Psychology Dersi 2. Ünite Özet

Introduction

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. So, what makes psychology scientific? In substance, what makes psychology scientific is the methods, namely, the research methods used in the journey of understanding the mind and behavior. One can claim that the fundamental criterion of the distinction between scientific and nonscientific endeavor is the research methods.

Basic Concepts of Scientific Research

Research methods used in social sciences do not vary much across different scientific fields. The difference lies across the fields of interest rather than the methods. Directly relevant concepts should be explored in order to internalize what a scientific research is in reality.

Science and Philosophy

While science is the sum of organized knowledge, epistemology is a thinking act about the basic principles of a science or scientific field. Science, unlike philosophy, has to either prove or refute the knowledge that it produces.

We can list some of the fundamental characteristics of science as follows:

1. Science is objective: Science generates impartial knowledge, and scientific conclusions do not vary across individuals.
2. Science uncovers the reality in nature: Science works on what it is, not what it should be. Remember, it is philosophy that focuses on what it should be.
3. Science includes systematic and organized pieces of knowledge: Scientific knowledge can only be obtained through scientific methods.
4. Science is cumulative: A scientific finding may not be enough to solve a problem. In time, pieces of knowledge growing in the pool of science can be helpful to formulate a possible solution.
5. Science is replicable: The results of a research must be replicable by another research conducted under the same circumstances.

Classification of Science

Though there are several classifications of scientific fields, two broad classifications are widely accepted currently: physical sciences and social sciences. Physical sciences, also called natural sciences, is the general name for the branches of science such as physics, chemistry, biology, zoology, botany, and physiology. On the other hand, social sciences is the common name used for those that study social events and humans’ social and cultural activities. The term social sciences is also sometimes used as a synonym for humanities. Social sciences include subbranches such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, ethnology, economics, and law. This distinction between physical and social sciences does not necessarily mean that they never interact. It should also be noted that they make use of each other’s database.

Measurement and Assessment

Measurement and assessment procedures are always employed in order to draw conclusions in science. Measurement refers to symbolic representation, especially digital, of the characteristics, qualities, and objects—in other words, the variables—through observation. To put it differently, measurement means to convert quality into quantity. Measurement is an effort of description. Variables are the focal points of any research; for example, age, gender, marital status, socio-economic status, and academic success. As a continuation of measurement, assessment, on the other hand, refers to the process of concluding a judgement, a verdict, or a comment after comparing the data obtained through measurement with a set of reference criteria. While measurement is a descriptive act, assessment is an interpretive one.

Research and Method

As mentioned earlier, science is the sum of systematic and organized pieces of knowledge. What differentiates scientific knowledge from other types of knowledge is the fact that scientific knowledge is based on scientific method and scientific research. Scientific research is a systematic process of data collection and analysis. In other words, it is a methodological study conducted in relation to science. Method, on the other hand, refers to a path that is paved in accordance with a plan in order to access some specific results.

Significance of Research in Psychology

Scientific research;

1. is necessary for the development of a country. One of the indicators of modernity in the contemporary world includes research and development activities.
2. is necessary to develop technology. All technologies easing human life are based on the findings of scientific research studies.
3. is necessary to be able to provide services. Regardless of the type, any service provided to a community has to be founded by science. For example, psycho-therapies given by psychologists have to be scientific.
4. is necessary to overcome conventional judgements. Conventional knowledge is mostly accepted by people without a question. Yet, scientific knowledge can help eradicate any piece of knowledge that is not true. This also facilitates critical thinking. The better we know something, the better we can use it.
5. is necessary to be able to generate true, evidencebased, and less risky knowledge.
6. is necessary to solidify relatively abstract (intuitive) knowledge.

It is obvious that scientific research is critical due to many reasons. The significance of research within psychology is no less than it is in other fields. It can even be stated that research is a more delicate issue for psychology since it directly interacts with people and ill-formed practice can damage or hurt people.

Research Process in Psychology

Generally, the research process is composed of planning, conducting, and reporting results. Psychological research process begins with statement of the topic, ends with reporting the study. As seen in Figure 2.2, psychology studies go through many stages as other social science studies do.

1. Finding a research subject
2. Identifying the Research Problem
3. Gathering Information about the Problem
4. Determining Hypothesis of Research Questions
5. Constructing the Research Method
6. Conducting the Research
7. Analyzing Data
8. Reporting the Results

Major Research Paradigms in Psychology

It can be said that there are two major paradigms in social science studies: qualitative and quantitative paradigms. In recent years, mixed paradigm studies that contain both qualitative and quantitative factors have also been developed as the third paradigm.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative paradigm is based on numbers and statistical analysis in social sciences. It assumes that all the variables of a research can be observed, assessed, and explained numerically. Therefore, quantitative paradigm is also known as empirical or digital paradigm. Quantitative paradigm involves various research designs. The primary designs are outlined below.

• Descriptive Research
• Correlational Research
• Causal-Comparative Research
• Experimental Research
• Single-Subject Research

Qualitative Research

Qualitative approach is a research model aiming to determine perceptions and events as realistically and holistically as possible through use of qualitative data collection techniques such as observation, interview, and document analysis.

Primary Features of Qualitative Approach

1. Social reality is different from physical reality
2. It focuses on the process
3. Research process is flexible
4. It has an inductive structure
5. It has a holistic approach
6. Researcher is also a participant
7. The aim is not to generalize but to analyze the subject comprehensively

Qualitative Research Designs

• Ethnography
• Phenomenology
• Case Study
• Grounded Theory
• Action Research

Data Collection and Analysis in Qualitative Research

Regardless of the design, measurement tools that produce digital outcomes such as questionnaires, tests, scales, and inventories are not employed in qualitative research. A major part of qualitative research is the data collection process. The most vital data collection source is the researcher him/ herself. Some of the basic data collection techniques utilized in qualitative research are as follows: Observation, interview, and document analysis.

Observation is a goal-oriented data collection process that has to be recorded.

Interview is a conversation conducted in accordance with a goal and plan.

Document analysis refers to analyzing written and visual materials containing information about the target phenomena or events.

Mixed Methods Research

Mixed methods research is a third methodological alternative the researchers have. This third option refers to joint use of both quantitative and qualitative approaches during data collection and analysis. Following a certain plan, mixed method users quantitative and qualitative data to support each other. Mixed method is mostly preferred when conditions are not stable and when information cannot be gathered via one method. In this case, mixed method, providing a pragmatist perspective, offers us a space where we can observe events and their effects at the same time and where we can assess the results.

A closer look at the design employed in mixed method reveals three sub-methods:

Sequential Mixed Methods: In this one, either the qualitative or the quantitative phase of the study is based on the findings obtained earlier via either a qualitative or quantitative data collection technique.

Concurrent Mixed Methods: This one refers to quantitative and qualitative research methods used simultaneously in one study.

Transformative Mixed Methods: In this method, quantitative data is converted into an appropriate form to be analyzed qualitatively, or qualitative data is transformed into some kind of statistical values to be analyzed quantitatively.

Research Ethics in Psychology

There are four main ethical principles that researchers have to follow:

• Not harming the participants
• Granting written consent from the participants
• Preserving confidentiality
• Avoiding scientific deception