Research Methods in Psychology

Psychologists use a variety of research methods and tools to learn about behavior and mental processes. The goal of this book is to introduce students to the “multimethod approach” to research in psychology, including observational, survey, and experimental methods. Students learn the strengths and weaknesses of each method, as well as ethical dilemmas when using them, so that they can become competent practitioners and thoughtful consumers of psychological research. Our approach is to engage students in the research process by describing contemporary research in psychology. Students learn about recent topics such as online dating and Facebook, cross-cultural observations of helping behavior, PTSD in orphaned chimpanzees, Medicaid and Medicare health outcomes, decision-making during Hurricane Katrina, clinical research and DSM-5, and much more. Each chapter's “stretching exercises,” “stat tips,” review questions, and challenge questions develop students' critical thinking about the psychological research that appears in scientific journals and in popular media. Together with the companion Online Learning Center for students, the 10th edition of Research Methods in Psychology provides a clearly written, compelling introduction to research methods in psychology. Instructors and students can now access their course content through the Connect digital learning platform by purchasing either standalone Connect access or a bundle of print and Connect access. McGraw-Hill Connect® is a subscription-based learning service accessible online through your personal computer or tablet. Choose this option if your instructor will require Connect to be used in the course. Your subscription to Connect includes the following: • SmartBook® - an adaptive digital version of the course textbook that personalizes your reading experience based on how well you are learning the content. • Access to your instructor’s homework assignments, quizzes, syllabus, notes, reminders, and other important files for the course. • Progress dashboards that quickly show how you are performing on your assignments and tips for improvement. • The option to purchase (for a small fee) a print version of the book. This binder-ready, loose-leaf version includes free shipping. Complete system requirements to use Connect can be found here: http://www.mheducation.com/highered/platforms/connect/training-support-students.html

Table of Contents:
Brief ContentsPreface PART IGeneral Issues 1 Introduction 2 The Scientific Method 3 Ethical Issues in the Conduct of Psychological Research PART IIDescriptive Methods 4 Observation 5 Survey Research PART IIIExperimental Methods 6 Independent Groups Designs 7 Repeated Measures Designs 8 Complex Designs PART IVApplied Research 9 Single-Case Designs and Small-n Research 10 Quasi-Experimental Designs and Program Evaluation PART VAnalyzing and Reporting Research 11 Data Analysis and Interpretation: Part I. Describing Data, Confidence Intervals, Correlation 12 Data Analysis and Interpretation: Part II. Tests of Statistical Significance and the Analysis Story 13 Communication in Psychology Appendix Statistical Tables Glossary References Credits Name Index Subject Index

About the Author :
John J. Shaughnessy is a Professor of Psychology at Hope College, a relatively small, select, undergraduate liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan. After completing the B.S. degree at Loyola University of Chicago in 1969, he received his Ph.D. in 1972 from Northwestern University. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Society whose recent research has focused on practical aspects of memory. He is coauthor, with Benton J. Underwood, of Experimentation in Psychology (Wiley, 1975). He was selected by students in 1992 as the Hope Outstanding Professor Educator. He has served as chairperson of the psychology department and as a mentor in the College's Faculty Development Program for younger faculty. Eugene B. Zechmeister is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago, a large metropolitan university where he taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. For many years at Loyola he was the Undergraduate Program Director in Psychology. Professor Zechmeister completed his B.A. in 1966 at the University of New Mexico. He later received both his M.S. (1968) and Ph.D. (1970) from Northwestern University. Professor Zechmeister has authored books on human memory, critical thinking, and statistics, as well as research methods in psychology. He has been a Fellow of both the American Psychological Association (Divisions 1,2, and 3) and the Association for Psychological Science. In 1994, he was awarded the Loyola University Sujack Award for Teaching Excellence in the College of Arts and Sciences. He currently lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Jeanne S. Zechmeister was an Associate Professor of Psychology at Loyola University of Chicago, where she taught undergraduate and graduate courses in research methodology since 1990. Professor Zechmeister completed her B.A. at University of Wisconsin-Madison (1983) and her M.S. (1988) and Ph.D. (1990) in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern University. Her research focused on psychological processes associated with forgiveness. Her effectiveness as a teacher is evidenced by her many years of high teacher ratings and by her being identified consistently each year by graduating seniors as one of their best teachers at Loyola. She has co-authored, with J.J. Shaughnessy and E.B. Zechmeister, the Research Methods in Psychology text since its 5th edition (McGraw-Hill, 2000, 2003, 2006) and Essentials of Research Methods in Psychology (McGraw-Hill, 2001). Dr. Zechmeister now writes professionally in Santa Fe, New Mexico.