Z-scores may sound like something straight out of math class, but they’re actually your secret weapon for understanding how you stack up—whether it’s on a test, a personality quiz, or even a memory game.
A case study is a research method used in psychology to investigate a particular individual, group, or situation in depth. It involves a detailed analysis of the subject, gathering information from various sources such as interviews, observations, and documents. In a case study, researchers aim to understand the complexities and nuances of the subject under…
The cohort effect refers to the influence of a person’s generation or birth cohort on their attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and life experiences. Cohorts are groups of individuals who share a common historical or social context, such as those born in the same time period, raised in the same cultural environment, or experienced a similar event…
Correlational research is a type of scientific investigation in which a researcher looks at the relationships between variables but does not vary, manipulate, or control them. It can be a useful research method for evaluating the direction and strength of the relationship between two or more different variables. When examining how variables are related to…
Naturalistic observation is a psychological research method that involves observing and recording behavior in the natural environment. Unlike experiments, researchers do not manipulate variables. This research method is frequently used in psychology to help researchers investigate human behavior. This article explores how naturalistic observation is used in psychology. It offers examples and the potential advantages…
Psychological research methods are the techniques used by scientists and researchers to study human behavior and mental processes. These methods are used to gather empirical evidence. The goal of psychological research methods is to obtain objective and verifiable data collected through scientific experimentation and observation. The research methods that are used in psychology are crucial…
A Likert scale is often used in psychology research to evaluate information about attitudes, opinions, and beliefs.
Practice effects, the improvements seen with repeated testing or tasks, offer insights into learning and memory—but they also raise questions about validity in research.
Random assignment means that every participant has the same chance of being chosen for the experimental or control group. It involves using procedures that rely on chance to assign participants to groups. Doing this means that every participant in a study has an equal opportunity to be assigned to any group. For example, in a…
In psychology, a single-blind study is a type of experiment or clinical trial in which the experimenters are aware of which subjects are receiving the treatment or independent variable, but the participants of the study are not. A study in which both the experimenters and participants are unaware of who is receiving the independent variable and…
In psychology research, an institutional review board (also known as an IRB) is a group of individuals who review and monitor research that involves human subjects. Institutional review boards help ensure that the rights, welfare, and safety of participants are protected. They also help safeguard that psychology studies follow ethical and research guidelines such as…
Not all variables in an experiment are easy to control. Learn how extraneous variables can influence outcomes and why they matter in psychological research.
