Ch. 2 Personality Research Methods
• Personality Psychologist – main job
• Scientific Method (Steps)
• Step 3 Test Hypothesis
– Experiments
– Correlational research
– Case studies
• Handout: Identifying Independent & Dependent Variables
• Step 4 Analyze Results & Draw Conclusions
• Reliability versus Validity
Personality Psychologist
• Main job = observe behavior & try to explain the causes of behavior
• Why do people behave the way they do?
• Attribution theory (social psychology)
– What are attributions?
– When do we make them?
– Types
• Internal versus External
Scientific Method
• Method for collecting & evaluating data
• Steps
– Theory (good)
– Develop Hypothesis
– Test Hypothesis
– Analyze Results & Draw Conclusions
– Report Findings
Step 1 = Theory
• General statement about the relationship between things or events
• Example – There is a relationship between loneliness and lack of social skills
Good theory
– Parsimonious & Useful
• Not directly tested
• Never proved or disproved
• Supported/Not supported by research
Step 2 = Develop Hypothesis
• Precise, testable prediction
• Logically derived from theory
• Example – Lonely people don’t initiate as many conversations as non-lonely people
Step 3 = Test Hypothesis
• Design study – choose research method
– Experiments
– Correlational research
– Case study
• Conduct study
– How test previous hypothesis?
Step 4 = Analyze Results & Draw Conclusions
• Statistical analyses
• Did you or did you not find support for your hypothesis?
Step 5 = Report Findings
• Write up research findings
• Why?
Experimental Research
• Lab versus Field
• Independent & Dependent variables
– IV & DV
• Example
– Theory: There is a relationship between mood and how someone behaves
– Hypothesis: Someone in a good mood is more likely to help others than someone in a
bad mood
