1

LAP FOUR

HONORS and PSYCHOLOGY

LAP OBJECTIVES

1.Devise a psychological study utilizing

the scientific method
2. Identify and define the major
components of the experimental method
3. Evaluate the methods used by
psychologists to study behavior
4. Identify the code of ethics to which
psychologists adhere when conducting
psychological research
5. Describe the procedures used in
descriptive statistics
6. Solve statistical problems
7. .Analyze a situation in terms of the
APA ethics for experiments using people;
using animals
8. Analyze characteristics of a
distribution score
9. Define the following terms in own
words demonstrating an understanding
the following terms:
Validity, reliability, case study, control
group, experiment, dependent variable,
hypothesis, independent variable,
interview, random, scientific method,
sample, survey, objective testing,
projective testing, longitudinal study,
cross-sectional study

MS. ROTHWEILER

SIX CLASS MEETINGS

Research Strategies
and Statistics
Scientific Method Applied To Behavior
About.com says that psychologists and other social scientists regularly
propose explanations for human behavior. On a more informal level, people
make judgments about the intentions, motivations, and actions of others on
a daily basis. While the everyday judgments we make about human behavior
are subjective and anecdotal, researchers use the scientific method to study
psychology in an objective and systematic way. The results of these studies
are often reported in popular media, which leads many to wonder just how
or why researchers arrived at the conclusions they did.
In order to truly understand how psychologists and other researchers reach
these conclusions, you need to know more about the research process that
is used to study psychology and the basic steps that are utilized when
conducting any type of psychological research.
Psychologists and other social scientists regularly propose explanations for
human behavior. On a more informal level, people make judgments about
the intentions, motivations, and actions of others on a daily basis. While the
everyday judgments we make about human behavior are subjective and
anecdotal, researchers use the scientific method to study psychology in an
objective and systematic way. The results of these studies are often reported
in popular media, which leads many to wonder just how or why researchers
arrived at the conclusions they did.
Descriptive research such as case studies, naturalistic observations, and
surveys are often used when it would be impossible or difficult to conduct an
experiment. These methods are best used to describe different aspects of a
behavior or psychological phenomenon. Once a researcher has collected
data using descriptive methods, a correlational study can then be used to
look at how the variables are related.
Rationale
In order to truly understand how psychologists and other researchers reach
these conclusions, you need to know more about the research process that
is used to study psychology and the basic steps that are utilized when
conducting any type of psychological research.

LAP FOUR

HONORS and PSYCHOLOGY

Essential Question:

MS. ROTHWEILER

SIX CLASS MEETINGS

What advantage does research have over other ways of knowing things?
How effectively do psychologists study behavior?
Do personality test really describe accurately ones behavior?

Activity Calendar
Class Meeting
First

Class Focus
Introduction To Scientific
method

Assignment Due
None

Methods of studying
behavior
Complete Methods and
Ethics

None

Third

Day and Date

April 12 A Day for Honor
Psychology
April 13 B Day for Psychology
April 14 C Day Honors
April 15 D Day Psychology
E Day April 18 both sections

Fourth

G Day April 21 Both Sections

Statistics

4-2

Fifth

H Day April 25 Both Sections

Personality Tests

4-3

Sixth

J Day April 26 Honors

K Day April 27 Psychology

Pull It Together

4-4

Second

Explanation of Activity Assignments

4.1: Read the following
http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/ss/expdesintro.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/cindex/g/casestudy.htm
http://psychology.about.com/od/researchmethods/f/survey.htm
http://www.simplypsychology.org/research-methods.html
Then complete Handout 1 submit via google classroom

4-1

Due Date
Third

4.2. Complete Handout 2 after reading pages

Fourth

4.3. Complete personality tests

Fifth

4-4 Create your experiment

Sixth

http://psychology.about.com/od/education/f/why-are-statistics-necessary-in-psychology.htm

LAP FOUR

HONORS and PSYCHOLOGY

MS. ROTHWEILER

SIX CLASS MEETINGS

Enrichment ( all to be submitted by Classroom)

Hand in by the due date for the LAP test. Enrichment is an extension of what is studied in
the LAP.

4-3 Complete the following personality tests then write a personality

analysis of yourself.
Kiersey Personality Inventory available in open lab
A-B inventory packet, available in open lab, the color test,
available in open lab.
Online take the Ennegram test on line at http://www.9types.com/newtest/homepage.actual.html
and the Big Five http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/
the Color Test http://www.colorquiz.com/
The analysis must show evidence of each test taken. Google Classroom

HANDOUT 1

Psychological Methods
Method

Observation

Survey

Interview

Advantages

Disadvantages

When Is It Best Used

LAP FOUR

Case Study

Experiment

HONORS and PSYCHOLOGY

MS. ROTHWEILER

SIX CLASS MEETINGS

LAP FOUR

HONORS and PSYCHOLOGY

MS. ROTHWEILER

SIX CLASS MEETINGS

Handout Two
1. Identify the 3 scales of measurement and explain how and when each are used.
2. Explain what is meant by central tendency and how it is measured
3. What is meant by the normal curve?
4. What is meant by skewed distribution?
5. What happens to the central tendency in a skewed distribution?
6. How do we measure variation?
7. Explain how one finds standard deviation
8. How are statistics used in psychology?
9. Define in your own words the following terms:
Ordinal scale
normal scale
interval scale
Bell curve
ratio scale
central tendency
Variation
mean
range
Median
mode
standard deviation
Histogram
probability
correlation