Theory data cycle components (5)
- Observe existing components
- Generate hypothesis
- Create research & generate predictions
- Design/run research
- Statistics
Science doesn’t prove, it suggests ______
Possibilities
3 types of research claims
- Frequency
- Association
- Causal
Frequency claim
How many people do this
Association claims
Correlating things to each other
Causal claim
Experiment to prove X causes Y
Internal Validity
Experimental control, able to make causal claim
External Validity
- Generalizability (frequency/association claims)
- Maximization (trade off of internal validity)
What kind of study has max. internal validity?
Observational studies
What kind of study has max external validity?
Lab experiments
3 types of observational studies
- Naturalistic
- Participant
- Structured
Pro and con of observational studies
pro: see behaviour in natural environment
con: unable to make causal claim
Festinger, Riecken, Schaster study on participant observation
1950s, fake joined a cult and observed members behaviour
Directionality problem
Did x cause y or did y cause x?
Third variable problem
Confounding variable may be present
What eliminates confounding variables?
Control variables
