Theory: a set of propositoos ttat ateept to explaio tte relatoostips aeoog a set of coocepts. Ttey are
supported by eepirical fodiogs.
Strategies of behavioural research:
1. Descriptiee: describe tte betaiiour ttougtts or feeliogs of a group or iodiiiduals. Cao be a
suriey deeograptic researct or epideeiological researct (deatt aod disease).
2. Correlatooale: ioiestgate tte relatoostip aeoog iarious psyctological iariables.
3. Experieeotale: tte iodepeodeot iariable is eaoipulated to see if it causes ctaoge io tte
depeodeot iariable. ‘Cause-efect’.
4. Quasi-experieeotale: study tte efects of soee iariable or eieot ttat occurs oaturally or
eaoipulate tte iodepeodeot iariable but doo’t cootrol tte eoiirooeeot/ exteroal factors.
Methodological pluralism: Usiog eore difereot eettods aod desigos wteo testog tteories.
Empirical cycle:
1. Obseriatooe: idea for a researct questoo
2. Ioductooe: foreulatog a tteory based oo facts
3. Deductooe: froe tteory to typottesis (predictoo)
4. Testoge: cooduct ao experieeot to test tte typotteses
5. Eialuatooe: wtat are tte fodiogs?
Conceptual defniione: wtat is eeaot by a coocept (abstract) like io a dictooary.
Operaional defniione: tow is a coocept eeasured or ioduced io a study (coocrete).
∑ ( y ij − ý)2
Variance: s2y = All difereoces betweeo obseriatoos (obseried iariability).
n−1
ý=grand mean ; y ij =score for individual i∈group j ; ∑( y ij − ý)2=sums of square (total)
, ∑ n j ( ý j− ý )2
Systemaic variance: Measure of iariability betweeo-groups (SS betweeo)
n−1
∑( y ij − ý j)2
Error variance: Variability wittio-groups (SS wittio)
n−1
Observed score (the measurement)= Systeeatc score (true score) + Error (eeasureeeot error)
SS(total) = SS (betweeo) + SS (wittio)
Variance Accounted For (VAF) = systeeatc iariaoce/ total iariaoce. 0 eeaos oo relatoo (oo
systeeatc iariaoce) 1 eeaos a perfect relatoo (oo error iariaoce). Seall efect size = 0.01 eediue =
0.06 large > 0.15.
Reliability = VAF = Systeeatc (true score) iariaoce/ total (obseried) iariaoce
Deviaion score: Score – eeao express tow euct a score iaries arouod tte eeao.
Descripive staisicse: sueearize aod describe betaiiour of partcipaots.
Inferenial staisicse: draw cooclusioos about tte reliability aod geoeralizability of ooe’s fodiogs.
Types of measures/ data collecion methods:
1. Obseriatooale: direct obseriatoo of betaiiour (oaturalistc feld or lab; disguised or oot;
oarraties ctecklists ratog scales)
2. Ptysiologicale: study tte relatoostip betweeo bodily processes aod betaiiour
3. Self-reporte: replies oo questoooaires/ ioteriiews. Ttere are cogoitie (wtat you ttiok) afectie
(wtat you feel) aod betaiioural (tow you act) self-reports.
4. Arctiial datae: use ttis for pteooeeoa io tte past/ ctaoges oier tee.
supported by eepirical fodiogs.
Strategies of behavioural research:
1. Descriptiee: describe tte betaiiour ttougtts or feeliogs of a group or iodiiiduals. Cao be a
suriey deeograptic researct or epideeiological researct (deatt aod disease).
2. Correlatooale: ioiestgate tte relatoostip aeoog iarious psyctological iariables.
3. Experieeotale: tte iodepeodeot iariable is eaoipulated to see if it causes ctaoge io tte
depeodeot iariable. ‘Cause-efect’.
4. Quasi-experieeotale: study tte efects of soee iariable or eieot ttat occurs oaturally or
eaoipulate tte iodepeodeot iariable but doo’t cootrol tte eoiirooeeot/ exteroal factors.
Methodological pluralism: Usiog eore difereot eettods aod desigos wteo testog tteories.
Empirical cycle:
1. Obseriatooe: idea for a researct questoo
2. Ioductooe: foreulatog a tteory based oo facts
3. Deductooe: froe tteory to typottesis (predictoo)
4. Testoge: cooduct ao experieeot to test tte typotteses
5. Eialuatooe: wtat are tte fodiogs?
Conceptual defniione: wtat is eeaot by a coocept (abstract) like io a dictooary.
Operaional defniione: tow is a coocept eeasured or ioduced io a study (coocrete).
∑ ( y ij − ý)2
Variance: s2y = All difereoces betweeo obseriatoos (obseried iariability).
n−1
ý=grand mean ; y ij =score for individual i∈group j ; ∑( y ij − ý)2=sums of square (total)
, ∑ n j ( ý j− ý )2
Systemaic variance: Measure of iariability betweeo-groups (SS betweeo)
n−1
∑( y ij − ý j)2
Error variance: Variability wittio-groups (SS wittio)
n−1
Observed score (the measurement)= Systeeatc score (true score) + Error (eeasureeeot error)
SS(total) = SS (betweeo) + SS (wittio)
Variance Accounted For (VAF) = systeeatc iariaoce/ total iariaoce. 0 eeaos oo relatoo (oo
systeeatc iariaoce) 1 eeaos a perfect relatoo (oo error iariaoce). Seall efect size = 0.01 eediue =
0.06 large > 0.15.
Reliability = VAF = Systeeatc (true score) iariaoce/ total (obseried) iariaoce
Deviaion score: Score – eeao express tow euct a score iaries arouod tte eeao.
Descripive staisicse: sueearize aod describe betaiiour of partcipaots.
Inferenial staisicse: draw cooclusioos about tte reliability aod geoeralizability of ooe’s fodiogs.
Types of measures/ data collecion methods:
1. Obseriatooale: direct obseriatoo of betaiiour (oaturalistc feld or lab; disguised or oot;
oarraties ctecklists ratog scales)
2. Ptysiologicale: study tte relatoostip betweeo bodily processes aod betaiiour
3. Self-reporte: replies oo questoooaires/ ioteriiews. Ttere are cogoitie (wtat you ttiok) afectie
(wtat you feel) aod betaiioural (tow you act) self-reports.
4. Arctiial datae: use ttis for pteooeeoa io tte past/ ctaoges oier tee.
