Research methods
Brain and Behaviour
Knowledge para:
● In the study of the human brain and its effect on our behaviour, it is important to
understand the individual functions associated with the brain. To understand how the
brain contributes to our behaviour, psychologists employ various methods to
research and study the brain’s functions in depth. Various types of research take
place, including experimental, correlational and observational research. For the most
part, the field of psychology studying brain and behaviour often utilise experiments
-these include an independent and dependent variable. In other words, the outcome
of an experiment is intended to highlight a relationship between two variables (the
effect of one on the other).
● Natural experiments: when the independent variable is naturally occurring and the
researchers do not manipulate it for the sake of the study. In natural experiments,
psychologists strive to investigate a relationship between a natural phenomenon in
relation to the brain, and how this affects one’s behaviour.
● Meanwhile in lab experiments, even though there are IVs and DV, these are
manipulated by researchers in highly controlled lab environments. Lab experiments
take place in front of the researchers who create an independent variable as
opposed to something that exists naturally.
Study 1: Maguire (2000)
● Maguire conducted a study to investigate whether the brain’s physical structure in
taxi drivers is different in comparison to those non-taxi drivers. Neuroplasticity.
Evaluation:
● Double-blind study, meaning that there is less scope for biassed interpretations on
both researcher and participants ends.
● As a natural experiment, there is scope for many individual differences which may be
problematic. However, the study established a decent correlation.
● Low internal validity - because of the heavy role of external factors, it is difficult to
attribute all findings solely because of taxi driving experience.
Study 2: Antonova et al (2003)
● Scopolamine as an acetylcholine inhibitor.
● Virtual reality maze game, where participants were either exposed to the
scopolamine condition or the control condition.
Evaluation:
● Highly controlled environment, meaning that there is a question of ecological validity.
This means that it is difficult to generalise the findings in a real-life context outside of
lab conditions
, ● Exposed to unnaturally high levels of scopolamine which may have led to symptoms,
and may have caused participants to guess the aim and purpose of the study. Even if
they don’t know scopolamine’s effects exactly, they might distort their performance,
with a bias in mind.
Hormones and Pheromones:
Knowledge para:
● Research methods are essential to understand holistically the biological approach of
human psychology. This includes several sub-components including the physical
functions of the brain on behaviour, but also chemical messengers such as hormones
and pheromones. Hormones are chemical messengers secreted in the bloodstream
that help metabolic processes such as puberty….
● In the study of hormones and pheromones, psychologists usually conduct
experiments to measure and obtain a causal relationship between these chemical
messengers and human behaviour. In other words, experiments are the most
common research methods in the study of human hormones and potential
pheromones.
● In experiments, there is often a variable that is manipulated -whether naturally or by
the researchers. This helps to establish a causal relationship between the dependent
and independent variables. Types include lab experiments (like Kosfeld et al) where
the researcher manipulates the IV under highly controlled conditions. Wedekind et al
(1995) was a quasi experiment, where the participants were not assigned to any
groups, but rather they were asked to seek an attractive smell (this is dependent on
the natural genetic makeup) so the variable is naturally occurring.
Study 1: Kosfeld et al (2005)
● Oxytocin on interpersonal trust.
● Investor game with trustee and investor. Results showed that participants showed
higher rates of interpersonal trust when exposed to oxytocin rather in the control
groups
Critical thinking:
● Lab experiments: the highly controlled environment means there is less scope for
extraneous variables. However, it also means that the ecological validity is quite low.
● Injected with higher than usual levels of oxytocin - which could cause demand
characteristics, or cause participants to distort their results purposefully.
● Individual differences, social desirability bias
Study 2: Wedekind et al (1995)
● Sweaty t-shirt study
Critical thinking:
● Limited control of the experiment
● Lots of scope for social desirability bias and demand characteristics
● Individual differences,
Brain and Behaviour
Knowledge para:
● In the study of the human brain and its effect on our behaviour, it is important to
understand the individual functions associated with the brain. To understand how the
brain contributes to our behaviour, psychologists employ various methods to
research and study the brain’s functions in depth. Various types of research take
place, including experimental, correlational and observational research. For the most
part, the field of psychology studying brain and behaviour often utilise experiments
-these include an independent and dependent variable. In other words, the outcome
of an experiment is intended to highlight a relationship between two variables (the
effect of one on the other).
● Natural experiments: when the independent variable is naturally occurring and the
researchers do not manipulate it for the sake of the study. In natural experiments,
psychologists strive to investigate a relationship between a natural phenomenon in
relation to the brain, and how this affects one’s behaviour.
● Meanwhile in lab experiments, even though there are IVs and DV, these are
manipulated by researchers in highly controlled lab environments. Lab experiments
take place in front of the researchers who create an independent variable as
opposed to something that exists naturally.
Study 1: Maguire (2000)
● Maguire conducted a study to investigate whether the brain’s physical structure in
taxi drivers is different in comparison to those non-taxi drivers. Neuroplasticity.
Evaluation:
● Double-blind study, meaning that there is less scope for biassed interpretations on
both researcher and participants ends.
● As a natural experiment, there is scope for many individual differences which may be
problematic. However, the study established a decent correlation.
● Low internal validity - because of the heavy role of external factors, it is difficult to
attribute all findings solely because of taxi driving experience.
Study 2: Antonova et al (2003)
● Scopolamine as an acetylcholine inhibitor.
● Virtual reality maze game, where participants were either exposed to the
scopolamine condition or the control condition.
Evaluation:
● Highly controlled environment, meaning that there is a question of ecological validity.
This means that it is difficult to generalise the findings in a real-life context outside of
lab conditions
, ● Exposed to unnaturally high levels of scopolamine which may have led to symptoms,
and may have caused participants to guess the aim and purpose of the study. Even if
they don’t know scopolamine’s effects exactly, they might distort their performance,
with a bias in mind.
Hormones and Pheromones:
Knowledge para:
● Research methods are essential to understand holistically the biological approach of
human psychology. This includes several sub-components including the physical
functions of the brain on behaviour, but also chemical messengers such as hormones
and pheromones. Hormones are chemical messengers secreted in the bloodstream
that help metabolic processes such as puberty….
● In the study of hormones and pheromones, psychologists usually conduct
experiments to measure and obtain a causal relationship between these chemical
messengers and human behaviour. In other words, experiments are the most
common research methods in the study of human hormones and potential
pheromones.
● In experiments, there is often a variable that is manipulated -whether naturally or by
the researchers. This helps to establish a causal relationship between the dependent
and independent variables. Types include lab experiments (like Kosfeld et al) where
the researcher manipulates the IV under highly controlled conditions. Wedekind et al
(1995) was a quasi experiment, where the participants were not assigned to any
groups, but rather they were asked to seek an attractive smell (this is dependent on
the natural genetic makeup) so the variable is naturally occurring.
Study 1: Kosfeld et al (2005)
● Oxytocin on interpersonal trust.
● Investor game with trustee and investor. Results showed that participants showed
higher rates of interpersonal trust when exposed to oxytocin rather in the control
groups
Critical thinking:
● Lab experiments: the highly controlled environment means there is less scope for
extraneous variables. However, it also means that the ecological validity is quite low.
● Injected with higher than usual levels of oxytocin - which could cause demand
characteristics, or cause participants to distort their results purposefully.
● Individual differences, social desirability bias
Study 2: Wedekind et al (1995)
● Sweaty t-shirt study
Critical thinking:
● Limited control of the experiment
● Lots of scope for social desirability bias and demand characteristics
● Individual differences,
