imagine you are a researcher interested in investigating a topic related to the psychology of gender.

L6_MethodsII_150_25.pdf

Home >Psychology homework help >imagine you are a researcher interested in investigating a topic related to the psychology of gender.

Research Methods II 2/5/20

You should be able to answer…

• How do researchers within this field answer questions? Specifically what methods are used when? Why are they used in those cases?

Scientific Method: Hypothesis

When matched in qualifications, men will be favored over women for a research assistant

job in a STEM discipline.

Reliability stable, consistent

Time 1

Time 2

Time 3 Time 4

strongly qualified

strongly qualified strongly

qualified

Validity

Bubble size Starting salary offered

measure what you intent to measure

A researcher asks male and female participants to order a list of past presidents from earliest to latest in office. The researcher uses the time it takes for participants to complete this task as a measure of their gender identity. This situation BEST represents a threat to

A. reliability. B. validity.

Outline

• Scientific method and important terminology • Designs used in gender research

Designs

• Experiment • Quasi-experiment • Correlation • Naturalistic observation • Survey • Case study • Interview • Focus group

Scientific Method: Method U of A graduate, biology 4.0 GPA w/1 year of lab experience

HR file info indicates gender

STEM Leaders decide: 1. Qualifications (1 = weak; 7 = strong) 2. Starting salary offered

Experiments

manipulate variables infer cause (x caused y)

random assignment

Useful Terminology

independent variable: manipulated (e.g., gender info of applicant); input

dependent variable: not manipulated (e.g., qualifications); output

Useful Terminology

random assignment: condition determined by chance

Quasi-Experimental

can’t manipulate independent variable -> can’t infer cause random assignment is not possible

Quasi-Experimental U of A graduate, biology 4.0 GPA w/1 year of lab experience

HR file info indicates gender

STEM Leaders decide: 1. Qualifications (1 = weak; 7 = strong) 2. Starting salary offered

participants’ affiliations (can’t manipulate):

private research companies universities

government labs

Q1 Hilary wants to explore how viewing food advertisements impacts participants’ ratings of body image. Her participants are assigned to either view 5 minutes of food commercials or 5 minutes of car commercials. All participants complete a survey intended to measure body image. What is the dependent variable?

A. length of commercial B. body image C. kind of commercial D. attention while viewing Clicker: Channel 41

Phone: Smith20

Jeremiah would like to explore whether participants’ gender identities impact their emotional reactions to certain frightening photos. He plans on recruiting participants, assessing their gender identities, showing them frightening photos, and then coding their emotional reactions. This research is BEST carried out through the use of an experiment.

A. True B. False

Clicker: Channel 41 Phone: Smith20

Correlation

relationship between two factors; no manipulation

Correlation

relationship between two factors; no manipulation

qualifications rating masculinity rating

Correlation

relationship between two factors; no manipulation

qualifications rating

correlation coefficient (-1 to 1; e.g., r = .9 r = -.9) masculinity rating

Troubles with Correlation

• Correlation ≠ causation

Troubles with Correlation

• Correlation ≠ causation

• Directionality

Troubles with Correlation

• Correlation ≠ causation

• Directionality

• Third variable

Dr. Jones is conducting a correlational study and determines in almost all instances that as the decibels of cheering within the ZonaZoo increase, the visiting team scores less points. Which of the following correlation coefficients MOST LIKELY represents Dr. Jones’ findings?

A. - .95 B. .95 C. .5 D. -.5 Clicker: Channel 41

Phone: Smith20

Naturalistic Observation

Naturalistic Observation Pro: “real world” perspective

Cons: reactivity; what if behavior doesn’t occur?

Survey

topic: feelings toward women and men in science

Survey

topic: feelings toward women and men in science

Pro: data on difficult to observe behavior

Survey

topic: feelings toward women and men in science

Pro: data on difficult to observe behavior Con: response bias

Case Study

Case Study Pro: in-depth look

Con: generalizability

Interview

Interview Pro: extensive info

Con: lack of standardized responses

Focus Group

Focus Group Pro: extensive info AND interactions

Focus Group Pro: extensive info AND interactions Con: lack of standardized responses

You should be able to… • Identify, describe, and apply steps of the scientific method • Identify, describe, and apply terminology associated with

experiments (e.g., independent variable, dependent variable, etc.) • Identify, describe, and apply reliability and validity • Identify, describe, and apply methods beyond experiments

(e.g., quasi-experimental, correlational, survey, naturalistic observation, case study, interview, focus group) • Identify, describe, and apply differences between

quantitative and qualitative data