Independent variables, dependent variables, t-tests, anovas, experiments, between subjects, within subjects, confounds…confused? You won’t be after you watch this week’s video episode. Learn research methods in psychology the fun way – by choosing an interesting topic. In this video I explain the basic concepts of research while examining the effect of gray hair on credibility. More fun than…let me think…well, trust me, it’ll be interesting.
Resources for This Episode
-
The web site where you can change your appearance by mixing your photo with celebrities is called Hairmixer.
Notes
-
Independent Variable: the variable you manipulate (“type of hair” in this example).
-
Dependent Variable: the variable you measure (“credibility” in this example).
-
Operational Definition: the exact data that you will collect. In this example, a subject’s rating on a 1 to 10 credibility scale is my operational definition of credibility.
Related Episodes
-
Check out episode 3 in which I discuss hypotheses and Popper’s important concept of falsifiability.
-
Looking for more fun with research? Check out my episode on how consumer researcher’s carefully watch your behavior in the grocery store.
-
If you want to review many of the psychological research terms mentioned in this episode, check the “the mappr” – an audio review program I wrote.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Dear Dr. Britt,
Thank you for this site. I actually just stumbled across it one day. You were able to simply, efficiently, etc., etc., etc., get the point across in just a few minutes on the basics of research terminology.
I only wish I came across this site years ago when taking my first course in Research Methods. I left the class with an “A”. Although, I was still unsure of the topic. You were able to get the point across within a few short minutes.
I’m a Senior at UNF and use this site to help with my current studies!!!
Debbie – thanks so much. The two videos on research design were fun to do. I taught the course for many years and I tried to make it fun – god knows the topic can get deadly boring. Please let other students know about the podcast. It’s hard to get the word out. Again thx for your very kind comments. Michael
Hello, I stumbled upon your web site and would love to be able to watch Episode 45 Basic research design. For some reason the video isnt available. Thank you so much for your time. Jill
Jill, I’m checking the video now and it’s working for me. Can you tell me what’s happening on your end? – Michael