Research Methods: Concepts and Connections

583 Pages·2013·9.155 MB·English

by  Michael Passer

Passer
I wrote this book for the same core reasons that I choose to teach the research methods
course each year. I believe that regardless of a student’s major or intended career, a
research methods course in psychology or other behavioral science is among the most
Research Methods
important classes an undergraduate can take. The course content is tailor-made to
sharpen students’ critical thinking skills and help students become savvier lifelong R
information consumers. The concepts they learn in this course should foster their
e Concepts and Connections
ability and motivation to evaluate the soundness of conclusions and other claims
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they encounter, whether in scientific articles, textbooks, media reports, pseudoscientific
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writings, or advertisements.
—Michael Passer a
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For more than 30 years, Michael Passer has introduced students at the University of Washington h
to thinking critically about research methods. In Research Methods: Concepts and Connections,
he excites readers with a breadth of insights from cognitive and behavioral research—and
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masterfully reveals the methods that make them possible. At once rigorous and practical, the
text gives thorough attention to both correlation and experimental methodologies, and includes
frequent discussions of important concepts, including validity and ethics. Pedagogical features e
such as Learning Objectives and Concept Checks are carefully crafted to help readers master
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the core concepts of research methods and connect them to the real world.
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o
The currency of the examples is perfect. Concepts are explained in a clear and accessible manner,
and engaging examples are peppered throughout the text. d
—Weylin Sternglanz, Nova Southeastern University
s
While reading I had commented to myself in the margins what an incredibly easy read the prose is—
moving along swimmingly. I think students, too, will appreciate this! C
—Alexandra Corning, University of Notre Dame o
n
c
I think the section on “Media reports of correlational findings” is outstanding. Dr. Passer’s writing
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is engaging and understandable, and the material is comprehensively presented in an accessible p
and largely informal style. There are copious examples, both from real-world events and from t
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psychological science, to illustrate course concepts.
—Kristina Hardy, Duke University
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This is the first research methods textbook that addresses the issues of cell phones in survey d
research. This is particularly important for today’s students. This simple inclusion as well as the
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discussion of online surveys makes the chapter much more current than the other textbooks
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I’ve seen on the market. —Todd McKerchar, Jacksonville State University n
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e
The author did an excellent job of including interesting examples of real psychology studies that the
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students are likely to find interesting. t
—Rachael Robnett, University of California, Santa Cruz i
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Michael W. Passer
WORTH
www.worthpublishers.com
Research Methods
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Research Methods
Concepts and Connections
Michael W. Passer
University of Washington
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ISBN-13: 978-0-7167-7681-9
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© 2014 by Worth Publishers, Macmillan Higher Education
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Printed in the United States of America
First printing
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To my wife Bev, for her endless love, support, and grace,
and to Harold Sigall, my undergraduate mentor and friend, who nourished
my interest in psychology and introduced me to the exciting enterprise of
conducting psychological research
About the Author
Michael W. Passer is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Uni-
versity of Washington. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he
entered the University of Rochester fully expecting to be a phys-
ics or chemistry major, but he became hooked on psychological
science after taking introductory psychology and a seminar course
on the nature of the mind. He got his start as an undergraduate
researcher under the mentorship of Dr. Harold Sigall, was a vol-
unteer undergraduate introductory psychology Teaching Assistant,
and received a Danforth Foundation Fellowship that partly funded
his graduate studies and exposed him to highly enriching national
conferences on college teaching.
Dr. Passer received his Ph.D. from UCLA, where he conducted laboratory research on at-
tribution theory under the primary mentorship of Dr. Harold Kelley and gained several years
of fi eld research experience studying competitive stress, self-esteem, and attributional pro-
cesses among boys and girls playing youth sports, mainly working with Dr. Tara Scanlan in the
Department of Kinesiology. At the University of Washington he has conducted hypothesis-
testing fi eld research on competitive stress with youth sport participants, collaborated on
several applied research projects in the fi eld of industrial-organizational psychology, and for
the past 20 years has been a Senior Lecturer and faculty coordinator of U.W.’s introductory
psychology courses. In this role, he annually teaches courses in introductory psychology and
research methods, developed a graduate course on the teaching of psychology, and is a
U.W. Distinguished Teaching Award nominee. With his colleague Ronald Smith, he has coau-
thored fi ve editions of the introductory textbook Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior
(McGraw-Hill), and has published more than 20 scientifi c articles and chapters, mostly on
attribution theory and competitive stress.
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Contents in Brief
Preface xix
Part I Foundations
Chapter 1 Science and Psychology 1
Chapter 2 Conducting Psychological Research 31
Chapter 3 Conducting Ethical Research 67
Chapter 4 Defi ning and Measuring Variables 105
Part II Descriptive Research
Chapter 5 Correlation and Correlational Research 133
Chapter 6 Case Studies and Observational Research 167
Chapter 7 Survey Research 199
Part III Experiments: Core Designs
Chapter 8 Single-Factor Experimental Designs 229
Chapter 9 Factorial Designs 263
Chapter 10 Experimentation and Validity 291
Part IV Experiments: Specialized Designs
Chapter 11 Quasi-Experimental Designs 325
Chapter 12 Single-Case Experimental Designs 359
Part V Analyzing and Communicating the Results
Statistics Modules
Appendix A Communicating Research Results A-1
Appendix B American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of
Psychologists and Code of Conduct B-1
Appendix C Statistical Tables C-1
Appendix D Answers to Concept Check and
Thinking Critically Questions D-1
Glossary G-1
References R-1
Credits for Tables, Figures, and Quotes CR-1
Name Index NI-1
Subject Index SI-1
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Contents
Preface
Part I Foundations
Chapter 1 Science and Psychology 1
HOW DO WE KNOW? 2
The Three-Door Problem 2
Tenacity: Knowing by Force of Habit 4
Authority: Knowledge Gained From Others 4
Reason: Relying on Logic and Rationality 6
Empiricism: Knowledge Based on Experience 7
Science: Relying on Systematic Empiricism 8
Concept Check 1.1 How Do We Know? 9
GOALS OF SCIENCE 9
Description 10
Explanation 10
Prediction 12
Control 13
Concept Check 1.2 Goals of Science 14
CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENCE 14
Science Involves Assumptions 14
Science Is Empirical and Systematic 15
Science Focuses on Testable Questions 15
Science Strives for Accuracy and Objectivity 17
Science Requires Clear Defi nitions and Operationism 17
Science Involves Public Reporting 18
Scientifi c Knowledge is Tentative, Not Absolute 19
Scientifi c Is Self-Correcting 19
Science Has Limitations 20
Concept Check 1.3 Characteristics of Science 20
BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH 20
Concept Check 1.4 Basic and Applied Research 22
BENEFITS OF LEARNING ABOUT RESEARCH METHODS 22
Concept Check 1.5 Benefi ts of Learning About Research Methods 25
SKEPTICISM, SCIENCE, AND EVERYDAY LIFE 25
What Is Skepticism? 25
Evaluating Claims 26
Concept Check 1.6 Skepticism, Science, and Everyday Life 27
CHAPTER SUMMARY 27
Chapter 2 Conducting Psychological Research 31
THE INITIAL OBSERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS 33
Personal Experience and Daily Events 33
Prior Research and Theory 34
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