Experimentation In Psychology

Since the late 1980s, the neglect of experiment by philosophers and historians of science has been replaced by a keen interest in the subject. In this volume, a number of prominent philosophers of experiment directly address basic theoretical questions, develop existing philosophical accounts, and offer novel perspectives on the subject, rather than rely exclusively on historical cases of experimental practice. Each essay examines one or more of six interconnected themes that run throughout the collection: the philosophical implications of actively and intentionally interfering with the material world while conducting experiments; issues of interpretation regarding causality; the link between science and technology; the role of theory in experimentation involving material and causal intervention; the impact of modeling and computer simulation on experimentation; and the philosophical implications of the design, operation, and use of scientific instruments.

This text focuses on the experimental methods and the associated terminology encountered in the research literature of psychology. Initially, the content is kept simple, so as not to distract from the information on research technique and philosophy. Interesting psychological questions from well researched areas are then examined in detail, permitting a fuller discussion of the problems encountered in specific paradigms. It is in this fashion that the book offers both methods and content. Unique features of this text include: * a detailed discussion of the process of theorizing, coupled with a close examination of psychological constructs, offers the reader an opportunity to see how psychologists think about, develop, and modify their theories, and the part played by research in changing explanations of behavior. * Although it is common for psychologists to be self-conscious in their reasoning, it is uncommon to see an analysis of the logic that they use to draw conclusions. Presenting material that is rarely verbalized but readily acknowledged by experienced researchers, the text contains an overt analysis of the logic of drawing conclusions from research. * Instructors are given a choice among 15 chapters to focus on or combine to suit the course's concentration. For example, instructors have the option of focusing on experimental psychology or a broad-based course including material on research methods in experimental, social, clinical, and applied psychology. * Courses in experimental psychology or research methods are required for every psychology major. Statistical understanding is vital for this curriculum, and this text contains a comprehensive chapter on statistics making it ideal for courses that combine statistics and experimental methods. Other important coverage includes: * an all-inclusive summary of the material found in an introductory statistics class. Although courses in research methods and experimental psychology usually have a statistics prerequisite, the students rarely remember the material when entering the research course. This text provides the instructor with the option of simply assigning the statistics information as a review, rather than repeating the lectures. If the course requirements are such as to necessitate a joint statistics and research methods course -- with the instructor lecturing on both topics -- this text could serve as the single text for the course. A helpful discussion -- accompanied by a valuable table -- demonstrates how to choose an appropriate statistic. All necessary formulas and other familiar statistical procedures -- illustrating computational steps -- are also featured. * a detailed discussion of how to develop tests for use in research. Aside from the value of this information for any researcher, it can be particularly helpful to students who are required to develop original experiments. * an elaborate discussion of methodological issues in outcome research, using smoking cessation and weight reduction programs as examples. Test bank disks for Experimental Methods in Psychology, -- free to adopters -- consist of an average of six short-answer, 11 fill-in-the-blank, and 11 multiple-choice questions for each chapter. The files are in both ASCII and Word-for-Windows formats.

Laboratory experiments are the principal tools used by psychologists to formulate and test their theories of how the human mind works, yet few histories of psychology have studied the experimental method and how it has changed over time. In this book then distinguished scholars explore the rapid rise and spread of the experimental method from its origins in the early decades of the century. They deal with such topics as the first efforts to bring number and quantification into psychology; who the subjects of early experiments were and how experimenters and subjects related to each other; famous psychologists such as Lewis Terman and Edward Titchener; and how experimental strategies were extended beyond the laboratory to the larger spaces of everyday life. The book concludes with two essays that discuss contemporary concerns regarding psychological experimentation.

Psychology acts as a link between the social and biological sciences. As a social science its subject-matter is of the utmost importance in understanding human actions in society, their behavior as individuals, as members of various groups. A knowledge of psychology however necessitates a knowledge of the tools of biological sciences as its methodology has been modeled after the biological sciences. Hence a training in laboratory methods is essential for students of psychology. This book combines the salient features of the methodology of experiments in psychology, the concepts of general experiments in psychology, and the advantage of a laboratory manual. It aims at developing in the students the understanding and skill to pose a problem, and to plan and conduct an experiment to answer it. Complete reports of a number of experiments have been given which, though based on hypothetical data, will enable students to realize that every step has a rationale behind it. Accounts of related problems and, in several cases, description of the ways to answer them, supplement the detailed reports. Aware of the importance of group experiments in the world of today, the author has included experiments highlighting some special features of group experiments like selections of sample, design of group experiments and treatment of group data. The author has also taken care to avoid use of costly apparatus to carry out the experiments worked out in the book, depending largely on locally improvised materials. This is an invaluable book for students and teachers of psychology, especially for those in Indian universities.

The typical survey course in psychology has time for only limited presentation of the research on which our knowledge is based. As a result, many students come away with a limited understanding of the role of experiments in psychological science. Where do experiments come from and how are they conducted? What are the pitfalls and how can we avoid them? What advantages do they have over intuition, authority, and common sense as guides to knowing and acting? What distinguishes research-based psychology from psychobabble? What have we learned from experimentation in psychology? This book presents, in more depth than textbook treatment permits, the background, conduct, and implications of a selection of classic experiments in psychology. The selection is designed to be diverse, showing that even for research in vastly different areas of study, the logic of research remains the same—as do its traps and pitfalls. This book will broaden and deepen the understanding of experimental methods in psychological research, examining where the research questions come from, how questions can be turned into experiments, and how researchers have faced the problems presented by research in psychology.

This text is about doing science and the active process of reading, learning, thinking, generating ideas, designing experiments, and the logistics surrounding each step of the research process. In easy-to-read, conversational language, Kim MacLin teaches students experimental design principles and techniques using a tutorial approach in which students read, critique, and analyze over 75 actual experiments from every major area of psychology. She provides them with real-world information about how science in psychology is conducted and how they can participate. Recognizing that students come to an experimental design course with their own interests and perspectives, MacLin covers many subdisciplines of psychology throughout the text, including IO psychology, child psychology, social psychology, behavioral psychology, cognitive psychology, clinical psychology, health psychology, educational/school psychology, legal psychology, and personality psychology, among others. Part I of the text is content oriented and provides an overview of the principles of experimental design. Part II contains annotated research articles for students to read and analyze. Classic articles have been retained and 11 new ones have been added, featuring contemporary case studies, information on the Open Science movement, expanded coverage on ethics in research, and a greater focus on becoming a better writer, clarity and precision in writing, and reducing bias in language. This edition is up to date with the latest APA Publication Manual (7th edition) and includes an overview of the updated bias-free language guidelines, the use of singular "they," the new ethical compliance checklist, and other key changes in APA style. This text is essential reading for students and researchers interested in and studying experimental design in psychology.

Even if you have no background in experimentation, this clear, straightforward book can help you design, execute, interpret, and report simple experiments in psychology. David W. Martin's unique blend of informality, humor, and solid scholarship have made this concise book a popular choice for methods courses in psychology. Doing Psychology Experiments guides you through the experimentation process in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step manner. Decision-making aspects of research are emphasized, and the logic behind research procedures is fully explained.