Discovering Research Methods in Psychology
A Student's Guide
BPS Textbooks in Psychology
1. Edition August 2009
344 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Discovering Research Methods in Psychology: A Student's
Guide presents an accessible introduction to the research
methodology techniques that underpin the field of psychology
* Offers a unique narrative approach to introducing the
complexities of psychological research methods to first year
students
* Introduces the reader to the three main types of research
methods used in psychology - observation, experimentation and
survey methods
* Provides clear summaries of 21st-century published studies that
reflect diversity and best illustrate issues in research
methodology
* Includes an emphasis on topics of most interest to
students, from those with a personal perspective such
as romantic relationships, prejudice and career decisions, to
clinical topics including eating disorders, heavy drinking
and paranoia
* Features a comprehensive glossary of all research terminology
used in the narrative
1. Introduction and How To Use This Book 1
2. Ethics 4
3. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 15
Experiment - A Randomised Controlled Trial
4. Music and Stress 27
Experiment - A Matched Pairs Design
5. Competitive Anxiety 41
Experiment - A Repeated Measures Design
6. Change Blindness 51
Experiment - A Single Sample Design
7. Acoustic Preferences 67
Programme of Experiments - Animal Studies
8. Cognitive Costs of Racial Prejudice 83
Experiment - Unrelated Three-Factor Design, Between Groups and Between Conditions
9. Mate-Selection Strategies 96
Experiment - A Mixed Two-Factor Design, Within and Between Groups
10. The Autistic Spectrum 110
Structured Observation
11. Cognitive Maps 121
Clinical/Laboratory Observation
12. Eating Disorders and the Media 134
Observation - Quantitative Content Analysis
13. Eating Disorders: The Experience 146
Observation - Qualitative Content Analysis
14. Face Recognition 157
Observation - Clinical Case Study
15. Choices and Decisions 166
Survey Methods - Quantitative Questionnaire
16. Measuring Romance 181
Survey Methods - Scale Development
17. Paranoia 196
Survey Methods - Interview
18. Understanding Heavy Drinking 207
Survey Methods - Qualitative and Quantitative
19. Attributing Success and Failure 217
Cross-Cultural Study Using Mixed Methods
20. Contrasting the Methods 231
An Overview
Key Topics 246
BPS Ethical Principles for Conducting Research with Human Participants 268
Glossary 275
References 309
Index 320
students, especially those new to the field of experimental design
and research methods. By teaching research methods via real life
examples from current published literature, this book gives
students a fresh look at the diversity of research. A must-have for
all students just starting out on their psychology career
paths."
-Claudia Dougall, second year Experimental Psychology
student, University of Bristol
"This is a resource that will help combat research-methods
teaching fatigue for both students and teachers alike."
-Jason Ellis, Associate Director of University of
Glasgow Sleep Centre
"The attractive material in this innovative text guarantees
that, from now on, the hours spent teaching and learning Research
Methods will be a relaxed and enjoyable experience."
-Cris Izura, Swansea University
"In this book, Dr Sanders manages to deliver everything in an
easy and approachable way. The book is clearly structured and
attractively written and covers all the material I need for my
course."
-Peter Ivak, second year Psychology student,
University of Aberdeen, UK
"Lalage Sanders' book, Discovering Research Methods in
Psychology, is something rare amongst research methods
textbooks. So few books manage to capture the curiosity and
intellectual enjoyment that some of us experience when reading and
critically assessing research articles. So few authors really put
research into context, and even fewer write in a style that can
excite and reach out to the student. Dr Sanders writes
enthusiastically and vibrantly, and produces something thoroughly
worth reading. This book is an excellent vehicle for anyone who
needs convincing why the seemingly dry concepts we have thrust upon
us are totally essential to our world."
-Dr Mark Forshaw, Staffordshire University
