Vocabulary

to accomplish a goal = to achieve an aim – достичь цели

consistency – логичность, непротиворечивость

survey - опрос

to generate data – собрать данные

to confirm or to refute the hypothesis – подтвердить или

опровергнуть гипотезу

questionnaire - анкетирование

insight – понимание сущности

to put forth – выдвигать

integrity - целостность

dignity - достоинство

collaboration - сотрудничество

to run counter – идти вразрез

widely accepted beliefs – общепринятые воззрения

Psychological research is intended to accomplish one or more of three basic goals: to describe behaviour, to explain behaviour and to predict the circumstances in which behaviour might occur again (different goals including studying behaviour.) The psychologist must use scientific methods to achieve these aims. Scientific method is a systematic, organized series of steps that ensures maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a problem.

A key element in scientific method is planning. There are five basic steps in scientific method that researchers follow in developing useful research. These are: defining the problem, reviewing the literature, formulating the hypothesis, collecting and analyzing data, developing the conclusion.

An important aspect of psychological research is the decision as to how data should be collected.Psychologistsregularly use experiments, observations, surveys and case-study to generate data for their research.

An experiment is an artificially created situation that allows the researcher either to confirm or to refute the hypothesis under study. In the classic method of conducting an experiment, two groups of people are selected and compared:the experimental group which is exposed to the experiment andthe control group which is not.

Observation is a research technique in which an investigator collects information through direct observation of a person or a group under study.

A survey is an attempt to estimate the opinions, characteristics, or behaviour of a particular population by investigation of a representative sample. Interviews, questionnaires, or public records may provide the information of interest.

A case study, or in-depth analysis of an individual, can provide a wealth of information about psychological phenomena. Case studies are particularly useful when the phenomena of interest occur in only a small number of people.

For many questions about human behaviour there is no "best" research method. Each approach has its own advantages and limitations, so using several together can provide the fullest insights into how, when and why the behaviour occurs.

Most psychological research uses people as sources of information — as respondents to survey questions, participants in experiments or subjects of observation. That is why in conducting research psychologists must abide by the code of ethics that puts forth the following basic principles:

1. Maintain objectivity and integrity in research.

2. Respect the subject's right to privacy and dignity.

3. Protect subjects from personal harm.

4. Preserve confidentiality.

5. Acknowledge research collaboration and assistance.

The ethical considerations of psychologists lie not only in the methods used, but in the way the results are interpreted. Under no condition can a researcher allow his or her personal feelings to influence the interpretation of data. Investigators have an ethical obligation to accept research findings even when the data run counter to their own personal views, to theoretically based explanations, or to widely accepted beliefs.