Chapter 6 Field Research (outside of lab)

Naturalistic observation: in natural setting

Archival research: preexisting records

Case study: single group or person

Surveys: asking direct questions

Program evaluation: conducting evaluations of applied procedures

Field experiments: causal inferences

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High

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Field Research

Generalizability: extent to which results from astudy based on a sample apply to the populationas a whole - “real world” (External Validity)

Nonrepresentative sample: not accurately reflecting the characteristics of the population from whichthe sample was drawn

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observations

Unobtrusive: no contact with subject

Participant observer:Contact with the subject

Archival data

naturalistic case study

Archival Research

- Historical accounts- census data- court records- Police crime reports- medical records

Have to have research question

Purely descriptive

Field Research: More Examples

Naturalistic observation Theory of Evolution Natural Selection

Archival research: preexisting records Ex: Schizophrenia & Meds & sleep

Case study: single group or person Freud & Anna O.

Charles DarwinBritish Naturalist

1809 -1882    I have called this principle, by whicheach slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natural Selection.    —Charles Darwin from "The Origin of Species"

Hawthorne Effect (Mayo, 1927-1932: Roethlisberger & Dickson, 1939)

A bias in subject’s behavior – usually an improvement in performance - that results from special treatment and interest shown by the experimenter

Hawthorne Electric – AT&TMeasure productivity

- Illumination of room- Hours worked- # of rest periods

If not unobtrusive Measurement Reactivity

Observational Research

Study the subject in their natural environment – Nonhuman

• inventory of the behaviors of a species• behaviors thoroughly described and organized into categories• enables animal behaviorists to accurately measure behavior•"behavior scan" method: "scan" at regular, brief intervals • results: frequency of behavior (graph) or time budgets

Ethogram

Other Types of Field ResearchVery important to Psych

Program evaluation: conducting evaluations of applied procedures

Surveys: asking direct questions

Field experiments: causal inferences

Reasons for doing Field Research – Field Experiments

• Basic vs Applied: test external validity of experiment done in lab

• to determine the effects of events in the field

• to improve GENERALIZATION across setting

participants in study to larger population

results of the study over time

setting to setting

Survey Research – in the field

Survey: one or several questions that ask people about their attitudes, beliefs, health, work, income life satisfaction, political views etc….any issue can be surveyed

Mostly used in the social sciences (social psych)….sounds easy..just whip up some questions..

Survey Research – in the field

-Identify content area-Construct your survey instrument-Define population-Draw representative sample-Administer the survey

Administration of survey

mail Interview questionnaire

In person or telly Group or single

Survey Research – in the field

2 parts to survey:-Demographics (factual items)-Content Questions

1. Open ended 2. Multiple choice

3. Likert scale (continuum)

Construction of questions

Likert Scale

Likert Scale for Children

Do you think time-out is a good thing?

Survey Research – in the field

Sampling procedures:-Non probability-probability

1. Convenience Sampling: Getting the first subjects available Ex. Exiting polls

2. Quota: Convenience sample to represents subgroups proportionate to the real population

3. Snowball: locate each subject from previous contact with previous subject

1. Simple: randomly select subjects from list of population

2. Systematic: select every nth name form the list of population

3. Stratified: randomly select from subgroup (strata), proportionate to each group’s representation in the population

Survey Research – in the field

Research Designs:

Cross-sectional design (one shot deal): compares responses of people of different ages at one time – survey is only administered one time to each participant – comparisons are made across age groups to investigate age related changes in behavior/attitudes etc.

Longitudinal design (long-term): participants are studied over time on the same DV – follow up tests – within subjects design - How does the subject change over time

Surveys

Status: Used to describe a current characteristic of a population

How long will you live????Take Life Expectancy Survey