Emma Young

Professor McCatty
Psych 100
10/1/15
Unit Three
There are different types of ways for studying the psychology of people. One of these
ways is the laboratory experiments, where cause and effect are easily separated. This may also be
faulty because there are so many factors in the outside world that have an effect on the way we
think and choose things. This is why research along with studies is so important. Combining the
information gives us a better view point of what is actually happening. There needs to be internal
and external validity. Internal meaning that the study is correct within the laboratory. External
validity meaning, that there is more that can be expanded upon in this subject area of study.
Studies need to be as close to the real world as possible. Internal validity is usually valued over
external. Field research shows the importance of other factors on a study. Ecological validity is
used to tell that the study is very close to everyday life.
Researchers can use five ways to collect data. These are, to sample daily behavior,
sample daily physiology, sampling online behavior, collect smartphone data, and sampling daily
experiences. Studying the daily experiences is taking peoples account of what is happening in
the moment. Questions for this include: where you are, how you feel, what you are doing.
Technology has made the process of collecting this data more efficiently and valid. Data
becomes more generalizable with technologys preciseness. The electronic activated recorder
helps observe the daily behavior of people. Time lapsed photography has the same idea, just in a
different form of media. Researchers like to see how the insides of our bodies handle outside

factors. Many have tried to study what makes the human heart go faster. Doctors will test for
high blood pressure, and may only find those results because of white coat hypertension. Sweat
responses, body temperature, and blood pressure are all markers of a physiological change.
Scientists use the technology to look to the future as well.
Studies of the human mind are more than just what you see, its what you observe. Tests
can come in questionnaires to grasp concepts. The placebo effect is when a person knows what
the results are supposed to show and begins to show those results. Longitudinal studies show
over time the same people under the same hypothesis. This may include a week trial with ten
people. Surveys simply ask questions on ideas or morals. Each research method has pros and
cons, you just need to consider which on to use and why when studying on your own.
Data is everywhere in the world today. Our responsibility as humans is to decide which is
relevant to each of us. When looking at a survey, look for consistency. Generalizations can lead
to false information. Although five infants out of the ten tested died, we do not necessarily know
if half of the babies will die from home birth. We do not know the other circumstances around
those babies, or if they all had something else in common. We need to be careful in our thinking
of whether statistics are right or wrong. Conclusions of data may just be random and have no
meaning. We need to understand that. (WC: 534)

I thought it was interesting how scientists have evolved with the times. Now
psychologists use apps and phones to measure data. I also thought that the fact that researchers
have to be very stealthy when experimenting was cool. They have to play mind games on people
to get results that are real, instead of ones that people think they need to give. Also, be wary of
percentages and information. Check your facts and validity!