.

4
What testable hypotheses were created?

• Taeko, Katrina, Amanda
• Idea Can you predict the timing and location of
  terrorist acts?
• Miscal, Emily, Keri-Ann
• Idea Is there a relationship between gas prices
  and stress of consumers?
• Jordan, Leanne, Susan
• Idea What is the longterm emotional impact of
  hurricane Katrina on rescue workers from
  immediate area vs. other parts

5

• Emily, Kathryn, Shannon
• Idea Why do dogs not learn to not attack
  porcupines through operant conditioning
• Amanda, Lindsay, Nicole
• Idea What personality characteristics lead to
  idolising media stars? (attachment, fantasy)
• Nicole, Myretha, Luise
• Idea Can people learn social lessons from movies

6
What makes a scientific explanation?

• Empirical Objective and systematic observation,
  observable by the senses
• Rational Follows rules of logic and known fact
• Testable, falsifiable
• Parsimonious Requires the fewest assumptions
• General Laws
• Rigorously evaluated

7
What do polygraphs used in lie detector tests
measure?

8
Basic Vs. Applied

• Theory
• Empirical
• Real-world examples of a phenomenon not important
• Experimental

• Problem in the real-world
• Theoretically-based, but does not test theory
• Less controlled
• Can be less general

Were your newspaper-based questions basic or
applied questions?
9
Figure 1-4 The Research Process