Chapter 2 Methods of Enquiry in Psychology | class 11th | ncert quick revision notes psychology

Methods of Enquiry in Psychology: Goals

Description

• The description requires recording a particular behaviour and describing it accurately so as to attain a comprehensive understanding of the same
• For example, morning habits may have a diverse range of behaviours like reading positive literature, meditation, exercise, journaling etc.

Prediction

• It is the second goal of psychological enquiry 
• Here we attempt to understand the relationship between the behaviour we are describing with the other types of behaviour.

Explanation

• It is the third goal of psychological enquiry
• It attempts to explain the causal factors of behaviour and attain an understanding of the conditions in which the behaviour occurs or not.

Control

• It is the fourth goal of psychological inquiry
• It focuses on three things
  • Making a particular behaviour happen
  • Reducing it
  • Enhancing it

Application 

• It is the fifth goal of psychological enquiry
• focuses on bringing out a positive change in people’s lives 

Steps in Conducting a Scientific Research

Conceptualizing a problem

• It is the first step of conducting a scientific research
• The researcher selects a topic for study which is done on basis of either review of past research, observations, personal experience

Identification of problem

• It is the second step of scientific research
• Development of a tentative statement about the topic takes place which is termed a hypothesis
• For example, “ greater is the amount of time spent by children in playing violent video games, the greater is the degree of impatience and anger developed by them”

Collection of data

• This step focuses on developing a research design or blueprint of the entire study.
• Decisions are taken about the following
  • Participants in the study
  • Methods of study
  • Tools to be used in research
  • Procedure for data collection

Drawing conclusions

• The next step of scientific research is to analyse data through statistical procedures
• It can be achieved through  measures of central tendency like mean, median, mode and graphical presentations like pie charts, bar diagram

Revising research conclusions

• The researcher revises the whole study and the hypothesis being taken is analysed thoroughly to see whether it stands true or not