---------- INTRODUCTION to PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH DESIGN ----------
---------- SYLLABUS ----------
Dr. John M. Morgan

REQUIRED TEXT:     Experimental Methodology  eighth edition
			by Larry B. Christensen, Allyn and Bacon, 2001
			ISBN #0-205-30832-5
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Chapter 2

Nonexperimental Quantitative Research:
	Accurate description of behavior without attempt at 	
	discerning cause and effect.

	Correlational Study;
		determine the degree of relationship between variables

		doesn't manipulate variables

		simply measures variables

		NOT cause-effect since a third variable may intervene 	
			and be related to both but be the actual cause of 	
				effect.
			A confounding variable may be actual cause.

	Ex Post Facto Study:
		Variables of interest are not subject of manipulation 	
			since they have already occurred.  Participants 	
			assign themselves to groups
			e.g. gender, age, prior experience or internal state,
			e.g. depression in rape victims
		participants so self-selected may differ on other causal, 	
			extraneous, unknown variables.

	Longitudinal Study: single group measured over a long period 	
		of time.
		e.g. IQ begins to decrease at age 60.
		e.g. Louisville Twin study
		Individuals are always the same, so environment is 	
			controlled.
		Expensive, loss of participants due to death, moving or 	
			withdrawal from study.

	Cross-Sectional Study: samples of individuals at different, 	
		specific age levels and notes their changes on specific 	
			behavior. e.g. IQ begins to decrease at age 30.
		Age-cohort effect: different individuals in groups 		
			experience different environment.

	Naturalistic Observation:
		Unobtrusiveness of observer
		Lack of artificiality of the situation
		Time consuming

	Meta Analysis:
		Integrate and describe the results of a large number of 	
			studies on questions of complex behavior, e.g. 	
			psychotherapy, leadership, obesity.

	Survey:
		Collecting standardized information by interviewing a 	
		representative sample of a population.
			deceptively easy to use 
			Methods:
				face to face
				telephone
				mail

		Questionnaire construction:
			Explicitly identified research question
			Open-ended vs closed-ended questions
				need raters for open-ended
			Question wording, no 'double-barreled' questions
			Unambiguous questions - pilot tested
			Question order
				positive & interesting questions first
				Avoid 'Yea-' or 'Nea-' saying
			Questionnaire length, 15 min limit
			Random sample vs Convenient sample
				of participants 

	Qualitative Research:
		Data consists of words, pictures, clothing, documents, 	
			etc so interpretation is needed to extract meaning. 	
			- bias of preconceived notions
		Multimethod data collection:  e.g.accounts of personal 	
			experience, introspective analysis (Psychology in 	
			the 1880's), an individual's life story, interviews, 	
			observations, photographs, historical documents, 	
			etc.
		Natural settings:
			Investigator's personal involvement and biases, e.g. 
			joining a 'biker' group
		Experiences filtered through language, gender, social 	
			class, race, and ethnicity
		Lack of Controls!

	Phenomenology:
		Description of an individual's conscious experience, e.g. 	
			Wilhelm Wundt, Leipzig.

	Ethnography: description and interpretation of the culture of 	
		a group of people.
		'Perfect Projection Opportunity'

	Case Study: in-depth description of an individual, 			
		organization or event; or theoretical explanation, Freud 	
			and Cocaine.
	
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to consult with me on any matter during my office hours or
any time that is agreeable to you and me.

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Copyright © 2002, Dr. John M. Morgan, All rights reserved - This page last edited Nov 25, 2002
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