Research Methods: Idea Generation
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The document outlines various research methodologies in psychology, focusing on the distinctions between basic (preclinical) and applied (clinical) research, as well as quantitative and qualitative approaches. It discusses the processes of idea generation through luck, literature, and theory, and evaluates the efficacy of different theories based on their productivity, falsifiability, and parsimony. Finally, the importance of replication in research is emphasized alongside examples and resources for literature searches.
Research Methods: Idea Generation
- 1. Research Methodology (Developing Ideas) Brian J. Piper, Ph.D.
- 2. Goals • Types of Research • Idea Generation – Luck – Theory – Literature
- 3. Basic (Preclinical) Research • Addresses fundamental questions • Laboratory based (Simple, Controlled) • Experimental Psychology Areas – Cognitive Psychology – Social Psychology – Biopsychology
- 4. Applied (Clinical) Research • Addresses “real world” questions • Non-laboratory based (Complex, Non- controlled) • Example areas: – Educational psychology – Industrial-Organizational psychology – Neuropsychology
- 5. Memory Island Piper et al. (2010) Pharmacology, Biochemistry & Behavior, 98, 432-439.
- 6. Quantitative Research • Involves numbers & statistics • Majority of psychological research • “Top-down” • Example: polls
- 7. Qualitative Research • Non-numerical, themes (but rigorous!) • Minority of psychological research • “bottom up” • Example focus group
- 9. Operational Definitions • Concept is defined based on the operation used for measurement • Height, weight, humor • Intelligence exercise
- 10. Developing Research Ideas: Serendipity • Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitor (iproniazid) a treatment for tuberculosis and later depression • Dose response effects of prenatal nicotine Piper & Corbett (2011). Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
- 11. Developing Ideas: Theory • Theory: a set of logically consistent statements about phenomenon • Micro-Theory: specific, e.g. monoamine & depression • Macro-Theory: Skinner, Piaget, Freud
- 12. Evaluating Theories • Productive: does this generate research? • Falsifiable: can the theory be disproved • Parsimonious: contains minimum assumptions – Lloyd Morgan’s Canon: in no case may we interpret an action as the outcome of an exercise of a higher faculty if there is a lower one – Example: cat and faucet
- 13. Evaluating Theories Evolution Psychoanaltysis Cognitive Behaviorism (Darwin) (Freud) Development (Skinner) (Piaget) Productive +++ + ++ +++ Falsifiable +++ --- +++ +++ Parsimonious +++ --- ++ +++
- 14. Strong Inference • Programmatic Research: – Study 1 (Outcome A) -> Study 2 (Outcome B) – Used to exclude possibilities Platt, J.R. (1964). Science, 146, 347-353.
- 15. Ideas: Literature Search • Wikipedia (preliminary only, variable quality) • Google (heavy on $) • Pubmed (Backward Search) • Psych Info (Backward Search) • Specialized databases (Backward Search) • Google Scholar (Forward Search) • Direct contact
- 16. Pubmed • Developed by National Library of Medicine (NIH) • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
- 17. Pubmed
- 20. Free is For Me!
- 21. Google Scholar
- 22. Specialized Databases • Manage to bypass copyright law (how?) • Example: Psychedelic Bibliography • http://www.maps.org/sys/w3pb.pl?face=simple/
- 23. All Journals Aren’t Created Equal Great! Not Great! Psychological Science (5.1) Psychological Reports (0.3) Science (30.1) Perceptual & Motor Skills (1.2 ) Nature (29.8) J of Applied Communication Res (0.7) Psychological Bulletin (12.9) Legal & Criminological Psych (0.4) J Personality Social Psych (5.2) Psychology & Psychotherapy (0.6) J of Abnormal Psychology (4.5) American J of Psychology (0.3) Annual Review of Psychology (22.8) Computers in Human Behavior (0.3) J Amer Med Association (30.0) Journal of Applied Social Psychology (0.7) Neuropsychopharmacology (6.7 ) International J of …. , SW Missouri Newsletter Impact Factor: # citations per manuscript per year
- 24. Replication • Repeating a study and getting similar outcomes Study OR (95% CI) Bloss 4.65 (1.56, 13.87) Piper 0.70 (0.09, 5.72) Gaynor 1.13 (0.51, 2.48) Taylor 0.83 (0.62, 1.11) Deary 1.13 (0.52, 2.43) Kwon 0.95 (0.29, 3.12) Nilsson 0.94 (0.60, 1.46) UCDADC 0.37 (0.14, 1.03) NACC African Americans 0.95 (0.42, 2.14) NACC Caucasians 0.93 (0.72, 1.20) Overall (I-squared = 28.6%, p = 0.181) 0.92 (0.79, 1.08) .05 .1 1 10 20 Piper et al. (2012). Laterality.
- 25. Replication Example #2: Mozart Effect • College students (N=36) completed a spatial reasoning task after listening to Mozart, relaxation tape, or silence. Rauscher et al. (1993). Nature, 365, 611.
- 26. Replication Example #2: Mozart Effect • College students (N=36) completed a spatial reasoning task after listening to Mozart, relaxation music, or silence. • Governor Zell Miller (GA) wanted to give all kids classic CDs. • Finding repeatedly not replicated. Rauscher et al. (1993). Nature, 365, 611.
- 27. Summary • Types of Research – Preclinical & Clinical – Quantitative & Qualitative • Idea Generation (luck, literature, theory) • Replication