Research, Statistics and Psychology Eric Ransome January 13, 2014 PSY/315 Racheal Reavy Research, Statistics and Psychology Research Statistics is one method that researchers use to tells the story of studies begin conducted. Research is the pursuit of knowledge, in the field of psychology statistics is used to understand the data collected from research. In psychology, research has a major role and it is statistics that helps to explain the information collected from research. The experimental or scientific study which gathers information on a subject is how research is defined. In psychology there are two essential elements in understanding theories and human behavior that is research and statistics, and how do we make sense of this information and the data collected.
Because of science one now can measure these processes and quantify them so that cognitive psychologist may use behavioral observation to measure damage, mental processes and mental states. Because of cognitive science, cognitive psychologist are able to see just what is going on within a person’s brain and make the most educated guess on how he or she should be treated because of their behavior (Van Wagner, 2009). Behavior of individuals can be observed and watched, measured and tested, and a conclusion can be made from behavior on whether or not cognitive psychology is the best treatment for the individual. Even though cognitive psychology arose in response to behaviorism, this does not mean that behavior is not important for the
First, clinical psychology is the study of mental illnesses, abnormal behavior, psychiatric problems, diagnosis, prevention, and the treatment of said disorders (Cherry, 2010). Clinical psychology is the largest specialty area within psychology (cherry, 2010). Even though many clinical psychologists perform psychotherapy with their clients, other options within the clinical psychology approach include teaching for a university, assisting with programs provided to the public, or also can conduct research (Cherry,
Based on our reading in Chapter 1 of Research Methods and Statistics the goal of psychological research is to better understand human behavior and is actually broken down into 4 goals that we gear towards based on our observations. We observe every day of our life but the goal of psychological research is to go farther into these observations and better understand human behavior. The first of these goal is description, this is where we describe the behaviors and events that happen around
Introduction to Personality N/A University of Phoenix PSY/405 Theories of Personality Dr. Mark Schmitz August 19, 2012 Define Personality Personality can best be defined as a dynamic and organized set of characteristics that are possessed by a person’s uniquely influenced by cognitive emotions and behaviors in variable situations (Feist and Feist, 2009). The study of personality through psychology has a broad and varied history, offering several theories that are best described by how a person’s personality is developed through experiences, environment, and genetics. There is no consensus for a psychologist to define personality, but most researchers take on the role of theoretical psychology in terms that are best defined in the many theories that can be found in the study of personalities. A more philosophical approach is taken when a psychologist studies the theories of personality. However, the study of personality is based upon the essential knowledge that all people are the same, yet different in other ways.
I found the article about Watson and Rayner to be very interesting and it most definitely caught my attention. I have read quite a bit about conditioned emotional responses and know that all people are conditioned to react a certain way to one specific subject or event. Now, these responses do vary among cultures, age difference, and countries of origin. It was very interesting to see that scientists did conduct such a study, on an abnormal infant in such a controlled setting to condition this child the way they wanted him to respond. I cannot help but wonder if there were any repercussion from this study that the infant, Albert, has to deal with now.
Hormones are thought to play a significant role in manipulating behavior and the mental process because they are involved in various mental disorders as a resulting in interacting with the nervous system. In conclusion, much theory and research have been placed on identifying the major schools of psychology and the underlining assumptions linked to biological factors of behavior. In the beginning stages of psychological research, psychology first began as an establishment of science separate from biology and philosophy. Within those complex findings began the debate in relation to the schools of thought and behavior in the human
The diversity does provide benefits in psychology, but it does lack the unity within. Other sciences however are able to connect other theories. The soft nature of psychology gives other scientists or researchers reason to discuss the workings of psychology. This is because there are many different theories that one can use, however it does give psychologists other options to look at when gaining evidence for therapeutic efficiency and strategies. The psychological disciplines and dedication among researchers, parishioners, etc., goals are to improve one’s quality of life and solve individual’s
CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH Correlational Research in Psychology LeighAnn Hancock Kaplan University PS300-Research Method I Professor Myeisha Leiva October 2, 2012 Correlational Research in Psychology Psychologists employ a number of different scientific methods to conduct research on social psychology topics. Employing these methods allows researchers to test hypotheses and theories by looking for relationships between different variables. Social psychologists use correlational research in order to identify relationships between naturally occurring variables. Conducting surveys is a popular method for researchers to use to gather data needed for a correlational study. Surveys allow researchers to predict and describe people’s opinions, attitudes and preferences by computing a correlation coefficient and determining the strength and direction of the relationship between the two naturally occurring variables.
What Is Scientific Research Having read a number of research studies scientific research seems to consist mainly of inquiries, observations and experiments. It attempts to use these to answer questions about how cam therapies can benefit people. It does not provide absolute answers to questions, but instead gives probable answers based on evidence and information gathered. The Reason for Carring out Research There are a number of important reasons to carry out research into cam Therapies * Check safety for use * How they work and if there claims are valid * A comparison to other recognized treatments * How they interact with conventional medicines * To help gain credibility with in the professional community * Overview of their effects on clients * To find out if treatments are cost effective Research methodologies and sourses of information used The methods Used create conditions under which it is more likely that conclusions are drawn based on evidence rather than speculation or common knowledge. There are many different Methodologies used the most common two are Qualitative Research * To gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations * Generating ideas for later quantitative research * To uncover trends in thought and opinion This is done through in depth Interviews, focus groups and case studies (Appendix T1) It’s finding out not just what people think and feel but why they think and feel it.