Introduction to Research: Scientific Understanding of Behavior

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Introduction to Research Scientific
Understanding of Behavior

• RCS 6740
• 5/9/05

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What is Research?

• Main Entry 1research Pronunciation
  ri-'srch, 'rE-"Function nounEtymology Middle
  French recerche, from recerchier to investigate
  thoroughly, from Old French, from re- cerchier
  to search -- Date
• 1 careful or diligent search2 studious
  inquiry or examination especially
  investigation or experimentation aimed at the
  discovery and interpretation of facts, revision
  of accepted theories or laws in the light of new
  facts, or practical application of such new or
  revised theories or laws3 the collecting of
  information about a particular subject

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What is Scientific Research?

• Kerlinger (1986), Scientific research is
  systematic, controlled, empirical, and critical
  investigation of natural phenomena guided by
  theory and hypotheses about the presumed
  relations among such phenomena (p. 10).

• Or is it?
• committed to understanding social phenomena
  from the actors own perspective (Taylor
  Bogdan, 1984, p. 1).

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Pseudo-Research

• Magazines Cosmo Quizzes and Studies
• Newspapers Gainesville Sun Polls, CNN.com (Do
  you believe that a dog could care for a baby?)
• Internet Keyword Cancer on Google came up with
  114,000,000 hits!!!

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Why is Scientific Research Important?

• Helps us decide what is bull and what is valid
• Provides us a means of addressing and answering
  important questions
• Helps practitioners with treatment, therapy, and
  medication choices
• Assists public policy decisions

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Why is Scientific Research Important Cont.

• Influences judicial decisions (Study by Clark
  Clark, 1947, influenced the landmark Brown vs.
  Board of Education case)
• Determines whether or not programs (public and
  private) are successfully meeting their goals

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The Scientific Approach vs. Intuition

• Intuition Unquestionably accepting what your own
  personal judgment or experience tells you about
  the world.
• Example Since Dr. Saxon liked it, my client
  will enjoy working at the chicken factory.
• Scientists understand that numerous cognitive
  and motivational factors (that affect our
  perceptions) lead to erroneous conclusions.

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The Scientific Approach vs. Intuition Cont.

• Illusionary Correlation A cognitive bias that
  occurs when we focus on two events that stand out
  and occur together.
• The scientific approach requires much more
  evidence before any conclusion can be drawn.

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The Scientific Approach vs. Authority

• People too often accept information from books,
  media, government figures, and friends as being
  true.
• Persuasion is achieved by the speakers personal
  character when the speech is so spoken as to make
  him credible. We believe good men (people) more
  fully and readily than others. (Aristotle)

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The Scientific Approach vs. Authority Cont.

• The scientific approach rejects the notion that
  one can accept on faith the statements of any
  authority.
• Once again, more evidence is needed!

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Skepticism and Science

• Scientists do recognize that intuition and
  authority are sources of ideas about behavior,
  but they never blindly accept either without
  being skeptical.
• How then, do scientists learn about the world?

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The Scientific Method and the Empirical Approach

• The fundamental characteristic of the scientific
  method is empiricism (knowledge based on
  observations).
• Most importantly, the scientific method embodies
  a number of rules for collecting, evaluating, and
  reporting data (observations put into measurable
  form). These rules will be discussed in greater
  detail as the course progresses.

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The Scientific Method and the Empirical Approach
Cont.

• Elements of Goodsteins evolved theory of
  science
• 1. Observations accurately reported to others
• A. So that others can replicate the study
• B. So that others can see that the data has
  not been fabricated.

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The Scientific Method and the Empirical Approach
Cont.

• 2. Search for discovery and verification of
  ideas
• A. Scientists search for observations that will
  verify their ideas about the world.
• B. Scientists develop theories, argue that
  existing data supports their theories, and
  conduct research to further support their
  theories.

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The Scientific Method and the Empirical Approach
Cont.

• 3. Open exchange and competition among ideas
• A. Research flourishes when there is an open
  exchange of ideas.
• B. Others should report findings not supporting
  an ideas.
• C. Even good ideas are not supported by
  research. However, this leads to new and more
  innovative ideas.

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The Scientific Method and the Empirical Approach
Cont.

• 4. Peer Review of Research
• A. Ensures that only the best research is
  published.
• B. Ensures that research with major flaws is
  not integrated into the scientific community.
• C. Allows others to build upon and advance
  research.

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Incorporating Intuition, Authority, and
Skepticism

• Acceptable use of beliefs or opinions from a
  scientific perspective
• They are presented as only opinions or beliefs
  and not as fact
• They are scientifically testable
• There is scientific evidence that supports the
  opinion or belief

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Goals of Scientific Research

1. To Describe Behavior
2. To Predict Behavior
3. To Determine the Causes of Behavior
4. To Understand or Explain Behavior

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Describing Behavior

• Researchers must first make careful observations
  before they can accurately describe behavior
• Examples of Describing Behavior
• Client can lift up to 10 pounds, repeatedly, for
  one hour.
• Mr. Smith becomes irritable when discussing his
  previous employer.

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Predicting Behavior

• Once it has been observed (in a scientific
  manner) that two events are related to one
  another, predictions can be generated.
• Examples of predicting behavior
• The more attractive interviewee will get the job.
• Cats who eat Fancy Feast will become extremely
  fat!

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Determining the Causes of Behavior

• Predicting behavior does not mean that a cause
  can be determined.
• In order to determine how to change behavior, we
  must first determine the cause of the behavior.
• Identification of the cause of behavior requires
  three types of evidence

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Determining the Causes of Behavior Cont.

1. Temporal Precedence Temporal order of events
   where the cause precedes the effect
2. Covariation of the Cause and effect When the
   cause is present, the effect occurs, when the
   cause is not present, the effect does not occur
3. Alternative Explanations There should be no
   other plausible alternative explanation for the
   relationship

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Explanation of Behavior

• Researchers seek to understand and explain why
  behavior occurs (Caregivers of people with stroke
  may become depressed due to the burden of
  caregiving).
• Causes and Explanations are closely related but
  as new causes are determined, new explanations
  are necessary.

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Basic and Applied Research

• Basic Research
• Answers fundamental questions about the nature of
  behavior
• Studies are often designed to address theoretical
  issues such as cognition, emotion, social
  behavior, and learning
• Does not focus on immediate or practical concerns
  as it seeks to gain knowledge that may be of some
  value at a later time

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Basic and Applied Research Cont.

• Applied Research
• Main focus is to address practical problems and
  to find potential solutions to such problems.
• A major area of applied research is called
  Program Evaluation where research is used to
  evaluate social reforms, government, the criminal
  justice system, industry, schools, and health
  care (FITE Program evaluation example).

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Basic vs. Applied Research

• Neither one is superior to the other
• The progress of science depends on the synergy
  between the two
• Both may cause the other to be modified
• Both use the scientific method of research