Psych/610 Research Methods in Psychology

Research Studies Questions
Brenda L. Brandmier
PSY/CH 610
May 27, 2013
Matthew Will

Research Studies Questions
The purpose of the sections of a research article should start with a title, author, and contact information. The Abstract is next; this is a summary of the article. The summary provides an general idea of the article, which is helpful to establish if the article is significant to the reader’s investigation. An abstract will usually follow a regular format like APA or something that is similar. The author or authors in brief state why the research article is significant, the methodology, results, and concluding proclamation regarding the results.
The Introduction would be how the authors explain the underlying principle for the study by illustrating what research has been completed in the past. A literature review supplies the reader with a outline of other research associated with the article topic, along with addressing questions that are unanswered or investigative need more research. Many questions are also introduced within the introduction, and hypotheses results are declared.
Next are the Methods or methodology section. In this section the author or authors summarize how the research was performed. For example, sample, size, and a description of participants. This section will also show how participants were chosen for the study, what was measured and how, along with an explanation of how the data was evaluated.
The next section consists of the results. The author or authors will show the research results along with any statistical analyses. Example can be tables, charts, and figures, along with a printed clarification. The Discussion section is the author or author’s explanation and understanding of the results in addition to an explanation of unforeseen results.
Finally the conclusion and summary in many if not all articles will explain what the author or authors found and connect it back to the existing literature. Authors can recommend directions for potential research in the conclusion along with referencing back.
The references is the last section of an article an lists the publications the authors have cited wthin the research article. References can help the reader critic the validity of the article and can learn more regarding the research topic (Cozby, 2009).
What are the steps to critically evaluate research articles and how does the scientific method help you to do this?
To critically evaluate research articles the research in the article must be clear in informing the reader of its aims. Terms should be clearly defined, even more so if they’re new or used in specific non-spread ways. You as a reader should pay particular attention should to errors in logic, especially those regarding causation, relationship or association. “A background in research methods will help to read these reports critically, evaluate the methods employed, and decide whether the conclusions are reasonable” (Cozby, 2009, p. 2).
What is the importance of research in behavioral sciences?
Today and in the past psychologists and many other professionals use observation to calculate human behavior to better understand psychological and biological processes, motivations, and individual personality traits. Human behavior may be understood through applied and academic science. Using the scientific method is necessary for statistical psychology. According to our text, the importance of research in behavioral science can be the description of the behavior, the prediction of behavior, determining causes of behavior, and understanding or explanation of behavior (Cozby, 2009, p. 7).
What is the relationship between applied research and basic research? Provide an example, from your selected studies, of how each contributes to the body of knowledge.
Psychology became an actual science around the late 19th century, because of the interest of human behavior. Basic research attempts to answer essential inquires regarding the who what were when and why of behaviors. “phenomena such as cognition, emotion, motivation, learning, psychobiology, personality development, and social behavior” (Cozby, 2009, p. 10). An example article regarding a basic research article can be; “Artifactual seven-day cycles in spontaneous activity in wild rodents and squirrel monkeys” (Richter, 1976). This article determines the basic processes of activity in behavior and cognition of the mammals within the article.
With applied research, this research is “conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions”(Cozby, 2009, p. 10). Applied research is any kinds of fact assembly assignment or job that is performed with observing and applying the information found and will concentrate on a specific issue. Applied research can sometimes be simple and sometimes can be complex. An example of an applied research article can be as follows; Making things happen through challenging goals: Leader proactively, trust, and business-unit performance. This is considered an applied research article because it is focused on a specific issue or analogy which is; “proactive senior managers establish more challenging goals for their business” (Crossley, Cooper, & Wernsing, 2013, p. 1).
What ethical issues can you identify in the selected articles? How were the issues addressed or neglected?
Both articles above did not have any ethical issues. Both did not harm anyone or any animals. Both articles above did not deceive anyone or any animal. Both had legal authority approval. However, as voluntariness, subjects within the wild rodent article could not volunteer because they do not have that option. The participants in the “Making things happen through challenging goals” article did have the volunteer option. Both articles did not comprise of plagiarism or misleading authorship. All data provided correct and up to date references and proper publication; this was provided at the end.
Example of puplication: This publication is protected by US and international copyright laws and its content may not be copied without the copyright holders express written permission except for the print or download capabilities of the retrieval software used for access. This content is intended solely for the use of the individual user.Source: Journal of Applied Psychology. Vol.98 (3) US : American Psychological Association pp. 540-549. Accession Number: 2013-03482-001 Digital Object Identifier: 10.1037/a0031807 (Crossley, Cooper, & Wernsing, 2013).
Identify three possible research topics that you might want to explore further as you go through this course. 1. Music research for behavioral therapy
Example:
Silverman, M. J. (2008). Quantitative comparison of cognitive behavioral therapy and music therapy research: A methodological best-practices analysis to guide future investigation for adult psychiatric patients. Journal of Music Therapy, 45(4), 457-506. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223564322?accountid=35812 2. Art research for art therapy
Example:
Wilkinson, R. A., & Chilton, G. (2013). Positive art therapy: Linking positive psychology to art therapy theory, practice, and research. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 30(1), 4-11. 3. Research regarding writing for coping with stress
Example:
Smyth, J. (2003). Focused Expressive Writing as Self-Help for Stress and Trauma. Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 59(2), 227-235.

References
Crossley, C. D., Cooper, C. D., & Wernsing, T. S. (2013). Making things happen through challenging goals: Leader proactivity, trust, and business-unit performance. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 98(3), 540-549. doi:10.1037/a0031807
Cozby, P. C. (2009). Methods in behavioral research (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Richter, C. P. (1976). Artifactual seven-day cycles in spontaneous activity in wild rodents and squirrel monkeys. Journal Of Comparative And Physiological Psychology, 90(6), 572-582. doi:10.1037/h0077226

References: Crossley, C. D., Cooper, C. D., & Wernsing, T. S. (2013). Making things happen through challenging goals: Leader proactivity, trust, and business-unit performance. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 98(3), 540-549. doi:10.1037/a0031807 Cozby, P. C. (2009). Methods in behavioral research (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Richter, C. P. (1976). Artifactual seven-day cycles in spontaneous activity in wild rodents and squirrel monkeys. Journal Of Comparative And Physiological Psychology, 90(6), 572-582. doi:10.1037/h0077226