Social Research Methods
social research methods
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Research Methods In Psychology
Psychology is commonly defined as a branch of science that entails the study of behaviors and mental process that aims to describe and explain aspects of human nature, that is, thoughts, approach, perceptions and also actions. Typically the goals of psychology are profoundly depicted as mechanisms of the body, thus this procedure involves, describing, controlling and predicting. basically, in order to understand this processes, diverse studies have been developed with the initial procedure being the introduction of a theory, in this branch of science, a theory is generally defined as a systematic principle or a set of general principles that attempts to define and explain how various differing facts are associated, it is from this genesis that we understand that, theories are logically employed either to assist researchers to put more facts in a broad frame work or organize facts, forecast new facts or equally allow a degree of charge over a given situation. From that angle scholars have attempted to understand the concept of psychology through elaborate and diverse research which involves varied perceptions and approaches (Leon, 2000).
For instance, among the many research methods commonly applied is the experimental method, this method is generally used where researchers randomly give participants to cell groups while controlling all prevailing conditions despite the independent variables, whereby, later, they are manipulated in order to determine their casual and general effect on behavior evaluated, that is, the dependent variable in the given experiment. Thus the purpose of experimental method is typically depicted as a way of determining what causes a given behavior, for example what causes anxiety.
In this method, it is prevalent that the common approach tends to rely more on cause and effect relationship between diverse variables, thus it is intended to test a hypothesis. Unlike in correlation method, experimental procedure is marred by diverse problems which include which are exposed through such procedures as selection bias experimenter bias, placebo effect as well as double-blind effect (Abbas, 2005). However, despite such challenges there are also important and highly crucial advantages of using this procedure and they include ability to disclose cause and effect relationship, while ruling out other incidental factors, but despite that the principal disadvantage include laboratory locale may restrain natural behavior; findings may not simplify to actual world; likely for unethical or impractical experiment.
While contrasting, experimental with correlation method, it is prevalent that, there is a significant difference between the two, this is evidenced by the fact that, while experimental relied more on cause and effects, correlational methods is more anchored on discovering relationships, the advantage of this procedure is depicted in that it can be employed in three distinctive levels, which involves, a positive correlation, a negative correlation, and no correlation. The advantages of this research method may include, it can be used to determine random samples, get the actual behavior, and too, it has a good external validity and equally probable potential for diverse variables.
Comparing the two, both methods have their distinct advantages over the other, though the correlational method seems to be more workable than experimental. However, when we consider that psychology as a science relies more on empirical studies, correlation approach becomes the better option of the two. All in all, on more technical approach, correlational approach cannot determine or reflect on cause and effect where it has been used or is being intended to be used.
Thus correlational method though good and reliable as a tool of research it’s predominately restricted, therefore it cannot be used to prove that one variables cause a change to the other. Simply put, this method does not come to causation. It has been established that a correlational research may paint a picture of a relationship between two diverse variables, for instance, business success and self esteem, but it cannot indicate or show if business success increases or decreases self esteem. Likewise other variables such employment, personality, social –economic factors as well as cognitive abilities may play a pivotal role in the way correlational procedure provides the anticipate results ( Kuria,1999).
Reflecting on the above stated procedures it is paramount to understand that, each procedure has got its share of importance, given that, psychology depends more on empirical methods for its diverse and dissimilar studies. Therefore, it is important to understand that each and every given research demands a specific procedural method, hence, the two cannot cover each and every sphere of psychology but they provide a concise destiny in determining specific attitudes or behavioral changes.
About the Author
The author Linda Miller has academic writing experience of over ten years. She holds a PHD in education from Harvard. She has been assisting students in writing professional academic papers including thesis, dissertations, research papers and term papers. braviaresearchpapers.com
Social work research and its importance.Discuss social work practice and its significance?
Social research method is one of the important methods of social work, discuss the importance of social research method and it significance to social work practice
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Social research refers to research conducted by social scientists (primarily within sociology, but also within other disciplines such as social policy, human geography, political science, social anthropology and education. Sociologists and other social scientists study diverse things: from census data on hundreds thousands of human beings, through the in-depth analysis of a life of a single important person to monitoring what is happening on a streets today - or what was happening few hundreds years ago.
Social scientists use many different methods in order to describe, explore and understand social life. Social methods can generally be subdivided into two broad categories. Quantitative methods are concerned with attempts to quantify social phenomena and collect and analyse numerical data, and focus on the links among a smaller number of attributes across many cases. Qualitative methods, on the other hand, emphasise personal experiences and interpretation over quantification, are more concerned with understanding the meaning of social phenomena and focus on links among a larger number of attributes across relatively few cases. While very different in many aspects, both qualitative and quantitative approaches involve a systematic interaction between theories and data.
Common tools of quantitative researchers include surveys, questionnaires, and secondary analysis of statistical data that has been gathered for other purposes (for example, censuses or the results of social attitudes surveys). Commonly used qualitative methods include focus groups, participant observation, and other techniques.
Alan Bryman on Research Methods
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