Psych Bell Ringer – 10/20Which descriptive method would be most appropriate for studying each of the following topics?1. Ways in which the games

of boys differ form those of girls.

2. Changes in attitudes toward nuclear disarmament after a T.V. movie about nuclear holocaust.

3. The math skills of children in the U.S. versus Japan

4. Physiological changes that occur when people watch violent movies.

5. The development of a male infant who was reared as a female after his penis was accidently burned off during a routine surgery.

A. Case Study

B. Naturalistic Observation

C. Laboratory Observation

D. Survey

E. Test

Unit II

I. Experimental ResearchA. experiment – a controlled test of a

hypothesis in which the researcher manipulates one variable to discover its effects on another variable.

B. Allows researchers to :1. draw conclusions about cause and effect2. control the situation being studied

Hypothesis: Nicotine impairs driving ability

II. Experimental VariablesA. independent variable – variable that the

experimenter manipulatesB. dependent variable – variable that an

experimenter predicts will be affected by the manipulation of the independent variable.

C. controlled variables – all other variables in an experiment that are kept constant for the various groups of subjects.

*The dependent variable, the outcome of the study, DEPENDS on the independent variable.

If I do X, my subjects will do Y.

Nicotine impairs driving ability

X = independent variable

Y = dependent variable

Use of nicotine = independent variable

Same driving simulator, same route, same car type = controlled variables

Collisions = dependent variable

Psych Bell Ringer 10/231. Get out your note page – “Research Methods: The

Experiment”

2. Using the worksheet “How Social Scientists Find Information”, create definitions for the words located in the second column under the reading:HypothesisExperimental GroupControl GroupIndependent VariableDependent VariableConclusion

Reminder:Wed 10/22 – In Class Review for Unit II TestThurs 10/23 – Unit II Test

Which is the Independent variable? Which is the dependent variable?1. Does eating chocolate make people

nervous?

2. Drinking coffee increases work productivity.

3. The number of people around will affect subjects willingness to help a person in trouble.

III. The Controlled ExperimentA. subjects in the control

group are treated exactly like the subjects in the experimental group , except …

B. subjects in the control group are not exposed to the independent variable.1. placebo – an inactive

substance/fake treatment used as a control in an experiment .

Experimental group – smokes real cigarettes

Control group – smokes placebos (fake cigarettes)

C. random assignment - assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.

We want our two groups to be relatively the same in average of driving skill, age, education, smoking history, etc. , so that none of these other variable will affect our results.

III. Experimenter EffectsA. Expectations can influence the results

of a study1. single blind study – experiment in which

subjects do not know whether they are in the experimental or control group.

2. double blind study – experiment in which the subjects nor the individuals running the study know which subjects are in the control group and which are in the experimental group.

IV. The Experiment: Advantages & Disadvantages AdvantagesAllows researcher

to control the situation

Permits researcher to identify cause and effect

Permits researcher to distinguish placebo effects from treatment effects

DisadvantagesSituation is

artificialResults might not

generalize to the real world

Sometimes difficult to avoid experimenter effects

Psych Bell Ringer 10/221. Get a book2. Get out your binder, which should

contain your Unit II work.3. Complete the section of the Unit II

Review Test Review Sheet that has been assigned to you.Exp. If you have a section III at the top of

your paper, answer the questions for part III of your review sheet.

In Small Groups … (10 minuets)1. Everyone in the group reads their answers for

the assigned section.

2. Using the collective knowledge of your small group, write the correct information for your assigned section on the Large Print Sheet.

3. Write all members names on the Large Print Sheet.

4. Use Tape to hang Large Print Sheet somewhere on the wall