Conducting Psychology

Research in the Real

World
[Professor Name]
[Class and Section Number]

Lets get started!

Do children like
sweets more
than adults like
sweets?

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Research in the Real

World

Experimentation in the laboratory occurs, socially speaking, on an

island quite isolated from the life of society
- Kurt Lewin

Research in the Real

World
Limitations of Experimental
Research?
Ethical
Practical/Logical
Realistic

Research in the Real

World

Internal Validity - The degree to which a

cause-effect relationship between two
variables has been unambiguously
established, or the degree to which a study
allows unambiguous causal inferences.

Research in the Real

World

External Validity - The degree to which a

study ensures that potential findings apply
to settings and samples other than the
ones being studied.

Research in the Real

World
Ecological Validity - The degree to which
an effect has been obtained under
conditions that are typical for what
happens in everyday life.

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Studying Daily
Experiences

Location - Where are you now?

Social Environment - Who are you with?
Activity - What are you currently doing?
Experiences - How are you feeling?

Studying Daily Experiences:

Two Examples

Study 1

Study 2

Studying Daily
Experiences
Day Reconstruction Method (DRM)
Participants report experiences of a given
day by systematically reconstructing a
day.

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Studying Daily Behaviors

Electronic Activated Recorder (EAR)

Studying Daily Behaviors

Other ways of studying daily
behaviors?
Time-lapse photography
Observing personal & professional
spaces
Garbage

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Studying Daily
Physiology

Studying Daily
Physiology

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Studying Online Behavior

Studying Online Behavior

Overview

Research in the Real World

Studying Daily Experiences
Studying Daily Behavior
Studying Daily Physiology
Studying Online Behavior
Smartphone Psychology

Smartphone
Psychology

1. Store vast amounts of real-world

data
2. Track physical and social context

Appendix A:
Physiological Symptoms of
Anxiety
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Pounding heart
Sweating
Stomach upset or dizziness
Frequent urination or
diarrhea
Shortness of breath
Tremors and twitches
Muscle tension
Headaches
Fatigue

Appendix B:
A Survey: Psychology of Attraction

Experiment 1
Indicate if you think that this person is
attractive (we are going for objective good
looks, so rate everyone)
A = Yes, very attractive
B = Yes, somewhat attractive
C = Neither Attractive no Unattractive
D = No, somewhat unattractive
E = No, very unattractive

Hot or Not?

#1

Hot or Not?

#2

Hot or Not?

#3

Hot or Not?

#4

Hot or Not?

#5

Hot or Not?

#6

What did you notice?

Celebrities
Quality of photos
Gender

Experiment 2
Indicate if you think that this person is
attractive (we are going for objective good
looks, so rate everyone)
A = Yes, very attractive
B = Yes, somewhat attractive
C = Neither Attractive no Unattractive
D = No, somewhat unattractive
E = No, very unattractive

Hot or Not?

#1

Hot or Not?

#2

Hot or Not?

#3

Hot or Not?

#4

Hot or Not?

#5

What did you notice?

Contrast & ordering effects
Personality

Photo Attribution
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