Correlations, graphs, content analysis and REVISION

What you need to know from today's lessons:
The advantages and disadvantages of carrying out correlational analysis
How to analyse and interpret correlational data
Positive and negative correlations
How to interpret correlation coefficients
The key features of line graphs, bar graphs, scattergraphs and tables
How to carry out a content analysis
Qualitative vs quantitative data
The powerpoint on graphs etc is here and the one on content analysis is here. The graphs sheet is here.
Your job during the Easter holidays is to start your revision. Today I gave you our revision schedule for after the holidays. You will get most out of the lessons if you revise the relevant material before each lesson. The schedule is here. We will cover memory and attachment in the four weeks before your study leave, and this will include some research methods as well.

Factors influencing independent behaviour

Individuals behave independently when they are not influenced by members of a group, or when they do not obey orders from an authority figure, and instead act based on their own beliefs and values.

In each of the studies we have looked at into conformity and obedience, some of the participants have been more independent than others, and some conditions (variations on the basic method) have led to more independent behaviour. Situational factors refer to aspects of the situation that make independent behaviour easier, and we looked briefly at these in the lesson. Make sure your notes address the following:

• Outline factors that allowed participants to resist the pressure to conform in Asch’s study.
• 37% - Ally condition only 5.5%
• Social support (helps if it’s valid – glasses!)
• Private answers…
• Why might resisting the pressure to conform be easier outside the laboratory?
• Moral considerations / personal significance
• Outline factors that allowed participants to resist thepressureto obey in Milgram’s study.
• Buffers / proximity of experimenter / status / presence of ally
• 40% / 30% / 21% / 48% / 10%

On Tuesday we will look at individual differences that relate to independent behaviour, e.g. personality factors. Make notes on these too, and bring them to the lesson.

More lovely research methods

Yesterday we covered the following sections of the RM spec:

• Reliability and validity
• Control of extraneous variables
• Demand characteristics and investigator effects
• Awareness of the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics
• Ethical issues and ways in which psychologists deal with them

Ppts here and here and here from today. The writing frames we used in the lessons for reliability and validity are here and here.

Evaluating Obedience Research

In tomorrow's (Thursday's) lesson we will answer an exam question on the question of whether obedience research is valid. You will need to consider internal and external validity criticisms of Milgrams research (internal - do the participants really believe the set-up? / external - are the conclusions only true in the context of an experiment, or in the 'real world' too?), and how it is supported or not by other research including field experiments.

Evaluating Milgram - Combined

Psychiatry work experience opportunity

Although the Warneford psychiatric hospital is only across the road from Cheney, it can be very hard to get work experience placements in this field due to the sensitive nature of the work. However we've been contacted by a psychiatrist at the Warneford who is keen to take an interested Cheney student in July. See Mr Lawrence if you are one.

Research Methods

Apologies for lack of posts recently.

We've finished attachment and are now spending a couple of weeks getting our heads round research methods. Here's the spec sections that we have covered - these are the bits that you need to know:

Experimental method, including laboratory, field and natural experiments - advantages and weaknesses

Self-report techniques including questionnaire and interviews - advantages and weaknesses

Some resources used recently:

Ppt on experimental methods

mix & match sheet on experimental methods

Ppt on self-report techniques

Obedience to Authority

 

In yesterday's lesson we moved from our study of conformity onto the new topic of obedience - the question now is over what factors lead people to obey an 'unjust' order from an authority figure, to do something they don't want to.

The classic experiment is Milgram (1963). Your homework for next Tuesday is to make notes on this, and on two field experiments (conducted in the 'real world') - Bickman (1974) and Hofling (1966).

Here is the presentation on this research - use your textbook too.
05 Obedience Research 2010

Explanations of Conformity

Make sure you have notes on the issues relating to conformity research (cultural and historical context - e.g. conformity only in certain societies, or among certain groups of people; ethics and validity), and on the three theories which are outlined here and explained more fully in your textbook. 04 Explanations and Issues in Conformity 2010

The effects of day care

There is a vast body of research out there on day care, and much more than you need in the textbook. I would try and learn the findings from a couple of studies showing positive outcomes and a couple showing negative ones. The specification specifically mentions aggression and peer relations - we looked at one study on this in class but there are others to choose from.

The important thing is that you are able to draw out the implication of all the research for child care practices. You will also need to draw on your knowledge of attachment formation to do this - one example is the keyworker figure now in common usage in nurseries etc, which of course comes from our knowledge of children's need for an attachment figure.

The ppt containing the studies on aggression is here and the one with the list of features of good day care is here.

Don't forget that we have an attachment mock exam on Thursday and a few of you still have to hand in the 12-mark essay on privation.

Minority Influence / Internalisation

For Thursday's lesson you need to learn the details (including criticisms) of Asch, Moscovici and Clark. Yesterday we looked at a clip from 'Twelve Angry Men' - the film Clark used in his role-play investigation. Here it is:

Identification

Like internalisation, identification involves changes to thoughts / attitudes / beliefs as well as behaviour, but unlike internalisation (conversion) this isn't necessarily permanent - it relies on an association with the influencing people in a particular situation.

A classic study that relates to this is the Stamford Prison Experiment - it's not as important to know in detail as Asch, Moscovici and Clark, but is useful especially in terms of the ethical and methodological issues that it illustrates.

Here is the presentation with questions you should have answers to in your notes: 03 Identification 2010

Here is the first part of the documentary on the experiment we watched in the lesson:

Here is part 2:

Social Influence: Conformity

Conformity takes place when an individual's behaviour changes as a result of the behaviour of others - a result of social influence. There are a number of technical terms which you need to be able to define and apply to examples:

• Conformity
• Majority Influence
• Minority Influence
• Compliance
• Identification
• Internalisation
• Conversion
• Informational Influence
• Normative Influence

For next Thursday's lesson you need notes on the aims, procedures, findings, conclusions and criticisms of three studies of conformity:
Asch (majority influence in a lab experiment)
Moscovici (minority influence in a lab experiment)
Clark (minority influence in a role-play)

Here is the presentation on majority influence research:
01 Researching Conformity 2010

And here is the one on minority influence:
02 Minority Influence and Internal is at Ion 2010