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Research Methods in Psychology
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Research Methods in Psychology
Investigating Human Behavior

Third Edition
October 2018 | 632 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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The authors are proud sponsors of the 2020 SAGE Keith Roberts Teaching Innovations Award—enabling graduate students and early career faculty to attend the annual ASA pre-conference teaching and learning workshop.

Research Methods in Psychology: Investigating Human Behavior draws on fascinating stories to illustrate the entire research process within a unifying conceptual framework. Bestselling authors Paul G. Nestor and Russell K. Schutt present a clear and comprehensive introduction to the logic and techniques of research methods in psychology by employing a unique combination of two distinct yet complementary pedagogical techniques. First, chapters designed for experiential, hands-on studies put the student in the roles of researcher, participant, and consumer to bring concepts to life. Second, the findings of cognitive science guide the text in a way that is most conducive to learning. This novel approach serves as an effective way to make the world of psychological research fun and rewarding for students, in addition to allowing them to gain the foundational knowledge they need to design, conduct, and present research.

 

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
PART I. RESEARCH FUNDAMENTALS
 
Chapter 1. Uncommon Sense and the Scientific Method
Biases in Thinking

 
The Scientific Method

 
Psychological Research in the Public Square

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 2. The Research Process
Can Money Buy You Happiness?

 
Research Approach

 
Research Toolbox

 
Evaluating and Critiquing Research

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 3. Literature Review in Research
The Brain on Marijuana

 
Literature Review in Research

 
Framework for Literature Review

 
Advanced Literature Reviews

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 4. Ethics in Behavioral Research
Historical Background

 
Ethical Principles

 
The Institutional Review Board

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 5. Conceptualization and Measurement
What Is Happiness?

 
Theoretical Constructs

 
Levels of Measurement

 
The Special Case of Psychometrics

 
Evaluating Measures

 
The Logic of Measurement Validity

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 6. Samples and Generalizations
Sample Planning

 
Sampling Methods

 
Sampling Distributions

 
Conclusion

 
 
PART II. RESEARCH DESIGNS
 
Chapter 7. Considering Correlation: Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?
Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?

 
Correlational Research

 
Correlation, Confounds, and Control Variables

 
Decision-Making Strategies in a College Student Sample: Maximizer or Satisficer?

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 8. In Search of Causality: True Experiments
Mental Calisthenics for the Brain?

 
Single-Factor Experiment

 
Theater of Independent Variables

 
Measurement and Control

 
Validity in Experiments

 
Can Causality Be Established?

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 9. Experimental Design and Hypothesis Testing
Does Exercise Make You Smarter?

 
Basic Experimental Designs

 
Two Options in Assigning Participants

 
Null Hypothesis Significance Testing

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 10. Complex Research Designs
Multifactorial Designs

 
Within-Subjects Experiment

 
Between-Subjects Experiment

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 11. Quasi-Experimental and Nonexperimental Designs
The Good and the Bad of Media Multitasking

 
Quasi-Experimental Designs

 
Nonequivalent-Control-Group Designs

 
Before-and-After Designs

 
Quasi-Experiments of Media Multitasking

 
Quasi-Experiments of 9/11 Memories

 
Quasi-Experimental Research of Culture and Cognition

 
Developmental Studies

 
Nonexperimental Research

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 12. Small-N and Single-Subject Designs
Foundations of Small-N Designs

 
Measuring Targets of Intervention

 
Types of Small-N and Single-Subject Designs

 
Analyzing Small-N and Single-Subject Designs

 
Internal Validity

 
Generalizability

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 13. Survey Research
How Happy Are You?

 
Considering Surveys

 
Writing Survey Questions

 
Combining Questions in Indexes and Scales

 
Designing Questionnaires

 
Organizing Surveys

 
Analyzing Surveys

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 14. Qualitative Methods
Fundamentals of Qualitative Research

 
Methods for Collecting Qualitative Data

 
Qualitative Interviewing

 
Participant Observation

 
Systematic Observation

 
Focus Groups

 
Qualitative Data Analysis

 
Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research

 
Conclusion

 
 
PART III. RESEARCH PRODUCTS
 
Chapter 15. Quantitative Data Analysis
Does Needing Help = Getting Help?

 
Statistical Approach

 
Univariate Distributions

 
Descriptive Statistics

 
Inferential Statistics

 
The Ethics of Statistics

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 16. Essentials of APA Report Writing
APA Format

 
Report Organization in APA Format

 
Literature Review

 
Poster Presentation

 
Sample Paper

 
Conclusion

 
 
Appendix A: Summaries of Frequently Cited Research Articles
 
Appendix B: Questions to Ask About a Research Article
 
Appendix C: How to Read a Research Article
 
Appendix D: Proportions of Area Under Standard Normal Curve
 
Appendix E: Critical Values for t Distribution
 
Appendix F: Critical Values of F
 
Appendix G: Critical Values of Chi-Square
 
Appendix H: Critical Values of the Correlation Coefficient
 
Appendix I: Table of Random Numbers
 
Glossary
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site

SAGE edge for instructors supports teaching by making it easy to integrate quality content and create a rich learning environment for students.

  • Test banks provide a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity to edit any question and/or insert personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.
  • Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for structuring one’s course.
  • Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility in creating a multimedia presentation.
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter. 
  • Multimedia content appeals to diverse learners and includes a carefully curated list of online supporting audio and video resources.
  • Lecture notes summarize key concepts by chapter to help prepare for lectures and class discussions.
Student Study Site

SAGE edge for students provides a personalized approach to help students accomplish their coursework goals in an easy-to-use learning environment.

  • Mobile-friendly eFlashcards strengthen understanding of key terms and concepts.
  • Mobile-friendly practice quizzes allow for independent assessment by students of their mastery of course material.
  • SPSS exercises provide opportunities for additional practice.
  • Multimedia content appeals to diverse learners and includes a carefully curated list of online supporting audio and video resources.
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected support and expand on the concepts presented in each chapter.
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • Expanded coverage of correlational, quasi-experimental, and qualitative design keeps readers informed on these increasingly popular methods.
  • Updated examples combining classic and cutting-edge research apply literature review in research to modern questions and debates.
  • Expanded coverage of rooting out error and myth with the scientific method from traditional narrative literature review to meta-analysis includes a 32-item survey used by researchers to measure “neuromyths” and show how they can be debunked by scientific evidence.
  • A new Chapter 3: Literature Review in Research show readers the different roles a literature review can play in research, including new sections on systematic literature reviews that reflect the rapidly increasing role of the Internet.
  • New content in Chapter 4: Ethics in Behavioral Research includes new examples of unethical practice and lessons from international and online research.
  • New content on the “replication crisis” provides lessons on the practices and techniques of research in psychology.

KEY FEATURES:

  • Case studies from psychological literature in each chapter are carefully deconstructed to illustrate the procedures, logic, and design of research.
  • An emphasis on cultural and developmental perspectives illuminates how culture shapes our thinking and how our thinking shapes culture.
  • Research in the News sections summarize scientific stories that students are then prompted to reflect on and evaluate.
  • Ethics in Action exercises encourage readers to apply ethics to a topic at hand.
  • Coverage of statistics emphasizes probabilistic reasoning in a student-friendly manner.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

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