Chapter 2: Methods of Inquiry in Psychology

Key Concepts

• Psychology: Study of behavior, experiences, and mental processes.
• Psychological Inquiry: Helps in developing new theories or constructs.

Steps in Psychological Inquiry

1. Formulating a research question
2. Collecting data
3. Analyzing data
4. Interpreting results
   • Subjective interpretation is crucial.

Nature of Psychological Data

• Importance: Data is a crucial input in psychological inquiry.
• Characteristics: Data is not independent of physical, social context, time, and involved individuals.
• Types of Data:
  • Physiological Data: Includes height, weight, heart rate, blood oxygen level, duration of sleep, blood pressure, and dream patterns.
  • Psychological Data: Includes intelligence, personality, interests, creativity, psychological disorders, and motivation.

Methods of Inquiry

1. Observational Method

• Not detailed in this lecture.

2. Experimental Method

• Purpose: Establish cause-effect relationships between events or variables.
• Controlled Setting: Conducted in controlled environments to manipulate variables.
• Concept of Variable: Any stimulus or event that varies (e.g., temperature).
• Random Assignment: Removes systematic differences between groups.

3. Correlational Method

• Purpose: Determine the strength and direction of relationships between two variables.
• Correlation Coefficient: Number representing the relationship's strength and direction.
  • Zero correlation (e.g., 0.02 or -0.02): Indicates no significant relationship between variables.
  • Positive correlation: Variables increase in tandem (e.g., +0.03).
  • Negative correlation: One variable increases as the other decreases.

Conclusion

• Psychological data and methods are vital in studying behavior and mental processes.
• Each method has its specific application and importance in research.

End Notes

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