Research methods in Psychology

There are quite a number of research methods in psychology. The most popular at face value are lab and field experiments that have played a big role in the development of the discipline. Notable examples are Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiments and the Stanford Prison experiment. From both an insider and outsider perspective, experiments may be easily mistaken for the most applicable research methods in the discipline. However, it is worthy to note that these experiments are often noticeable due to the controversy they come with- such as the emotional breakdowns in the Stanford example. The fact that the use of human subjects in experiments has ethical limitations points to their partial applicability (Myers, 2013). Other common methods include survey, observation, interviews and complex computer based simulations and modeling.

The most applicable research method to the greatest number of situations is however the case study approach. This refers to an in depth investigation on an individual, group of people or community. An example of case study approaches is the work of Sigmund Freud, one of the most acclaimed psychologists. He carried out detailed investigations on patients to understand their behavior and various aspects of their psychology (Myers, 2013). Case studies are highly applicable due to their richness in detail, focused nature on topics and subjects as well as high ecological validity. The latter implies that the findings are readily applicable to real life situations, which makes psychological research practical and actionable. The use of the method is aided by the presence of volumes of previous work on different psychological topics, making it easy to design case studies through review of past literature (Myers, 2013). With the discipline over 100 years old, there are plenty of materials for researchers to use in selecting their cases.

The greatest weakness of case studies is lack of generalizabilty. This is because they utilize small samples that are studied in detail but are not representative of the whole. For instance, much of Freud’s work is criticized on the premise that it was too specific to the subjects involved (Myers, 2013). However, the method has an advantage in that it is highly rich in detail. Such approaches require a researcher to focus on a subject for lengthy periods and collect a wide range of data on the topic. As such, they collect comprehensive data that addresses the topic conclusively.

References

Myers, D. (2013). Psychology. 10th ed. Worth Publishers.

Place your order
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Homework help cost calculator

600 words
We'll send you the complete homework by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 customer support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • 4 hour deadline
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 300 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more
× How can I help you?