EDUC10057 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Randomized Controlled Trial, Experience Sampling Method, Heart Rate Variability
10 Jun 2018
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EDUC10057 – WELLBEING, MOTIVATION, & PERFORMANCE
LECTURE 3 – SCIENCE FOUNDATIONS:
Positive psychology:
• Empirical methods, often quantitative (not always), goal is to discover & test (not to confirm
intuitions), has a falsifiable hypothesis
Pop psychology:
• Often based on one person’s experience, untested, often over-simplified or misinterpreted
Psychological biases: inaccuracies in the brain’s processing, these often have a survival advantage (e.g.
loss aversion, group think, halo effect, confirmation bias, etc.)
• The scientific method can be used to help us overcome a lot of these biases that result in incorrect
decisions, judgements, & conclusions
Scientific Method: a method of procedure that’s characterised natural science since the 17th century.
Consists of systematic observation, measurement, & experimentation, & the formulation, testing &
modification of hypotheses
• Empirical evidence: a source of knowledge acquired by means of observation or experimentation.
• Research: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery & interpretation of facts, revision
of accepted theories or laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new / revised
theories or laws. Goal is to understand real-world phenomenon
• Research process:
1. Generate theory, research questions, & hypotheses to explain what you observe
2. Collect data
3. Analyse data
4. Publish results
Research Study Designs (in hierarch of methods to evaluate interventions):
• Qualitative: non-quantitative (e.g. focus groups or interviews). Helps formulate hypothesis / develop
a deeper understanding of phenomenon. Tends to be exploratory
1. Correlational (comparative study with / without controls): explores / tests relationships between
variables. No Manipulation
• Effective, easy, easier ethics approval. Correlation ≠ causation
3. Quasi-experimental (pseudo-randomised controlled trial): experiment done in a real-life setting.
Generally no random allocation. Observes natural differences in the real world. (E.g. using different
schools / classes)
2. Experimental (randomised controlled trial): manipulates one or more variable. Typically uses
random assignment & helps establish a cause-effect relationship between variables exists
1. Review / meta-analysis: contrasts & combines results of existing research studies to identify
patterns, sources of disagreement, research gaps, & aggregate a literature
Measures:
• Subjective: self-report, informant report (peer / parent rating), experience sampling method (random
survey on app with notifications), day reconstruction method (similar to ^ but do at end of day)
• Objective: fMRI, EEP, electroencephalography, heart rate variability, cortisol
Samples:
• Collect data from a sample of the population to test the theory / hypothesis
• Larger the sample, more likely it reflects the population
• The sample used determines generalisability to the population (must be representative)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Positive psychology: empirical methods, often quantitative (not always), goal is to discover & test (not to confirm intuitions), has a falsifiable hypothesis. Pop psychology: often based on one person"s experience, untested, often over-simplified or misinterpreted. Scientific method: a method of procedure that"s characterised natural science since the 17th century. Goal is to understand real-world phenomenon: research process, generate theory, research questions, & hypotheses to explain what you observe, collect data, analyse data, publish results. Research study designs (in hierarch of methods to evaluate interventions): qualitative: non-quantitative (e. g. focus groups or interviews). Helps formulate hypothesis / develop a deeper understanding of phenomenon. Tends to be exploratory: correlational (comparative study with / without controls): explores / tests relationships between variables. No manipulation: effective, easy, easier ethics approval. Correlation causation: quasi-experimental (pseudo-randomised controlled trial): experiment done in a real-life setting. Observes natural differences in the real world. (e. g. using different schools / classes: experimental (randomised controlled trial): manipulates one or more variable.
