PSY 350 General Research Methods in Psychology
How do psychologists know what they know? Is it possible to determine the causes of behavior? Can results of research generalize to other people not studied? How can scientific thinking help people to be critical, thoughtful consumers of information? In this course, students learn to apply the empirical approach and systematically evaluate the reliability and validity of different claims they might encounter in research, coursework, the media, and everyday conversations. Topics include the measurement of behavior and mental phenomenon, sampling, experimental and nonexperimental research designs, and ethical principles and limitations of psychological research. During the required lab, students learn to use search tools to identify current research, develop novel research questions, design studies to answer those questions, conduct naturalistic observation, prepare a poster presentation to share their findings, and learn a standardized approach to writing (APA style).