Example:
    Running with scissors is dangerous

        - Intuition
        - Logical Reasoning
        - Information from Authorities/Experts
        - Observation
 

Scientific Method

Goals:
    - DESCRIBE Relationship
    - PREDICT Variable(s)
    - DETERMINE Cause
    - EXPLAIN Process
 

* In social psychology we use a deductive method where we generate hypotheses based on theories or ideas
 

Click here for card task that corresponds to the next  section
 

Falsification

Social psych is all about falsifying theories
* Picking '4' doesn't accomplish anything
* Picking '7' does allow us to falsify the hypothesis
* Unfortunately, we often look only for confirmatory evidence
    Leads to self-fulfilling prophecy, behavioral confirmation
 

Descriptive Studies

Allow us to DESCRIBE (profound, huh?)
Examples:
    - Political candidate approval ratings
    - USA Today's pretty graphs
    - Baseball statistics
Strengths & Weaknesses?
 

Correlational Studies

Allow us to DESCRIBE & PREDICT
Example:
    SAT and GPA (admissions committee)

Strength is predictive ability using real-life variables
Weakness is inability to determine causality
 

Explain these Correlations

+ between number of pets and owners' health
- between hours of aerobic exercise and weight
+ between temperature and number of hit batsmen in baseball
+ between coffee consumption and sexual activity among the elderly
 

Experimental Studies

Allow us to DESCRIBE, PREDICT, DETERMINE, & EXPLAIN

Independent and Dependent Variables

The key to experimental design is manipulation
    - Therefore, studies of race & gender are NOT pure experiments
 

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