Methods of Study in Psychology

Methods of Data Gathering in Psychology

1.Experiment

The experiment is the most useful of all scientific methods because most of the basic facts in psychology are supplied by the results of experimental studies. This method is generally done in a laboratory setting involving many controlled variables.

Socio-experiment -> mostly used studies related to social Psychology. This is an experiment that is conducted in the natural environment instead of a laboratory

2.Survey

This is the most common method. There are two tools a researcher can use in a survey method – questionnaire and interview.

The questionnaire is best used when study requires many respondents. This saves you more time.

The interview is used when the no. of respondents is just small. Interview is also used when respondents cannot read or write.

3.Case Histories and Clinical Studies

This method is used when an intensive investigation about a certain case is needed. In this method, the researcher has to dig into all sorts of records about the subject including hospital, educational, family background and all other necessary data.

4.Observation

Two kinds of Observation method

+Participant Observation

The researcher has to join the group under study in order to gather deeper and more intensive data.

+Non-Participant Observation / Naturalistic Observation

The researcher is just a plain observer. Oftentimes, the subjects do not know that they are under study.

5. Test Method

This method uses Psychological Test as its instrument.

Examples of Psychological Test are:

– IQ Test
-Problem Checklist
-Aptitude Test
-Free Association Technique -> used to study patients with mental problems
-Study Habit Checklist