1. Descriptive statistics

2. Significance level, or "alpha"

Type I error (saying your hypothesis is true when it’s really not)

Type II error (saying your hypothesis isn’t true when it is)

3. Inferential statistics and when to use them:

QUESTIONS OF COMPARISON:

chi-square (X²) are two nominal (categorical) variables associated?

t-test do two groups differ in mean score on a continuous variable?

analysis of variance (ANOVA) - do three or more groups differ in mean scores on a continuous variable?

QUESTIONS OF COVARIANCE:

correlation -- are two continuous variables associated?

linear regression what are the relative influences of two or more continuous or categorical variables on a continuous dependent variable?

4. Important issues

1. Choosing a sample

Population

Sample

External validity (or generalizability)

Random sampling

Convenience sampling

Analogue samples

2. Case studies

Characteristics of case studies

Case studies are a valuable tool

Source of ideas and hypotheses

Source for developing therapy techniques

Permit the study of rare phenomena

Provide counter-examples

Persuasive and motivational tool

The case of Freud

Limitations

No controls for internal validity

Subject to clinicians’ biases

Case may not generalize

Cannot be replicated

3. Single case research designs

1. Historical background
2. Ethical principles of American Psychological Association

Above all, participants must be protected from psychological and physical harm

Planning research (6.06)

Responsibility (6.07)

Institutional approval (6.09)

Informed consent (6.11)

3. Elements of informed consent

Competence

Knowledge

Volition

4. Right to privacy (6.14)

Anonymity

Confidentiality

5. Deception in research (6.15)
6. Responsibility to screen and intervene
7. Stanford Prison Experiment