Research Methods

Exemplar Study: Must Be Love on the Brain (Within-Subjects/Repeated-Measures Design)

10. Within-Subjects Design, 12. Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM-ANOVA), Research Methods / , , , , , /

This research focused on the brain functioning of people in love. Participants who rated themselves as being intensely in love, viewed a photo of their beloved, did a distracter task, and then viewed a photo of a neutral acquaintance while researchers took functional magnetic resonance imagery (fMRI). Each participant repeated the procedure six times. When […]

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Exemplar Study: Can Using Obscenities Make You More Persuasive? (Multigroup Design)

09. Multigroup Design, 11. One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Research Methods / , , , , , , , /

This multigroup experiment examined the use of an obscenity on thepersuasiveness of a pro-attitudinal message and on perceptions of thecommunicator. Participants watched one of three versions of a video inwhich the speaker advocated lowering tuition at another university. In thefirst version, the speaker used the word “damn” at the beginning of themessage. In the second

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Exemplar Study: Social Exclusion and Prosocial Behavior (Multigroup Design)

03. Ethics: Making Ethical Decisions in Research, 09. Multigroup Design, 11. One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Research Methods / , , , , , , , , /

This article indicated that being excluded from social groups leads todecreases in prosocial behavior. Participants received either no feedback on apersonality measure or one of three types of false feedback that indicated afuture full of rewarding relationships, loneliness, or unfortunate accidents.Participants receiving the social exclusion feedback were unwilling tovolunteer for further lab experiments and, after

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Exemplar Study: Tipping in Restaurants (Two-group Design/Simple Experiment)

08. Two-Group Design, 10. t test For Two Independent/Unrelated Samples, Research Methods / , , , , , , , , , /

To evaluate the effect that a helpful message from a server might have on restaurant tips, the server either wrote a message about an upcoming dinner special on the back of the dining check or left it blank. Dining parties who received a check with the helpful message tipped a higher percentage of the final

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Resources: Best Books for Teaching Online

Research Methods, Statistics / , , /

This is a collection of books that can help with moving your research methods or statistics course online. Although they may not address methods and stats specifically, instructors can easily adapt the ideas in these books to their own courses. Small Teaching Online: Applying Learning Science in Online Classes by Flower Darby & James M.

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Link: Spurious Correlation Examples

*Open Science, 02. Frequency Distributions and Visual Displays of Data, 07. Correlational/Survey Research, Research Methods / , , , /

A website dedicated to creating charts depicting ridiculous correlations (like the one in the picture–clearly we must stop putting Nicolas Cage in films!). You can also pick two variables of your own from a list including topics like: interesting causes of death, sunlight by state, marriage and divorce rates. A great way for students to

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Practice: Measuring Dependent Variables: Types and Scales of Measurement

04. Psychologist’s Toolbox: Sampling, Measurement, Reliability, & Validity, Research Methods / , , , /

This is a brief in-class practice activity (created by Raechel Soicher) to help students review different types of measurement for dependent variables as well as identify scales of measurement. Raechel recommends teaching about the different ways to measure a dependent variable before giving students the opportunity to review using this brief worksheet. She provides definitions

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Practice: Having Fun with Operational Definitions

02. The Research Process: Ideas to Innovations, 04. Psychologist’s Toolbox: Sampling, Measurement, Reliability, & Validity, Research Methods / , , , /

One of the challenges instructors face when discussing conceptual and operational definitions of variables is helping students to understand that the operational definition of a variable involves measuring the variable in a concrete, quantitative manner. The practice activity asks students to identify the relevant variables of interest and then suggest ways that these variables can

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Practice: Calculating the Pearson r Correlation (Video Games and GPA)

07. Correlational/Survey Research, 14. Correlation, Research Methods, Statistics / , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about how many hours per week they played video games and their GPA) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a Pearson r correlation and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the hypotheses, calculating the correlation coefficient, making a decision

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Practice: Calculating the Pearson r Correlation (Math and Spelling Ability)

07. Correlational/Survey Research, 14. Correlation, Research Methods, Statistics / , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about scores on a math and a spelling test) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a Pearson r correlation and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the hypotheses, calculating the correlation coefficient, making a decision about the null hypotheses

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Practice: Calculating the Pearson r Correlation (Height and Running Speed)

07. Correlational/Survey Research, 14. Correlation, Research Methods, Statistics / , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about how height and running speed in the 40 yard dash) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a Pearson r correlation and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the hypotheses, calculating the correlation coefficient, making a decision about the

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Practice: Calculating the t-test for Independent Samples/Means (Temperature and Mood)

08. Two-Group Design, 10. t test For Two Independent/Unrelated Samples, Research Methods, Statistics / , , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about how temperature impacts mood) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a t-test for independent means and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the type of statistical analysis to use, the hypotheses, calculating the t-ratio and effect size (if

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Practice: Calculating the t-test for Independent Samples/Means (Research Methods and GPA)

08. Two-Group Design, 10. t test For Two Independent/Unrelated Samples, Research Methods, Statistics / , , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about how taking research methods impacts GPA) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a t-test for independent means and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the type of statistical analysis to use, the hypotheses, calculating the t-ratio and effect

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Practice: Calculating the t-test for Paired-Samples/Dependent Means (Drugs and Learning)

09. Introduction to t-Tests: The Single Sample t-Test and t-Test for Dependent Means, 10. Within-Subjects Design, Statistics / , , , /

Instructors should assign this problem (about drugs and learning) to students as in-class practice or homework after students have learned how to calculate a t-test for dependent means and test for significance. The activity leads students through determining the type of statistical analysis to use, the hypotheses, calculating the t-ratio and effect size (if appropriate),

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Lecture Slides: Measuring Dependent Variables

04. Psychologist’s Toolbox: Sampling, Measurement, Reliability, & Validity, Research Methods / , , , , , , , /

This  lecture introduces students to several different ways of measuring   behavior as the dependent variable.  Several types of behavioral measures are shown, including: behavioral trace, behavioral observation, and behavioral choice. The goal of this lecture is to get students to see other types of measuring DVs, aside from self-report. This starts with a quick overview

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Lecture Slides: Manipulating Independent Variables

04. Psychologist’s Toolbox: Sampling, Measurement, Reliability, & Validity, Research Methods / , , , , , , , /

This  lecture introduces students to several different ways of manipulating independent variables. Some techniques covered include: mock Facebook profiles, priming, having participants count money, and viewing cute pictures. The goal of this lecture is to get students to see a variety of ways that researchers can manipulate IVs. Each example provides the citation for the

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Lecture Slides: Calculating the t-test for Independent Means/Samples (Does Eating Spinach Make Your Stronger?)

08. Two-Group Design, 10. t test For Two Independent/Unrelated Samples, Research Methods, Statistics / , , /

The goal of this PowerPoint is to work through the step-by-step process of hand calculating a t-test for independent means. The slides start with an explanation of the formula involved and then a sample problem is presented. It is designed for you to have the class solve the problem along with you as you advance

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Lecture Slides: Calculating the Pearson r Correlation (Study Hours and GPA)

07. Correlational/Survey Research, 14. Correlation, Research Methods, Statistics / , , /

The goal of this PowerPoint is to work through the step-by-step process of hand calculating a Person Correlation. The slides start with the formula involved and then a sample problem is presented. It is designed for you to have the class solve the problem along with you as you advance through the slides and animation.

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Lecture Slides: Calculating the t-test for Paired-Samples/Dependent Means (Weight Loss Study)

09. Introduction to t-Tests: The Single Sample t-Test and t-Test for Dependent Means, 10. Within-Subjects Design, Research Methods, Statistics / , , , /

The goal of this PowerPoint is to work through the step-by-step process of hand calculating a t-test for dependent means. The slides start with an explanation of the formula involved and then a sample problem is presented. It is designed for you to have the class solve the problem along with you as you advance

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