Research Design Overview

1. Research Design Overview Heather M. Gray, Ph.D. January 26, 2010 Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introductory Course

2. Today’s Plan • Lecture: The 5 basic types of research approaches in the social sciences • Interactive exercise #1: Does watching too much TV kill you? • Interactive exercise #2: Name that Method (time permitting)

3. Primary Sources • Rosenthal, R. & Rosnow, R. L. (1991). Essentials of Behavioral Research: Methods and Data Analysis • Research Methods: The Laboratory http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/proj/res_meth/login.html

4. Experiments Everything Else Correlation Naturalistic Observation Survey Case Study 5 Basic Approaches

5. Experiments • Description: • Manipulating a variable to see if it changes a second variable • Independent variable • Dependent variable X Y

6. Experiments • Strengths: Cause-and-effect relationships, IF: • Statistical conclusion validity • Construct validity • Internal validity • External validity

7. Rigor Relevance Experiments • Limitations: • Necessary trade-offs • “Truth accrues, error cancels out” (attributed to Robert Rosenthal)

8. Experiments • Limitations: • Not always practical • Not always ethical

9. Experiments Everything Else Correlation Naturalistic Observation Survey Case Study 5 Basic Approaches

10. Correlation • Description: • No manipulation • Designed to determine degree and direction of relationship between two variables X Y

11. Correlation • Strength: • No manipulation • Useful for prediction

12. Correlation • Limitations: • Correlation cannot prove causation

13. Experiments Everything Else Correlation Naturalistic Observation Survey Case Study 5 Basic Approaches

14. Naturalistic Observation • Description: • Careful observation and recording of some behavior or phenomenon • Over a prolonged time • In its natural setting • Without interference

15. Naturalistic Observation • Strengths: • Observation of behavior as it occurs naturally • Limited opportunity for experimenter effects • Can yield hypotheses for future experimental investigation

16. Naturalistic Observation • Limitations: • Descriptive method, not explanatory • Time intensive • Difficulty of observing behavior without disrupting it • Coding issues

17. Experiments Everything Else Correlation Naturalistic Observation Survey Case Study 5 Basic Approaches

18. Survey • Description: • Descriptive study • Inferences drawn from interviews or questionnaires • Different types of questions • Forced-choice • Open-ended

19. Survey • Strength: • When constructs are difficult to observe directly • Standardization • Cost-effective • Relatively quick

20. Survey • Limitations: • No cause-and-effect conclusions • Reliance on self-reports • Deception • Poor memory • Misunderstanding of question • Lack of insight • Predicting behavior?

21. Experiments Everything Else Correlation Naturalistic Observation Survey Case Study 5 Basic Approaches

22. Case Study • Description: • In-depth descriptive record of an individual or small group of individuals • Biographical data, medical records, family history, observations, interviews, psychological tests

23. Case Study • Strengths: • Provide detailed, contextual view • If long term, helpful in understanding developmental issues • Helpful in generating hypotheses for future testing

24. Case Study • Limitations: • Not explanatory; no cause-and-effect relationships • Behavior can be observed but not explained • Lack of generalizability • Issues re: retrospective data

25. Take-home point #1 • On choosing your own research method • Don’t be limited to just one approach • Use combination of approaches to help correct for inherent weaknesses

26. Take-home point #2 • On being an educated consumer of research • Are conclusions warranted by the study design? • Example…

29. Interactive Exercise #1 • How else could we have addressed this question? • Naturalistic observation • Survey • Case study • Experiment?

30. Interactive Exercise #2 • Name that Method