Methods in Psychology

1. Observation Method
2. Case history method
3. Experimental method
4. Survey method
5. Interview Techniques/ Types

Observation method
Systematic, selective and purposeful way of watching, examining or listening what is
happening in their natural setting & document that.
Example: Cricket team coach observes his team players performance in playground without
any manipulation.

When to use observation method

Want to study culture, ongoing process behaviour of an individual.
Non- cooperative population
Not use of Questionnaires

Types

Naturalistic observation
A research method in which the researcher studies behavior in its natural setting without
intervention or manipulation. It involves observing and recording behavior as it naturally
occurs, providing insights into real-life behaviors and interactions in their natural
context.Naturalistic observation is a research method commonly used by psychologists and
other social scientists.

Example: observing animal in Lake View Park.

Participant Observation

Participant observation is a variant of the above (natural observations) but here, the
researcher joins in and becomes part of the group they are studying to get a deeper insight
into their lives.

If it were research on animals, we would now not only be studying them in their natural
habitat but be living alongside them as well!

Leon Festinger used this approach in a famous study into a religious cult that believed that
the end of the world was about to occur. He joined the cult and studied how they reacted
when the prophecy did not come true.

Example: spending few months in Jail with prisoners to know their perception about judiciary
system.
Non-participant observation

involves researchers observing a group or situation without actively participating in it, often
as an outsider.

Example, a researcher observing children on a playground from a distance without

interacting.

Quantitative observation is a research method that involves measuring and quantifying

characteristics of a phenomenon. It hinges upon gathering numerical data, such as
measurements or counts, that can be expressed in terms of a quantitative value.

Measuring the length of a flower’s stem, counting the number of bees in a hive, or recording
the temperature of a greenhouse are all examples of quantitative observations. These types of
observations are typically objective, meaning that they can be replicated and verified by other
observers using the same measurement techniques.

Qualitative observation

Deals with the researcher collecting data using their five sensory organs - sight, smell, touch,
taste, and hearing - as tools for gathering information.

Advantages

Genuine behaviour observed

Useful for hypothesis generation

Can be conducted in N. Setting

Disadvantages

Observer biases

Lack of control over variables.

Time consuming

2. Case Study

It is an in-depth and detailed study of a specific subject such as person, group, place, event,
organization and phenomenon. Case studies are used for describing and comparison. Not
used for causing effect and focus on exploration and description of phenomenon.

When to conduct case study

When you want to gain concrete contextual, detailed and in-depth knowledge about a specific
real world subject.

Steps in case study

a. Select a case

b. Provide solution to resolve problem & open new direction for further research.

c. Build theoretical framework

d. Collect data.

e. Analyze the case (Research paper)

Types of Case Study

Collective case studies: These involve studying a group of individuals. Researchers might
study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community. For example,
psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected the
collective mental well-being of those who live there.

Descriptive case studies: These involve starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are
then observed, and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.

Explanatory case studies: These are often used to do causal investigations. In other words,
researchers are interested in looking at factors that may have caused certain things to occur.

Exploratory case studies: These are sometimes used as a prelude to further, more in-depth
research. This allows researchers to gather more information before developing their research
questions and hypotheses.

Advantages

Allows researchers to capture information on the 'how,' 'what,' and 'why,' of something that's
implemented

Gives researchers the chance to collect information on why one strategy might be chosen
over another

Permits researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research

Disadvantage

It cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population

Cannot demonstrate cause and effect

It may not be scientifically rigorous

It can lead to bias

3. Experimental Method

Scientific method of conducting research using independent and dependent variables. The
experimental method involves manipulating one variable to determine if this causes changes
in another variable. This method relies on controlled research methods and random
assignment of study subjects to test a hypothesis.

To understand how the experimental method works, it is important to know some key terms.

Dependent Variable

The dependent variable is the effect that the experimenter is measuring. If a researcher was
investigating how sleep influences test scores, for example, the test scores would be the
dependent variable.

Independent Variable

The independent variable is the variable that the experimenter manipulates. In the previous
example, the amount of sleep an individual gets would be the independent variable.

Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a tentative statement or a guess about the possible relationship between two
or more variables.

Example: Sugar intake========= Weight

4. Survey Method

Systematic and scientific method of gathering information from a group of individual by

using them questions.

A survey is a data collection tool used to gather information about individuals. Surveys are
commonly used in psychology research to collect self-report data from study participants. A
survey may focus on factual information about individuals, or it might aim to obtain the
opinions of the survey takers.1

Psychology surveys involve asking participants a series of questions to learn more about a
phenomenon, such as how they think, feel, or behave. Such tools can be helpful for learning
about behaviors, conditions, traits, or other topics that interest researchers.

Objectives of Survey

To identify area of improvement

Feedback

Shortcoming

Advantages

Efficient

Less expensive

Easy to create and administer

Diverse uses

Disadvantages

Subject to nonresponse bias

May be poorly designed

Limited answer choices can influence results

Subject to social desirability bias

6. Interview Methods/ Types

The interview method in psychology is a data collection technique where a researcher

engages in direct conversation with individuals to gather information about their thoughts,
experiences, and behaviors. It involves asking structured or open-ended questions to elicit
responses that can provide insights into various psychological phenomena. Interviews can be
used in clinical assessments, research studies, and therapeutic settings, allowing for in-depth
exploration of topics and the subjective experiences of individuals.

structured interview

A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of

prepared closed-ended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which he/she reads out
exactly as worded.

Unstructured interview

Unstructured interviews do not use any set questions, instead, the interviewer asks open-
ended questions based on a specific research topic, and will try to let the interview flow like a
natural conversation. The interviewer modifies his or her questions to suit the candidate’s
specific experiences.
Semi-structured

Semi-structured interviews lie between structured and unstructured interviews. The

interviewer prepares a set of same questions to be answered by all interviewees. Additional
questions might be asked during the interview to clarify or expand certain issues.

Group Interview

It is a qualitative approach where a group of respondents are interviewed together, used to

gain an in‐depth understanding of social issues.