PSYC 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Random Assignment, Naturalistic Observation, Hawthorne Effect
10 Oct 2016
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After observation, generate a prediction: research hypothesis. Hypothesis: defines what you think will happen and states your prediction in a way that can be tested: found to be either true or false, saying one thing results in another thing. Operationalize: to develop a working definition of a variable that allows you to test it. May be easy to create an operational definition, but harder to operationalize it: most all have their pros and cons. Once you"ve selected variables, you need to select people to study. Populations of interest may be large: all canadians, adults, teenagers, children, men, women. You will not have selected a group that is especially likely to confirm your hypothesis. Descriptive research methods: studies that allow researchers to demonstrate a relationship between the variables of interest, without specifying a causal relationship: case studies, surveys, naturalistic observation. Experiments: allow researchers to explain the causes of behaviour. Case study: study focusing on a single person.
