Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences

617 Pages·2020·6.544 MB·English

by  Gregory J. Privitera

Research Methods
for the Behavioral Sciences
Third Edition
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Research Methods for the
Behavioral Sciences
Third Edition
Gregory J. Privitera
St. Bonaventure University
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Names: Privitera, Gregory J., author.
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Title: Research methods for the behavioral sciences / Gregory J. Privitera.
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Description: Third edition. | Los Angeles : Sage Publications, Inc., [2020] |
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Includes bibliographical references and index.
Singapore 048423
Identifiers: LCCN 2018037364 | ISBN 9781544309811 (hardcover : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Psychology—Research—Methodology. | Social sciences—
Research—Methodology. | Psychology—Statistical methods. | Social
sciences—Statistical methods.
Classification: LCC BF76.5 .P65 2020 | DDC 150.72—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018037364
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• Brief Contents •
About the Author xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Preface xvii
To the Student—How to Use SPSS With This Book xxv
P.1 Overview of SPSS: What Are You Looking At? xxv
P.2 Preview of SPSS in Focus xxix
SECTION I • SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY 1
Chapter 1 • Introduction to Scientific Thinking 3
Chapter 2 • Generating Testable Ideas 27
Chapter 3 • Research Ethics 53
SECTION II • DEFINING AND MEASURING VARIABLES,
SELECTING SAMPLES, AND CHOOSING AN
APPROPRIATE RESEARCH DESIGN 81
Chapter 4 • Identifying Scientific Variables 83
Chapter 5 • Sampling From Populations 113
Chapter 6 • Choosing a Research Design 139
SECTION III • NONEXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS 169
Chapter 7 • Naturalistic, Qualitative, and Existing Data
Research Designs 171
Chapter 8 • Survey and Correlational Research Designs 203
SECTION IV • QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH DESIGNS 237
Chapter 9 • Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Experimental
Designs 239
Chapter 10 • Between-Subjects Experimental Designs 273
Chapter 11 • Within-Subjects Experimental Designs 305
Chapter 12 • Factorial Experimental Designs 335
SECTION V • ANALYZING, INTERPRETING, AND
COMMUNICATING RESEARCH DATA 365
Chapter 13 • Analysis and Interpretation: Exposition of Data 367
Chapter 14 • Analysis and Interpretation: Making Decisions About Data 397
Chapter 15 • Communicating Research: Preparing Manuscripts,
Posters, and Talks 425
Appendix A: APA-Style Writing, Sample Manuscript, and Posters 455
Appendix B: Instructions for Randomizing and Counterbalancing 507
Appendix C: SPSS General Instructions Guide and Statistical Tables 515
Glossary 535
References 549
Index 563
• Detailed Contents •
About the Author xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Preface xvii
To the Student—How to Use SPSS With This Book xxv
P.1 Overview of SPSS: What Are You Looking At? xxv
P.2 Preview of SPSS in Focus xxix
SECTION I • SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY 1
Chapter 1 • Introduction to Scientific Thinking 3
1.1 Science as a Method of Knowing 4
1.2 The Scientific Method 4
1.3 Other Methods of Knowing 13
1.4 The Goals of Science 16
1.5 Approaches in Acquiring Knowledge 18
1.6 Distinguishing Science From Pseudoscience 20
Chapter 2 • Generating Testable Ideas 27
2.1 Generating Interesting and Novel Ideas 28
2.2 Converting Ideas to Hypotheses and Theories 29
2.3 Developing Your Idea: Deduction and Induction 33
2.4 Performing a Literature Review 35
2.5 Ethics in Focus: Giving Proper Credit 40
2.6 The “3 Cs” of an Effective Literature Review 42
2.7 Testing Your Idea: Confirmation and Disconfirmation 45
2.8 Ethics in Focus: Publication Bias 47
Chapter 3 • Research Ethics 53
3.1 Ethics in Behavioral Research 54
3.2 The Need for Ethics Committees in Research: A Historical Synopsis 54
3.3 Ethics in Focus: Examples From Psychology 60
3.4 Human Participant Research: IRBs and the APA Code of Conduct 63
3.5 Ethics in Focus: Anonymity and Confidentiality 71
3.6 Animal Subject Research: IACUCs and the APA Code of Conduct 72
3.7 Additional Ethical Considerations: Scientific Integrity 73
SECTION II • DEFINING AND MEASURING VARIABLES, SELECTING
SAMPLES, AND CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE RESEARCH DESIGN 81
Chapter 4 • Identifying Scientific Variables 83
4.1 Criteria for Defining and Measuring Variables 84
4.2 Constructs and Operational Definitions 85
4.3 Types of Variables 87
4.4 Scales of Measurement 89
4.5 Reliability of a Measurement 93
4.6 Validity of a Measurement 96
4.7 Selecting a Measurement Procedure 99
4.8 Ethics in Focus: Replication as a Gauge for Fraud? 103
4.9 SPSS in Focus: Entering and Coding Data 103
Chapter 5 • Sampling From Populations 113
5.1 Why Do Researchers Select Samples? 114
5.2 Subjects, Participants, and Sampling Methods 114
5.3 Methods of Sampling: Nonprobability Sampling 117
5.4 Methods of Sampling: Probability Sampling 119
5.5 Sampling Error and Standard Error of the Mean 126
5.6 SPSS in Focus: Estimating the Standard Error of the Mean 128
5.7 Potential Biases in Sampling 129
5.8 Ethics in Focus: Participant Pools 130
5.9 SPSS in Focus: Identifying New Populations Using the One-Sample t Test 131
Chapter 6 • Choosing a Research Design 139
6.1 Designing a Study to Answer a Question 140
6.2 Categories of Research Design 141
6.3 Internal and External Validity 147
6.4 Demonstrating Cause in an Experiment 148
6.5 Ethics in Focus: Beneficence and Random Assignment 153
6.6 Threats to the Internal Validity of a Research Study 154
6.7 Threats to the External Validity of a Research Study 160
6.8 External Validity, Experimentation, and Realism 162
6.9 A Final Thought on Validity and Choosing a Research Design 163
SECTION III • NONEXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS 169
Chapter 7 • Naturalistic, Qualitative, and Existing Data
Research Designs 171
Naturalistic Observation 172
7.1 An Overview of Naturalistic Observation 172
7.2 The Research Setting: Natural and Contrived Settings 173
7.3 Techniques for Conducting Naturalistic Observation 174
7.4 Ethics in Focus: Influencing Participant Behavior 179
Qualitative Designs 180
7.5 An Overview of Qualitative Designs 180
7.6 Qualitative Research Designs 183
7.7 Ethics in Focus: Anonymity in Qualitative Research 189
Existing Data Designs 190
7.8 An Overview of Existing Data Designs 190
7.9 Existing Data Designs 191
7.10 Ethics in Focus: Existing Data and Experimenter Bias 196
Chapter 8 • Survey and Correlational Research Designs 203
Survey Designs 204
8.1 An Overview of Survey Designs 204
8.2 Types of Survey Items 204
8.3 Rules for Writing Survey Items 208
8.4 Administering Surveys 213
8.5 Surveys, Sampling, and Nonresponse Bias 215
8.6 Ethics in Focus: Handling and Administering Surveys 216
Correlational Designs 217
8.7 The Structure of Correlational Designs 217
8.8 Describing the Relationship Between Variables 218
8.9 Limitations in Interpretation 223
8.10 Correlation, Regression, and Prediction 226
8.11 SPSS in Focus: Correlation and Linear Regression 228
SECTION IV • QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH DESIGNS 237
Chapter 9 • Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Experimental Designs 239
Quasi-Experimental Designs 240
9.1 An Overview of Quasi-Experimental Designs 240
9.2 Quasi-Experimental Design: One-Group Designs 241
9.3 Quasi-Experimental Design: Nonequivalent Control Group Designs 243
9.4 Quasi-Experimental Design: Time Series Designs 246
9.5 Quasi-Experimental Design: Developmental Designs 250
9.6 Ethics in Focus: Development and Aging 255
Single-Case Experimental Designs 256
9.7 An Overview of Single-Case Designs 256
9.8 Single-Case Baseline-Phase Designs 257
9.9 Validity, Stability, Magnitude, and Generality 263
9.10 Ethics in Focus: The Ethics of Innovation 265
Chapter 10 • Between-Subjects Experimental Designs 273
10.1 Conducting Experiments: Between-Subjects Design 274
10.2 Experimental Versus Control Group 275
10.3 Manipulation and the Independent Variable 276