ERIC Number: ED669352
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: N/A
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-4739-5034-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 2014-01-01
A Quasi-Experimental Study: Using Mythbusters to Understand Research in Psychology. Sage Research Methods Cases Part 1
Angela M. Sikorski
Sage Research Methods Cases
Experimental Psychology is a required course for psychology majors at Texas A&M University--Texarkana. This course is designed to familiarize students with the typical methods and techniques employed in psychological research. I believe that to fully understand research one must experience it, so I incorporated an in-class experiment designed to provide students with a firsthand account of how to conduct research in psychology. In this experiment, students were to use a two-point discrimination test to determine which body parts were most sensitive to touch. In spring 2013, I replaced the two-point threshold study with a "Mythbusters" module. This module begins with students critiquing an episode of "Mythbusters" that tests whether there is a difference between men and women with regard to pain tolerance. After discussing the study's strengths and limitations, the class develops a new-and-improved version of the study, which is conducted using a sample of friends and family. Following data analysis, the students write a manuscript of the study. The following case describes this research module in detail and how it is used to demonstrate a variety of aspects related to empirically based psychological research. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book.]
Descriptors: Experimental Psychology, Psychological Studies, Research Methodology, Electronic Learning, Science Experiments, Pain, Gender Differences, Student Developed Materials, Active Learning, Student Attitudes
Sage Research Methods Cases. 2455 Teller Road Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; Web site: https://methods-sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/Cases
Publication Type: Books; Non-Print Media; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A