Research Methods in the Social Sciences

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Research Methods in the Social Sciences
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Scientific Method

• Best way yet discovered for separating truth
  from untruth
• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.

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Scientific Method

• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.
• Invent a theory that is consistent with what you
  have observed.

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Scientific Method

• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.
• Invent a theory that is consistent with what you
  have observed.
• Use the theory to make predictions.

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Making PredictionsDeveloping Testable Hypotheses

• Hypothesis
• Operationalization
• Falsifiability

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Scientific Method

• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.
• Invent a theory that is consistent with what you
  have observed.
• Use the theory to make predictions.
• Test those predictions by experiments or further
  observations.

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Scientific Method

• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.
• Invent a theory that is consistent with what you
  have observed.
• Use the theory to make predictions.
• Test those predictions by experiments or further
  observations.
• Modify the theory in the light of your results.

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Scientific Method

• Steps
• Observe some aspect of the universe.
• Invent a theory that is consistent with what you
  have observed.
• Use the theory to make predictions.
• Test those predictions by experiments or further
  observations.
• Modify the theory in the light of your results.
• Return to Step 3 Use the modified theory to make
  predictions.

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Types of Research

• Basic research
• Seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge
• Applied research
• Seeking solutions to practical problems
• Program evaluation
• Does a social program work?

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Research Methods

• Nonexperimental Methods
• Archival research
• Naturalistic observation
• Surveys
• Case studies
• Correlational research
• Experimental Method

• Advantages
• Describe and predict behavior
• Useful when ethical considerations prevent true
  experimentation
• Causality

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Nonexperimental Methods

• Archival research
• Comb existing records to test a hypothesis
• Naturalistic observation
• Observe a naturally occurring behavior
• Survey research
• A sample from a population are asked questions
  about behavior, attitudes, or thoughts

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Nonexperimental Methods

• Case Studies
• Intensive investigation of an individual or a
  small group of people
• Correlational Research
• Relationships between two factors are investigated

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Correlational Research

• Strength of a relationship is represented by a
  mathematical score
• Ranges from 1.0 to -1.0
• Absolute value signifies strength of relationship
• Sign signifies nature of the relationship

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Correlational Research

• Strength of a relationship is represented by a
  mathematical score
• 1.0

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Correlational Research

• Strength of a relationship is represented by a
  mathematical score
• 1.0 Perfect positive correlation
• -1.0

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Correlational Research

• Strength of a relationship is represented by a
  mathematical score
• 1.0 Perfect positive correlation
• -1.0 Perfect negative correlation
• 0.0

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Correlational Research
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Interpreting Correlations

• A large-scale study of contraceptive use in
  Taiwan found that people who had more electrical
  appliances in their homes were more likely to use
  birth control.

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Interpreting Correlations

• Correlation ? Causation!

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Interpreting Correlations

• When we find a correlation between two variables
  A and B, there are three possible explanations

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Interpreting Correlations

• The more psychology courses students take during
  their college years, the higher scores they get
  on a measure of interpersonal sensitivity.

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Interpreting Correlations

• A study on the effects of alcohol found that
  higher and higher doses of alcohol produced
  increasingly lower scores on a test of memory
  recall.

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Interpreting Correlations

• A college professor notices that the farther
  students sit toward the back of the room, the
  worse their grades in the course seem to be.

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Interpreting Correlations

• A survey of adolescents being treated for eating
  disorders noted that those who watched the most
  TV during the week tended to get the lowest
  ratings on a measure of general health.

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Interpreting Correlations

• Correlations allow us to describe relationships
• Correlations allow us to predict

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Interpreting Correlations