PSYC 335 Developmental Psychology I Session 2 – Research methods and ethical issues in Developmental Psychology Lecturer: Dr . Joana Salifu Y endork Department of Psychology Contact Information: jyendork@ug.edu.gh College of Education School of Continuing and Distance Education 2014/2015 – 2016/2017 godsonug.wordpress.com/blog
Session Overview • The issues to be discussed in this course are backed by research and as a result, it is important to understand relevant research methods and designs that are appropriate for developmental Psychology research. In this session, the focus will be on the various research methods used for collecting data, research designs for studying changes in human development and ethical issues in developmental research. Slide 2
Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: • Research methods in Developmental Psychology Research • Research designs in Developmental Psychology Research • Ethical issues in Developmental Psychology Research Slide 3
Reading List • Read Chapter 1 developmental psychology: childhood and adolescence, Shaffer & Kipp (2014) and Chapter 1 of development through the lifespan, Berk (2006) Slide 4
T opic One RESEARCH METHODS IN DEVELOPMENT AL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH Slide 5
Research methods used in Developmental Psychology research • Development Psychology use the scientific method • Scientific method use objective and replicable methods to gather data for the purpose of testing a theory or hypothesis • Objective : similar conclusion by different researchers who examines the data • Replicability : every time the method is used, it results in the same data and conclusions • Scientific method involves a process of generating ideas and testing them • The observations from the scientific method is used to formulate theory and hypothesis Slide 6
Methods for gathering data • Self-report methods: Interviews, questionnaires/surveys, clinical method • Observation • Case study • Ethnography • Psychophysiological methods Slide 7
Self-report: interviews & questionnaires • The researcher ask participants series of questions about aspects of development • Questionnaires : questions are on paper and participants are required to respond in writing • Interviews : require participants to respond orally to the i Ŷǀ estigato ƌ’ s Ƌueƌ ies • Structured/semi-structured interviews • Limitations : • Ca Ŷ’t ďe used ǁ ith ǀ e ƌLJ LJ ouŶg Đhi ld ƌeŶ ǁho Đ aŶŶ ot ƌ ead o ƌ comprehend speech very well • Social desirability • Age-related interpretations might be biased • Conflict among different informants Slide 8
Self-report: Clinical method • Participants are presented with a task and then invite a response. • After the participant responds, the investigator typically asks a se Đ o Ŷd Ƌue stio Ŷ o ƌ i Ŷ t ƌ o duĐes a Ŷeǁ task to Đl a ƌ if LJ the pa ƌtiĐi pa Ŷt’ s original answer . • The follow-up Ƌu esti oŶ is det eƌŵ i Ŷed ďLJ the paƌtiĐ ipa Ŷ t ’ s ƌ espoŶs e to the initial question • Emphasis is place on the uniqueness of each participant • Good for large data in relatively short time • Limitations : • Difficult for comparing participants • Pote Ŷ tial i Ŷ flu eŶĐe of the e dž aŵ i Ŷeƌ’ s p ƌ e-existing theoretical biases on follow-up questions asked and the interpretation provided. Slide 9
Observation • Naturalistic observation — observing people in their common, everyday (that is, natural) surroundings • Suitable for infants and toddlers: since they cant communicate verbally and also eliminated the bias of parents informants • Give the true nature of the participants without relying on their self-report accuracy. • Limitations : • Not applicable to every situation such as some behaviors occur so infrequently (eg, heroic rescues) or are so socially undesirable (eg, criminal acts) • Simultaneous events that makes it difficult to pinpoint the causes of a particular action • Observer influence Slide 10
Observation • Structured observation • Participant is exposed to a setting that might cue the behavior in question and is then secretly observed (via a hidden camera or through a one-way mirror) • Ensure that every participant in the sample is exposed to the same eliciting stimuli and has an equal opportunity to perform the target behavior — circumstances that are not always true in the natural environment • Limitation : Participants may not behave the same way as they would in their natural environment Slide 11
Case study • Using self-report or observation to compile of detailed information about an entity, an individual or a group of people • Limitations : • Difficult to directly compare participants who have been asked different questions, taken different tests, and been observed under different circumstances • Lack generalizability: conclusions drawn from the experiences of the small number of individuals studied may simply not apply to most people Slide 12
Ethnography • For understanding the effects of culture on developing children and adolescents • Data collected is typically diverse and extensive • Rich understanding of the cultures traditions and values • Limitations : • Highl LJ suďjeĐ ti ǀ e ŵ ethod ďeĐ ause ƌ esea ƌ Đheƌs’ oǁŶ cultural values and theoretical biases can cause them to misinterpret what they have experienced • Lacks generalizability Slide 13
Psychophysiological method • Measure the relationship between physiological responses and behavior — to explore the biological underpinnings of Đ hild ƌ e Ŷ’ s pe ƌ Đ eptual, Đ ogŶi ti ǀ e, aŶ d e ŵotioŶ al ƌ esp oŶses • Useful for interpreting the mental and emotional experiences of infants and toddlers who are unable to report such events • Limitations • Though very useful, they are not perfect indicators of psychological states. • Changes in physiological responses often reflect mood swings, fatigue, hunger, or even negative reactions to the physiological recording equipment, rather than a change in the i Ŷ fa Ŷ t ’ s atte Ŷ ti oŶ to a sti ŵ ulus oƌ e ŵotioŶ al ƌ ea Đ ti oŶs to it Slide 14
T opic Two RESEARCH DESIGNS IN DEVELOPMENT AL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH Slide 15
Designs for detecting relationships • Correlational • Experimental • Cross-cultural Slide 16
Correlational design • The investigator gathers information to determine whether two or more variables of interest are meaningfully related. • No attempts are made to structure or to manipulate the pa ƌ ti Đ ipa Ŷ ts ’ e Ŷǀiƌ oŶŵeŶ t i Ŷ a ŶLJ ǁ a LJ • The presence (or absence) of a relationship between variables can be determined by examining the data with a statistical procedure that yields a correlation coefficient (direction, strength) • Limitation : cannot determine causal relationships due to the influence of extraneous variables Slide 17
Experimental design • Allows the assessment of the cause-and-effect relationship that may exist between two variables • Eg. Watching violent movies causes aggressive inclinations in children. • True experiment and quasi-experiment • Lab experiment : participants are brought to the lab, expose to different treatments (Independent Variable, IV) and record their responses to these treatments as data (Dependent Variable, DV) • Confounding variables: are controlled through random assignment • Limitations : • Laboratory: tightly controlled laboratory environment that is often artificial • Conclusions drawn do not always apply to the real world. Slide 18
Experimental design • Field experiment : experiment in the natural setting, ŵo stl LJ ǁ i thout paƌtiĐ ipa Ŷts’ kŶoǁl edge • Quasi experiment : used for situations where experimental design cant be applied or for ethical reason, • IV cannot be controlled and no random assignment • Pre-existing groups are used. • Eg. The effect of traumatic experiences (June 3 rd flood) on well-being. Slide 19
Cross-cultural design • Cross-cultural studies: participants from different cultural or sub-cultural backgrounds are observed, tested, and compared on one or more aspects of development. • Helps to determine cultural differences or similarities in development Slide 20
Designs for studying development across time • Cross-sectional design • Longitudinal design • Sequential design Slide 21
Cross-sectional design • Different age cohorts are studied at the same point in time • Age-related changes in development • Data can be collected from children of different ages over a short time • Limitations : • Cohort effects: changes might not be due to age or development but other cultural or historical factors • Unable to inform about the development of individuals because each person is observed at only one point in time Slide 22
Longitudinal design • The same participants are observed repeatedly over a period of time. • Identify normative developmental trends and processes by looking for commonalities • Tracking of several participants over time will help investigators to understand individual differences in development • Limitations : • Can be very costly and time-consuming; • Practice effects (familiarity with test items) can also threaten the validity of longitudinal studies ; • Problem with selective attrition Slide 23
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