Methods in Psychological Research

Annabel Ness Evans  received her PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Alberta in 1979. She was the Chair of the Department of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton from 1975 until 2013, when she retired as Professor Emerita to muddle about in her garden, ski her brains out, and basically have a really good time. She has written two previous texts. Her Using Basic Statistics in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (2014) is in its fifth edition and is available from Sage. She has coauthored a book, Principles of Behavior Analysis (1994), with Lyle Grant.  Annabel’s sons, Christiaan, Marcus, and Luke, are grown and on their own so she lives with her Havanese dog, Skye, who has shown a notable lack of interest in psychological research.   Bryan J. Rooney is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton. He enjoys teaching research methods and finds the process of helping students design and implement their own research projects particularly rewarding. When students learn about research by developing their own projects, they experience the frustrations, excitements, and occasional disappointments that are part of the process. They also discover how fun it is to seek answers to questions that pique their curiosity. He has taught research methods for over 15 years and also teaches introductory and intermediate statistics. His research background is in visual and auditory sensation and perception, and more recent interests include quality-of-life issues for people with dementia. When he is not involved in the life of his busy family, you can find him skiing or riding his motorcycles depending on the season. He earned his PhD in psychology from Carleton University in Ottawa and his BSc and MSc from the University of Calgary.

Ch1. Introduction to Research in Psychology
Acquiring Knowledge About the World
Psychology—Science and Art
Critical Thinking
Objectives of Science
The Tenets of Science
The Scientific Method
Theories, Concepts, and Hypotheses
Why We Do Research
Approaches to Research
Steps in Planning and Doing Research
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch2. Understanding the Research Literature
Objectives
Searching the Literature
The Research Article
Basic Statistical Procedures
More Complex Statistical Procedures
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch3. Research in Psychology: An Ethical Enterprise
Objectives
Are Ethical Codes Necessary?
General Principles
Ethical Standards
Special Populations
Internet Research
Bias and Intellectual Honesty
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch4. Hypothesis Testing, Power, and Control: A Review of the Basics
Objectives
Three Levels of Hypotheses
Testing the Null Hypothesis
Statistical Significance
Inferential Errors: Type I and Type II
Power and How to Increase It
Effect Size
The Role of Replication in Research
External and Internal Validity
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch5. Measuring Variables
Objectives
Ways of Asking Questions
Social Desirability and Response Set
Measuring Observed Behavior
The Importance of Precision in Measurement
Tests, Scales, and Inventories
Commercially Available Tests and Inventories
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch6. Selecting Research Participants
Objectives
Sampling Methods
Sample and Effect Size
Power Revisited
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch7. Experimental Design: Independent Groups Designs
Objectives
Why We Do Experiments
How We Do Experiments: Independent-Groups Designs
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch8. Experimental Design: Dependent Groups and Mixed Groups Designs
Objectives
Dependent-Groups Designs
Mixed Designs
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch9. Experimental Design: Single-Participant Designs/The Operant Approach
Objectives
Single-Participant Design and the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Concepts in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
ABA and ABAB Withdrawal Designs
Multiple-Baseline Design
Alternating-Treatment Design
Changing-Criterion Design
Advantages and Disadvantages of Single-Participant Designs
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch10. Nonexperimental Research: Finding Relationships Among Variables
Objectives
Quasi-Experiments
Longitudinal Research
Case Studies
Cross-Sectional Research
Correlational Research
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch11. Data Collection Methods
Objectives
Observational Research: Observing the Behavior of Individuals
Advantages and Disadvantages of Observational Research
Survey Research: Asking People Questions About Their Behavior
Observing Group Behavior: The Focus Group
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch12. Program Evaluation, Archival Research, and Meta-Analytic Designs
Objectives
Program Evaluation
Archival Research
Meta-Analysis
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch13. Your Research Project: Analyzing, Interpreting, and Presenting Your Research
Objectives
What Are Statistics and Why Are They Necessary?
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Ch14. Communicating in Psychology
Objectives
Writing in Psychology
Presenting Research in Writing
Other Ways of Presenting Research
Chapter Summary
Chapter Resources
Glossary
References
Index