Contents
Etymology of the word method
The word “method” comes from the Greek “methodos”, meaning “way”, the path to something.
What is a research method
The method means the realisation of certain rules and processes applied to achieve a certain goal. Method is closely related to theory, for example a coherent theory leads to a precise method. Research is a systematic and structured investigation aimed at discovering new knowledge or checking the veracity and correctness of existing knowledge. The methods used in a research are determined by the type of research being conducted.
What is the definition of the research method
The scientific research method is the processes and means by which objective information about the individual is accumulated. what is the definition of research method
What are the research methods and their types?
Psychology uses basic research methods:
- observation
- convorbirea
- experiment
- psychological test
and further research methods:
- biblographic
- analysing the content / analysing the products of a particular activity
- genetic method
What is the observation method ?
Observation, as a method, consists of intentionally observing behaviour and mental reactions, then systematically, intentionally and selectively recording the necessary information
The types of obeservation are categorised according to the way of observing a particular person’s reactions. Respectively obeservation is divided into introspection and extrospection.
What is introspection?
Introspection or otherwise called self-observation is about analysing one’s own thoughts, feelings, impressions and perceptions. It is based on a property called deduplication (experiencing a state and becoming aware of it at the same time).
What is extrospection?
Extrospection is the process of analysing someone else. It is the process of observing and analysing from the outside by the observer. The observer analyses the subject and draws conclusions using certain tools.
What is a case study?
The case study is an observational method. It consists in analysing in detail an idivid or group of individuals. Its aim is to generalise the results of the observation to a particular group of people such as: town, village, population of a country, etc.
Observation types are used in cases where they can help to identify a number of facts and behaviours in the natural environment and females are easy for other people to observe and appreciate.
It is important that the observer remains unobserved and that the subject does not realise that he/she is being observed. If the subject understands that he is being analysed he may change his behaviour so that the results will not be truthful. Observation is a long process and can be realised over several years. It may take a long time to select data relevant to the phenomenon under study, and the events necessary for the purpose of observation may occur at long intervals.
Requirements for an effective observation
By respecting certain requirements, you can avoid mistakes that may occur along the way
- Formulate the exact purpose of the observation. It is analysed what details of the analysed phenomenon we need, what is the environment and conditions in which the observation will be carried out. We also need to clearly understand what are the problems we propose to solve.
- It follows a well-planned algorithm. If this requirement is not met then the data collected will not be truthful, sufficient or of no value for the ultimate purpose of the observation.
- It is carried out systematically in nautral codifications and excluding non-essential phenomena. If we follow a behaviour under various circumstances we can identify the character traits and the process of the subject’s activities.
When the subject is aware of the observation he may change his behaviour so that the inferred character traits will not correspond to reality.
- It is possible to select important aspects with more relevant accuracy if the observation is realised on the basis of an observation grid
What are the pros and cons of observation
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The observation does not disturb the manifestation of mental phenomena and the behaviour of the subject | The subject can change their behaviour if they are aware that they are being investigated. |
| The observer has to wait for a long time for the behaviour he is interested in and has no right to intervene. | |
| In the case study we can get a lot of detail and information. We can combine the case study with another method. | In the case study using the case study we can study a single specific situation and its effects. |
What is the experiment method in psychology
Experiment is one of the most important research methods in psychology because it provides accurate, truthful and objective data.Experiments are used to verify data about psychological phenomena in order to understand whether a scientific hypothesis is true or false. Experiments involve the creation of conditions that produce manifestations of the phenomena to be studied, so that the results will be accurately recorded.
A particular psychic phenomenon of interest can be repeated until the necessary amount of data is obtained on the basis of which conclusions can be drawn about the psychic processes examined. These must be typical, for example, the increase or worsening of memory against the background of various arousals such as music or silence.
The benefits of lab experiments
b) Control over external factors – highlights the influence of experimental variables and the psychological reactions of the subject;
c) Increased objectivity – the evaluation of the results is less influenced by the subjectivity of the experimenter (due to limited interactions with the subject);
d) Superior quantitative and qualitative data – the results are more precise and rigorously validated compared to other methods;
e) Repeatability – the phenomenon can be replicated multiple times, allowing immediate verification of the initial conclusions;
f) Control of conditions – the necessary environment is created artificially, eliminating the need to wait long periods of time to observe the phenomenon.
The main disadvantage of this method is that it exposes the subject to an unfamiliar environment, which can affect certain behaviors or psychological processes. However, the laboratory experiment remains an effective method in psychological research, providing reliable and controlled results.
Suggestions for improvement:
- Eliminate repetition (e.g. ‘rigorously selected’ → ‘rigorously validated’).
- Structuring the advantages more clearly (listing and briefly explaining them).
- Avoid fragmenting the text (e.g. ‘categorisation’ has been removed as it was unclear).
What is the conversation method?
Interviewing can be used as a research method if it is properly organised and planned. First, the purpose of the interview is established, then the questions are chosen with the purpose of the interview in mind. The interview can be conducted both verbally and in writing.
The interview can be conducted as interviews, questionnaires and surveys
During the interview, the psychologist asks concrete questions about a particular problem, without discussing anything adjectival, then records the answers in writing. After recording all the answers, he/she analyses them.
This method of selecting information has some disadvantages, such as:
a) it takes a long time to prepare the relevant questions;
b) Realising a conversation and selecting relevant data about the character and reactions of the subject is not easy for any psychologist;
c) conclusions are drawn on the basis of the individual’s often misjudgements. He may have a tendency to over- or under-appreciate himself;
The data obtained from the interview is to be supplemented with data obtained from other research methods in order to obtain a broader and more truthful picture of the subject’s personality
What is the questionnaire method?
The questionnaire involves answering questions in written form, as opposed to surveys where they are answered in verbal form. A questionnaire is a group of questions designed to elicit information about a particular phenomenon from a person or group of people. There are open-ended questionnaires, where people answer with their own thoughts, and closed-ended questionnaires, where several response options are proposed and the individual chooses the one that corresponds to his or her own opinion or experience.
For example:
1) open-ended questionnaire: ‘How do you organise your day?’;
2) closed-ended questionnaire: “I organise my day: a) according to my work schedule; b) according to the activities I want to do during the day; c) I do not plan my day;”.
Closed-ended questionnaires can be completed more quickly. However, the disadvantage of this type of questionnaire is that it suggests answers that the subject would not have answered, so such answers are not always objective.
In order to create a questionnaire you need to fulfil certain requirements:
a) questions must be clear and without double meaning
b) the answer does not have to be clear without the need for concretisation or further explanation;
c) the answer must not be influenced by the preceding questions;
d) interviews should not suggest the answer;
e) the language used in the questionnaire must be appropriate to the vocabulary of the category of people questioned (pupils, adușți etc);
The main disadvantage of questionnaires is that it is almost impossible to judge the sincerity and seriousness of the subject’s answers.
What is the survey method?
An enquiry is the most popular form of written conversation, used when it is necessary to ascertain the opinion of several individuals on a particular issue. In an enquiry the individual not only answers questions but also gives information about him/herself (profession, age, family etc.). The disadvantage of the survey is that it does not provide information about the behaviour of the respondents. Also, it is impossible to modify the questions in such a way as to obtain additional information to concretise an answer from a previous question.