Methods And Ethics In Psychology Experiments: Evaluate And Show Understanding

Range of Research Methods in Psychology

Methods And Ethics In Psychology Experiments Evaluate And Show Understanding

While carrying out research practices, it is necessary to keep a keen eye that the research is being conducted within proper guidelines and no harm to the participants and the environment is contributed. Following certain guidelines and maintaining precautions while doing so, is termed as ethics and performing research in such a method is called as ethical working. In Great Britain, the British Psychological Society maintains such ethical guidelines. The main priority of forming such guideline is to protect the reputation of the Psycological society in Britain.

The range of research in the field of psychology usually focuses on the behavior of organisms more broadly. However, the behaviors can be related to abnormal psychology, acts of health science psychology, cognitive psychology, psychology related to comparative studies and social psychology.

Moreover, there stand the methods for research based on which the lab or the field experiments in psychology are performed. The research methods followed while performing lab research are controlled environment with the proper and exact measurement of the required materials and with reasonable objectives. Moreover, in the case of laboratory experiments processes are standardised. On the other hand, field experiments take place regularly for a certain period with an artificial setup. However, the field experiments deal with real life subjects in consideration, and several manipulations do prevail in such cases (Smith., 2015).

The researches in the field of psychology can begin with studies regarding cases, certain behavioral surveys and observations based on laboratory and naturalistic experiments. However, a GRAVE model of generalizability, reliability, application, viability and ethic can be set down to start research in the field of psychology (Reavey., 2012).

Generalisability defines that the sample selected for the study out of a population of a community represents the community at its true values.

Reliability shows that the methods undertaken for the completion of the research are consistent enough and can be considered again to replicate the experiment.

Applications show the practical and real world usage of the research that is being performed. Upon doing so, it shows that the research can be replicated and can be reviewed by anyone following the procedures.

The validity of research shows the relevance of the research with the data collected for its evaluation and thus proves that the research done so is a genuine one.

Finally, ethics ensures the wellbeing of all the participants associated with the research.

Ethical guidelines are formed to state certain factors which the field of research demands. The ethical working ensures; open-minded discussion regarding intellectual property, keeping individuals conscious about their roles and their colleagues, following norms while performing research such as animal protection acts and other acts to prevent environment.

In addition, it also ensures confidentiality, professional working and privacy during the research until it is published and holds certain ethical resources to proofread, that the processes had been performed ethically without violating any norms and policies (Wasserman., 2013).

Conclusion

Therefore, the article concludes the possible range of researches in the field of psychology and also how they can be managed properly with the help of GRAVE theory.

In addition, the article focuses on the ethical guidelines one can put efforts on to maintain and work by the policies of the governing bodies.

References

Reavey, P. ed., 2012. Visual methods in psychology: Using and interpreting images in qualitative research. Routledge.

Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.

Wasserman, R., 2013. Ethical issues and guidelines for conducting data analysis in psychological research. Ethics & behavior, 23(1), pp.3-15.