Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences
4th Edition
Published on 7. November 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
664 pages
978-1-0718-7937-5 (ISBN)
Description
Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences, Fourth Edition employs a problem-focused approach to present a clear, comprehensive, and conversational introduction to research methods. Author Gregory J. Privitera integrates the research methods decision tree into the design process to help students choose the most appropriate method for the research question they are seeking to answer.
Reviews / Votes
Privitera's book is the best book I've seen for my audience, and it is priced well below what some of the lesser-quality competitors offer. It is accessible to the non-math major and is written in a very good style and tone for the typical behavioral science student. -- J. B. Boren This text is comprehensive, covering all areas of research methods in psychology.... This is a very solid text for introductory research methods. -- Ann Westcot Jordan Privitera continues to produce quality textbooks and course material. -- Aaron Baggett I like that the text starts with a discussion of using SPSS, which immediately draws students into thinking about the essential links between statistics and research methods. -- Carolyn Morgan "This is the smoothest student onboarding process I have ever experienced. Everything is syncing and the students were able to figure things out with almost no help from me." -- Echo Leaver "Student performance after implementing Vantage is incredible...this is a really tangible way to see that." -- Karen Deeming "I am really excited to have tools that help motivate students to actually do the reading..." -- Emily Hopkins "My learners really enjoyed the SAGE Vantage experience. Many of them said it forced them to read, which aided in their comprehension...The feedback I received is that they all really enjoyed the interactive nature of the program, as well as the [number] of activities..." -- Daniel Amoruso "It really helps you wrap your head around what you're learning and come to a complete understanding of the course material." -- Aubrey Akins "I think that Vantage [is] an ideal system that will promote engagement of students." -- Linda Trautman "With Vantage, I set up my course in under 10 minutes, which is unheard of...I love Vantage!" -- Karin Machluf "Extremely valuable! Interactive, engaging and simple to use." -- Alyssa Salazar "I have used every other major digital platform that exists, and I can say that Vantage has no equal." -- William Parent "...Really going to deepen students' understanding and...boost their comprehension." -- Daniel OkamuraMore details
Edition
4th Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 203 mm
Thickness: 41 mm
Weight
1576 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0718-7937-5 (9781071879375)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Gregory J. Privitera is a three-time national-award-winning author and a professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure University where he is a recipient of its highest teaching honor, The Award for Professional Excellence in Teaching, and its highest honor for scholarship, The Award for Professional Excellence in Research and Publication. Dr. Privitera received his PhD in behavioral neuroscience in the field of psychology at the State University of New York at Buffalo and continued with his postdoctoral research at Arizona State University. His texts span diverse topics in psychology and the behavioral sciences and include an introductory psychology text, three statistics texts, two research methods texts, and multiple other texts bridging knowledge creation across health, health care, and analytics. In addition, Dr. Privitera has authored more than three dozen peer-reviewed papers aimed at advancing our understanding of health, health literacy, and informing policy in health care. His research has earned recognition by the American Psychological Association and in media to include Oprah's Magazine, Time Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal. He mentors a variety of undergraduate research projects at St. Bonaventure University, where dozens of students, many of whom have gone on to earn graduate and doctoral degrees at various institutions, have coauthored and presented research work. In addition to his teaching, research, and advisement, Dr. Privitera is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, is an identical twin, and is married with two daughters, Grace Ann and Charlotte Jane, and two sons, Aiden Andrew and Luca James.
Content
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Preface
To the Student-How to Use SPSS With This Book
Section I * Scientific Inquiry
Chapter 1 * Introduction to Scientific Thinking
Science as a Method of Knowing
The Scientific Method
Other Methods of Knowing
The Goals of Science
Approaches in Acquiring Knowledge
Distinguishing Science From Pseudoscience
Chapter 2 * Generating Testable Ideas
Generating Interesting and Novel Ideas
Converting Ideas to Hypotheses and Theories
Developing Your Idea: Deduction and Induction
Performing a Literature Review
The "3 Cs" of an Effective Literature Review
Testing Your Idea: Confirmation and Disconfirmation
Chapter 3 * Research Ethics
Ethics in Behavioral Research
The Need for Ethics Committees in Research: A Historical Synopsis
Ethics: Examples From Psychology
Human Participant Research: IRBs and the APA Code of Conduct
Animal Subject Research: IACUCs and the APA Code of Conduct
Additional Ethical Considerations: Scientific Integrity
Section II * Defining and Measuring Variables, Selecting Samples, and Choosing an Appropriate Research Design
Chapter 4 * Identifying Scientific Variables
Criteria for Defining and Measuring Variables
Constructs and Operational Definitions
Types of Variables
Scales of Measurement
Reliability of a Measurement
Validity of a Measurement
Selecting a Measurement Procedure
SPSS in Focus: Entering and Coding Data
Chapter 5 * Sampling From Populations
Selecting Samples From Populations
Methods of Sampling: Nonprobability Sampling
Methods of Sampling: Probability Sampling
Sampling Error and Standard Error of the Mean
Potential Biases in Sampling
SPSS in Focus
Chapter 6 * Choosing a Research Design
Designing a Study to Answer a Question
Categories of Research Design
Internal and External Validity
Demonstrating Cause in an Experiment
Threats to the Internal Validity of a Research Study
Threats to the External Validity of a Research Study
External Validity, Experimentation, and Realism
Section III * Nonexperimental Research Designs
Chapter 7 * Qualitative Research Designs
An Overview of Qualitative Research
Role of the Researcher and Entry Into the Field
Sampling in Qualitative Research
Types of Qualitative Data
Qualitative Research Designs: Phenomenology, Ethnography, and Case Study
Chapter 8 * Naturalistic and Existing Data Research Designs
An Overview of Naturalistic Observation
Techniques for Conducting Naturalistic Observations
An Overview of Existing Data Designs
Existing Data Research Designs: Archival Research, Content Analysis, and Meta-Analysis
Chapter 9 * Survey and Correlational Research Designs
An Overview of Survey Designs
Rules for Writing Survey Items
Administering Surveys
Surveys, Sampling, and Nonresponse Bias
The Structure of Correlational Designs
Describing the Relationship Between Variables
Limitations in Interpretation
Correlation, Regression, and Prediction
SPSS in Focus: Correlation and Linear Regression
Section IV * Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Research Designs
Chapter 10 * Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Experimental Designs
An Overview of Quasi-Experimental Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Nonequivalent Control Group Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Time Series Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Developmental Designs
An Overview of Single-Case Experimental Designs
Single-Case Baseline-Phase Designs
Validity, Stability, Magnitude, and Generality
Chapter 11 * Between-Subjects Experimental Designs
Conducting Experiments: Between-Subjects Design
Manipulation and the Independent Variable
Variability and the Independent Variable
Comparing Two Independent Samples
SPSS in Focus: Two-Independent-Sample t Test
Comparing More Than Two Independent Samples
SPSS in Focus: One-Way Between-Subjects ANOVA
Measuring the Dependent Variable
Chapter 12 * Within-Subjects Experimental Designs
Conducting Experiments: Within-Subjects Design
Controlling Time-Related Factors
Individual Differences and Variability
Comparing Two Related Samples
SPSS in Focus: Related-Samples t Test
Comparing Two or More Related Samples
SPSS in Focus: One-Way Within-Subjects ANOVA
An Alternative to Pre-Post Designs: Solomon Four-Group Design
Comparing Between-Subjects and Within-Subjects Designs
Chapter 13 * Factorial Experimental Designs
Testing Multiple Factors in the Same Experiment
Types of Factorial Designs
Main Effects and Interactions
Identifying Main Effects and Interactions in a Graph
Including Quasi-Independent Factors in an Experiment
Reasons for Including Two or More Factors in an Experiment
SPSS in Focus: Computing a Factorial ANOVA
Section V * Analyzing, Interpreting, And Communicating Research Data
Chapter 14 * Analysis and Interpretation: Exposition of Data
Descriptive Statistics: Why Summarize Data?
Frequency Distributions: Tables and Graphs
Measures of Central Tendency
Measures of Variability
SPSS in Focus: Central Tendency and Variability
Graphing Means and Correlations
Using Correlation to Describe Reliability
SPSS in Focus: Cronbach's Alpha and Cohen's Kappa
Chapter 15 * Analysis and Interpretation: Making Decisions About Data
Inferential Statistics: What Are We Making Inferences About?
Types of Error and Power
Parametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree
Nonparametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree
SPSS in Focus: The Chi-Square Tests
Effect Size: How Big Is an Effect in the Population?
Estimation: What Are the Possible Values of a Parameter?
Chapter 16 * Communicating Research: Preparing Manuscripts, Posters, and Talks
Elements of Communication
Writing a Manuscript: Writing Style and Language
Elements of an APA-Style Manuscript
Presenting a Poster
Appendix A: APA-Style Writing, Sample Manuscript, and Posters
Appendix B: Instructions for Randomizing and Counterbalancing
Appendix C: SPSS General Instructions Guide and Statistical Tables
Glossary
References
Index
Acknowledgments
Preface
To the Student-How to Use SPSS With This Book
Section I * Scientific Inquiry
Chapter 1 * Introduction to Scientific Thinking
Science as a Method of Knowing
The Scientific Method
Other Methods of Knowing
The Goals of Science
Approaches in Acquiring Knowledge
Distinguishing Science From Pseudoscience
Chapter 2 * Generating Testable Ideas
Generating Interesting and Novel Ideas
Converting Ideas to Hypotheses and Theories
Developing Your Idea: Deduction and Induction
Performing a Literature Review
The "3 Cs" of an Effective Literature Review
Testing Your Idea: Confirmation and Disconfirmation
Chapter 3 * Research Ethics
Ethics in Behavioral Research
The Need for Ethics Committees in Research: A Historical Synopsis
Ethics: Examples From Psychology
Human Participant Research: IRBs and the APA Code of Conduct
Animal Subject Research: IACUCs and the APA Code of Conduct
Additional Ethical Considerations: Scientific Integrity
Section II * Defining and Measuring Variables, Selecting Samples, and Choosing an Appropriate Research Design
Chapter 4 * Identifying Scientific Variables
Criteria for Defining and Measuring Variables
Constructs and Operational Definitions
Types of Variables
Scales of Measurement
Reliability of a Measurement
Validity of a Measurement
Selecting a Measurement Procedure
SPSS in Focus: Entering and Coding Data
Chapter 5 * Sampling From Populations
Selecting Samples From Populations
Methods of Sampling: Nonprobability Sampling
Methods of Sampling: Probability Sampling
Sampling Error and Standard Error of the Mean
Potential Biases in Sampling
SPSS in Focus
Chapter 6 * Choosing a Research Design
Designing a Study to Answer a Question
Categories of Research Design
Internal and External Validity
Demonstrating Cause in an Experiment
Threats to the Internal Validity of a Research Study
Threats to the External Validity of a Research Study
External Validity, Experimentation, and Realism
Section III * Nonexperimental Research Designs
Chapter 7 * Qualitative Research Designs
An Overview of Qualitative Research
Role of the Researcher and Entry Into the Field
Sampling in Qualitative Research
Types of Qualitative Data
Qualitative Research Designs: Phenomenology, Ethnography, and Case Study
Chapter 8 * Naturalistic and Existing Data Research Designs
An Overview of Naturalistic Observation
Techniques for Conducting Naturalistic Observations
An Overview of Existing Data Designs
Existing Data Research Designs: Archival Research, Content Analysis, and Meta-Analysis
Chapter 9 * Survey and Correlational Research Designs
An Overview of Survey Designs
Rules for Writing Survey Items
Administering Surveys
Surveys, Sampling, and Nonresponse Bias
The Structure of Correlational Designs
Describing the Relationship Between Variables
Limitations in Interpretation
Correlation, Regression, and Prediction
SPSS in Focus: Correlation and Linear Regression
Section IV * Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Research Designs
Chapter 10 * Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Experimental Designs
An Overview of Quasi-Experimental Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Nonequivalent Control Group Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Time Series Designs
Quasi-Experimental Design: Developmental Designs
An Overview of Single-Case Experimental Designs
Single-Case Baseline-Phase Designs
Validity, Stability, Magnitude, and Generality
Chapter 11 * Between-Subjects Experimental Designs
Conducting Experiments: Between-Subjects Design
Manipulation and the Independent Variable
Variability and the Independent Variable
Comparing Two Independent Samples
SPSS in Focus: Two-Independent-Sample t Test
Comparing More Than Two Independent Samples
SPSS in Focus: One-Way Between-Subjects ANOVA
Measuring the Dependent Variable
Chapter 12 * Within-Subjects Experimental Designs
Conducting Experiments: Within-Subjects Design
Controlling Time-Related Factors
Individual Differences and Variability
Comparing Two Related Samples
SPSS in Focus: Related-Samples t Test
Comparing Two or More Related Samples
SPSS in Focus: One-Way Within-Subjects ANOVA
An Alternative to Pre-Post Designs: Solomon Four-Group Design
Comparing Between-Subjects and Within-Subjects Designs
Chapter 13 * Factorial Experimental Designs
Testing Multiple Factors in the Same Experiment
Types of Factorial Designs
Main Effects and Interactions
Identifying Main Effects and Interactions in a Graph
Including Quasi-Independent Factors in an Experiment
Reasons for Including Two or More Factors in an Experiment
SPSS in Focus: Computing a Factorial ANOVA
Section V * Analyzing, Interpreting, And Communicating Research Data
Chapter 14 * Analysis and Interpretation: Exposition of Data
Descriptive Statistics: Why Summarize Data?
Frequency Distributions: Tables and Graphs
Measures of Central Tendency
Measures of Variability
SPSS in Focus: Central Tendency and Variability
Graphing Means and Correlations
Using Correlation to Describe Reliability
SPSS in Focus: Cronbach's Alpha and Cohen's Kappa
Chapter 15 * Analysis and Interpretation: Making Decisions About Data
Inferential Statistics: What Are We Making Inferences About?
Types of Error and Power
Parametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree
Nonparametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree
SPSS in Focus: The Chi-Square Tests
Effect Size: How Big Is an Effect in the Population?
Estimation: What Are the Possible Values of a Parameter?
Chapter 16 * Communicating Research: Preparing Manuscripts, Posters, and Talks
Elements of Communication
Writing a Manuscript: Writing Style and Language
Elements of an APA-Style Manuscript
Presenting a Poster
Appendix A: APA-Style Writing, Sample Manuscript, and Posters
Appendix B: Instructions for Randomizing and Counterbalancing
Appendix C: SPSS General Instructions Guide and Statistical Tables
Glossary
References
Index