faculty

1
Research Methods

• Chapter 2

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2
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• Empirical
• Derived from or based on observation and
  experimentation

3
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• The Scientific Method
• Formulating a research question
• Framing the research question in the form of a
  hypothesis
• Testing the hypothesis
• (continued)

4
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• The Scientific Method (continued)
• Hypothesis
• Precise prediction about behaviour
• Testing the hypothesis
• Drawing conclusions

5
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• Goals and methods of the science of human
  sexuality
• Description
• Variables
• Quantities or qualities that vary or may vary
• Demographic variables
• Concerning vital statistics
• (continued)

6
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• Goals and methods of the science of human
  sexuality (continued)
• Explanation
• Prediction
• Control
• (continued)

7
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• Goals and methods of the science of human
  sexuality (continued)
• Physiological measures of sexual arousal
• vasocongestion
• Penile strain gauge
• Measures changes in the circumference of the
  penis
• (continued)

8
A Scientific Approach to Human Sexuality

• Goals and methods of the science of human
  sexuality (continued)
• Vaginal photoplethysmograph
• Measures vasocongestion of the vaginal walls

9
Operational Definitions

• Operational definition
• Definition of a construct or variable in terms of
  the methods used to measure it

10
Populations and Samples

• Population
• Complete group of organisms or events
• Sample
• Part of a population
• Representative sample
• (continued)

11
Populations and Samples (continued)

• Generalize
• To go from the particular to the general

12
Populations and Samples

• Sampling Methods
• Random sample
• Every member of a population has an equal chance
  of participating
• (continued)

13
Populations and Samples

• Sampling methods (continued)
• Stratified random sample
• Known subgroups in a population are represented
  in proportion to their numbers in the population
• (continued)

14
Populations and Samples

• Sampling Method (continued)
• Volunteer bias
• Slanting of research data caused by the
  characteristics of the individuals who volunteer

15
Methods of Observation

• Case-study method
• Carefully drawn, in-depth biography of an
  individual or a small group of individuals

16
Methods of Observation

• Survey method
• Detailed study of a sample obtained by interviews
  and questionnaires
• (continued)

17
Methods of Observation

• Survey method (continued)
• Kinsey reports
• reliability
• incidence
• validity
• NHSLS study
• (continued)

18
Methods of Observation

• Survey method (continued)
• Canadian media-sponsored surveys
• Macleans Magazine survey
• Compas survey
• Magazine surveys of readers
• Reliability of the survey method
• (continued)

19
Methods of Observation

• Survey method (continued)
• Limitations of the survey method
• Volunteer bias
• May not accurately reflect the population at
  large
• Faulty estimation
• People may recall behaviours inaccurately or
  misrepresent it
• (continued)

20
Methods of Observation

• Survey method (continued)
• Limitations of the survey method (continued)
• Social-desirability response bias
• Response bias to questionnaire or interview
• Differences in meanings of terms
• A word or phrase may mean different things to
  different people

21
Methods of Observation

• Naturalistic-observation method
• Organisms are observed in their natural
  environments
• (continued)

22
Methods of Observation

• Naturalistic-observation method (continued)
• Ethnographic-observation method
• Describes specific cultures, especially
  preliterate societies
• Participant-observation method
• Observers interact with the people they study as
  they collect data
• (continued)

23
Methods of Observation

• Naturalistic-observation method (continued)
• Laboratory-observation method
• Masters and Johnson

24
Correlational Method

• Correlation
• Statistical measure of the relationship between
  two variables
• Correlational coefficient
• Statistic that expresses the strength and
  direction of the relationship between two
  variables

25
Correlational Method
26
Limitations of the Correlational Method

• Correlation is NOT causation

27
Experimental Method

• Experiment
• Scientific method that seeks to confirm
  cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating
  variables
• Treatment
• Intervention that is administered to participants

28
Aspects of the Experimental Method

• Independent variable
• Condition that is manipulated so that its effects
  can be observed
• Dependent variable
• Measured results of an experiment
• Believed to be a function of the independent
  variables
• (continued)

29
Aspects of the Experimental Method (continued)

• Experimental group
• Group of study participants who receive a
  treatment
• Control group
• Group of study participants who do not receive
  the experimental treatment
• (continued)

30
Aspects of the Experimental Method (continued)

• Why is random assignment important?
• Selection factor
• Bias that may operate in research when people are
  allowed to determine whether they will receive a
  treatment
• (continued)

31
Aspects of the Experimental Method (continued)

• Sexual behaviour of diverse populations
• Ontario First Nations
• Gay and bisexual men
• Sex workers

32
Ethics in Sex Research

• Exposing participants to harm
• Confidentiality
• Informed consent
• Agreement to participate in research
• Use of deception

33

• End of Chapter 2