Welcome to Psyc 350 Laboratory

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Welcome to Psyc 350 Laboratory
The way to start any relationship is with honesty
! So ...
Why are you taking this course ?
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This is multiple choice. Pick one !
a. I hope to do empirical research daily for the
rest of my life (taking holidays off, of course)
b. My intended career will require me to perform
or apply the results of empirical research
c. I know Ill have to do research to get the
Masters and/or Ph.D. Ill need for my intended
career
d. Ill have a better chance of getting into
graduate school or a job if Ive done some
research
e. Ill use the stuff I learn in this class to
do better in my other classes
f. Its required !!!
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• So, the obvious question becomes, Why is this
  course required???
• There are two different approaches to answering
  this question -- both are important
• Advances in psychological treatment and
  application (in the many areas that apply
  psychology) are dependent upon new
  psychological knowledge, which comes from
  research
• This course is designed to teach you basic
  research-related skills you will use
  throughout your education and career

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• The importance of empirical research
• Every decision and action made by psychological
  professionals is dependent upon research -- maybe
  their own, probably someone elses.
• In order to be ethical (also legal and
  bill-able), each diagnosis, treatment choice,
  evaluation and decision to stop treatment must be
  defended in terms of replicated, peer-reviewed,
  published research.
• Not just clinical/treatment decisions, but those
  made within areas of human resources, criminal
  justice, business, education, engineering, etc.
  -- all depend upon and use knowledge acquired by
  psychological researchers

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• While not everyone needs to be a producer of
  empirical research (but see below), every
  psychological professional needs to be a
  competent consumer of research.
• Being a competent consumer of research means
  being able to
• locate research that is relevant to your work
• critique (not memorize - but evaluate) the
  quality of the research (theory, methodology
  stats)
• integrate the useful information (that passes
  your evaluation) from the research into your own
  work

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Most practitioners (not just those in
academics) find that they do need to produce
research Why? One simple answer -- funding is
tight !! Funding sources (including the city,
state, feds, foundations and private individuals
who support treatment facilities) clients need
evidence that what you are doing works and is
worth the expense. It is not enough that you
do it better than the others. You need
evidence that what youre doing works, and that
it works better than your competitors. This
evidence comes from research conducted, analyzed
and reported by you using your own
patients/clients.
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The point is Research is going to be a more
important part of your ongoing professional
activities (and your successes) than you may
realize. Professionals who better understand the
research process and know how to evaluate,
integrate and apply the results from empirical
research have greater employment potential and
will better serve their clients and patients.
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• Another point
• The psychological professions are competitive !!
  For a few of reasons
• helping people is seen by many folks as an
  extension of their concerns for individuals and
  our society, so these many folks want to become
  psychological professionals
• many folks consider the understanding of
  individual and group human behavior --
  understanding the understanders -- to be the
  ultimate question
• The pay can be pretty good

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• Most folks find that the career they want will
  require education beyond their BA or BS -- either
  graduate school, professional school, or
  on-the-job training.
• Positions for all of these are extremely
  competitive -- some examples, each year ...
• our graduate Clinical Psychology Program
  accepts 10-12 of the 200 applicants
• our Law-Psychology graduate program accepts 4-5
  of 40 applicants
• the Educational Psychology Counseling program
  takes 6-8 out of 100

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• The intent is not to demoralize you, but rather
  to motivate you to pursue those activities during
  your undergraduate career that will increase
  your ability to compete for graduate school or a
  job.
• What do schools employers look for ??
  (you guessed it)
• excellent performance in research methods/stats
  courses (yes courses -- more is better)
• excellent performance in 400-level courses --
  especially writing and critical thinking skills
  (which can be improved using the knowledge and
  skills youll have an opportunity to learn in
  here)
• research experience (which will be easier to
  find if you do well in here and have the
  resultant skills)

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So, back to the original question -- Why is this
course required ?? Because research is at the
heart of Psychological practice -- you have to
understand psychological research to understand
the application of psychological principles to
whatever career you choose. Because the best way
to get the education and training you need for
your desired career is to master the procedures,
techniques, skills and tricks you will learn in
this course.
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Useful skills youll acquire in this course We
have immodest goals for you this semester.
learn to locate, summarize, critique and
integrate primary research and research reviews
learn to propose original research hypotheses
based on your consideration of previous
research learn to plan the procedures and
materials for data collection and analysis
relevant to research hypotheses learn to report
all of the above using a standard (i.e., APA)
format and style
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Important Stuff to Remember
You need a C (not a C-) for this course to
count toward the Psychology Major
You must complete all exams and the laboratory
final to receive a passing grade in this course.
You must complete all laboratory assignments to
receive a passing grade in this class.
You must complete the research participation
assignment to receive a passing grade in this
class.