Homework: Name That Research Method Here is a list of the major research methods used by psychologists. Below them ate um examples of research projects. Match each of the examples with one of the methods listed, and give a brief explanation for why the method you chose fits the example. Be sure to say how the method applies to that specific situation.
• case study
• survey
• naturalistic observation
• laboratory observation
• experiment
1. Tina is a psychology major who believes that there are gender differences in driving habits. To test this assumption, she will stand near a quiet intersection. Tina will then record the gender of each driver who approaches a stop sign and whether or not the individual comes to a complete stop before proceeding into the intersection.
2. Psychologists at Bartholomew College are studying how pigeons respond to different forms of food as a reward. All of the pigeons are placed inside cages where they peck at targets in order to receive food in the form of pellets, liquid, or powder. The psychologists note which of the targets receives more pecks, as a reflection of which form is preferred by the pigeons.
3. In a study designed to test memory processes, Daniel, a graduate student, has subjects memorize items on a list. He asks one group of subjects to organize the items on the list into categories while they try to memorize them, and the second group of subjects is asked to memorize the same list, but they do not receive any special instructions.
4. Andre is studying the effects that room temperature has on the ability to solve math problems. He first has participants solve 10 math problems in a room with the temperature set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit Then he has the same participants solve 10 new math problems with the room temperature set at 90 degrees. When finished, Andre will compare the speed and accuracy with which the participants completed each set of problems.
5. In preparation for his honors thesis, Nico spends some time at the local mall watching the behavior of shoppers. He discovers that people have a tendency to smile when someone, even a stranger, smiles at them, and he wonders if the face of a person who smiles has any influence on returned smiles. While concealing his notebook, Nico writes down the gender and approximate height, age, and ethnicity of both the shopper and the "smiler".
6. A man named Phineas Gage was a railroad worker in the mid-1800's who survived a terrible accident a large metal rod was driven completely through his head, destroying much of his frontal
lobe and causing major changes in his personality. Dr. John Harlow treated Phineas and wrote reports detailing his recovery and the new personality traits he exhibited. Dr. Harlow's findings were published in the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal and the Bulletin of the Massachusetts Medical Society.
7. Maura is interested in the way infants react to seeing themselves in a mirror. She sets up a situation where 4-month-olds are safely secured in an infant seat while a mirror is placed in front of them. For the next three minutes, a hidden camera records the infants' behavior while they observe their own mirror image. Later, Maws will watch the recordings and score the different infant responses according to the categories she has developed.
8. Cigarette smokers are asked to participate in research where they "drive" using a computerized driving simulator equipped with a stick shift and gas and brake pedals. They are to drive as fast as possible on a winding road while avoiding rear-end collisions. Some of the participants smoke a real cigarette with nicotine immediately before climbing into the driver's seat. Others smoke a fake cigarette without nicotine. Researchers are interested in comparing how many collisions the two groups have.
9. Professor Attenboro has noticed that many of his students who yawn and appear tired on the day of a test also score poorly on the test In order to empirically investigate how sleep impacts test performance, Professor Attenboro adds a few questions at the end of his next test in which he asks for the number of hours of sleep and the quality of sleep the student received the night before. Later, he will compare the amount of sleep with the students' test scores.
10. Ben is a graduate student in clinical psychology and Arthur is his client. Arthur was admitted to the psychiatric hospital when he came to the student health clinic complaining that he hears voices shouting obscenities at him. After each session with Arthur, Ben writes a report describing Arthur's verbal and nonverbal behavior, and Ben's interpretations of Arthur's behavior.