Observational Research in the Laboratory

2. Observational Research in the Laboratory • Pros: • Controlled environment • Can control for extraneous variables (random assignment) • Cons: • Not realistic

3. Outline • Observational Research in the Laboratory • 1) Examples of observational lab research • 2) P II: Multiple behavior studies • 3) P III: Single behavior studies

4. Observational Research • Steps • 1) Limit your observations • What do you want to do? What is your hypothesis? • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • Will you use a videotape, questionnaire, EAR, etc.? • 3) Collect your data • Just do it! • 4) Create a coding system • How will you quantify your data? • 5) Analyze your data • What do the data tell you?

5. During interpersonal interactions how does the behavior of a person affect the behavior of another person?

7. Concrete examples

8. Abstract examples

9. Interpersonal Theory • Leary’s complementarity • Interpersonal behaviors tend to initiate or invite reciprocal interpersonal behaviors from the “other” person in the interaction • Act the same on “warmth” • Warmth encourages warmth • Coldness encourages coldness • Act the opposite on “dominance” • Dominance encourages submission • Submission encourages dominance

10. Method • Participates • 79 males; 79 females

11. Tasks • Each participant interacted in three different situations with an opposite sex stranger

12. Coding Behaviors • For each interaction, social behaviors were coded by four different judges • Example: Dominance behaviors • “Expresses warmth” • “Exhibits social skills” • “Expresses criticism” • “Expresses hostility” • Example: Warmth behaviors • “Tries to control the interaction” • “Speaks in a loud voice” • “Seeks reassurance” • “Expresses insecurity”

13. Results • Warmth r = .45 • Dominance r = -.39

14. Observational Research • Steps • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder how our behaviors affect the behaviors of our interaction partners • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • I will videotape these behaviors • 3) Collect your data • Participants came into a lab • 4) Create a coding system • I will use the RBQ • 5) Analyze your data

16. Project II – Multiple Behavioral Observations

17. Perceiving Others • Am I: • Extraverted? • Agreeable? • Conscientious? • Open to experience? • Neurotic? • A drug user?

18. Perceiving Others • Why do you think that?

19. YOU ME

20. Talkative YOU ME

21. Talkative YOU ME Hand gestures

22. Assertive Talkative YOU ME Hand gestures Energetic Sociable

23. Assertive Talkative Talkative YOU ME Hand gestures Energetic Sociable

24. Smiles Assertive Talkative Talkative YOU ME Hand gestures Hand gestures Energetic Energetic Sociable

25. Target Perceiver Smiles Assertive Talkative Talkative YOU ME Hand gestures Hand gestures Energetic Energetic Sociable

26. Perceiver Smiles What behaviors does a person tend to use when judging the personality traits of extraversion? What behaviors does a person tend to use when judging if a person uses drugs? Talkative YOU Hand gestures Energetic

27. How can we examine this issue? • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder what behaviors we use to judge if a person does drugs?

28. How can we examine this issue? • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder what behaviors we use to judge if a person does drugs? • 2) Figure out how to code your observations

29. How can we examine this issue? • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder what behaviors we use to judge if a person does drugs? • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • I think I will code people acting in an artificial setting and have people rate their perceptions and the behaviors they see

30. How can we examine this issue? • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder what behaviors we use to judge if a person does drugs? • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • I think I will code people acting in an artificial setting and have people rate their perceptions and the behaviors they see • 3) Collect your data • Just do it!

31. RBQ questionnaire

32. Procedure • Groups of two • Watch five minutes of the videotape • Each participant was randomly assigned the task of rating the behaviors of three different child characters in the movie • i.e., a total of 6 children are rated for each group

33. Procedure • Participants coded 64 different social behaviors on a 1 - 5 scale as to the degree they agreed the participant exhibited that behavior • 1 = disagree strongly to 5 = agree strongly

34. Procedure • After participants coded the behaviors they were asked how strongly they agreed with: • I think this child might do drugs

36. Example • Zimbardo Prison Study

37. Observational Research • Steps • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder if the situation has a strong influence on how we behave • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • I will videotape these behaviors • 3) Collect your data • Participants came into a lab • 4) Create a coding system • Since the results were so dramatic they were not coded (this is an error) • 5) Analyze your data • Since the behaviors were not quantified no analyses were possible

39. Enter data! • Two people groups!

40. Analyze data • Excel

41. How can we examine this issue? • 1) Limit your observations • I wonder what behaviors we use to judge if a person does drugs? • 2) Figure out how to code your observations • I think I will code people acting and have people rate their perceptions and the behaviors they see • 3) Collect your data • Just do it! • 4) Create a coding system • We used the RBQ • 5) Analyze your data • What do the data tell you? • Tells you the behaviors YOU use to judge children (not the accuracy of those judgments)

42. What behaviors actually are related to drug use in children? • Study— • Accuracy of your predictions!

44. How many behaviors do you need to code? • These previous examples coded many behaviors • Pro: • Very rich data • Good if your not 100% sure what to expect • Con • Takes a long time • Can sometimes produce confusing results • Sometimes – if you have a specific question –you might only need to code a single behavior

45. Project III – Single behavioral observations • Relating questionnaires to single behavioral observations in the lab.

46. Questionnaire

47. Data Sheet

48. Say • “I am going out now, I won’t be back all day. If anyone comes by, just tell them I’m not here” • Happy • Sad • Mad • How good of an actor is this person? • Rate 1-10 (1= bad actor; 10= great actor)

49. Self-Monitoring • How much do you “monitor” your social setting and alter your behaviors accordingly • High SM • Monitor every situation • Look for cues how to act, alter behavior • Low SM • Consistent behavior regardless of situation

50. Self-Monitoring • Related to smoking in youths • Specifically, youths who think it is normal to smoke and are high SM are 3.5 times more likely to smoke!