Research Methods in Psychology

A group of participants is brought into a controlled room designed to resemble a living room. They are observed through one-way glass to see how they interact with unfamiliar people under the influence of mild stress, like time-limited puzzles.

• naturalistic observation

• laboratory observation

• case study

• experimental design

A clinical psychologist performs an in-depth study of a patient who has experienced a rare type of amnesia, documenting the patient’s symptoms, life history, and how their condition affects daily functioning over time.

• case study

• correlational research

• naturalistic obvervation

• experimental design

A researcher observes people in a shopping mall food court, noting how frequently people choose to sit at tables occupied by strangers. The goal is to understand spontaneous social behavior in public spaces.

• correlational research

• survey

• laboratory observation

• naturalistic observation

A psychologist distributes a questionnaire to high school students asking about their levels of anxiety before exams. The questions also ask about study habits and sleep patterns to identify any common trends in responses.

• experimental desgin

• survey

• correlational study

• naturalistic observation

Researchers collect data on the number of hours college students spend on social media per week and their reported levels of loneliness. They then analyze the data between social media use and loneliness to determine if a relationship exists.

• naturalistic observation

• experimental design

• correlational study

• case study

A psychologist investigates the effect of caffeine on memory performance by randomly assigning participants to two groups: one group consumes a cup of coffee before a memory test, while the other group drinks decaf. Memory scores are then compared between the groups.

• experimental design

• case study

• survey

• naturalistic observation

A researcher conducts a detailed investigation on a child who has been diagnosed with a rare language disorder, focusing on developmental milestones, treatment interventions, and progress over time.

• survey

• naturalistic observation

• experimental design

• case study

A mental health organization calls employees in various industries and asks about their job satisfaction, work-life balance, and mental well-being to determine if there are industry-wide trends.

• correlational study

• survey

• laboratory observation

• experimental design

A psychologist gathers data on the level of parental involvement in their children’s education and the children's academic performance, analyzing whether the variables are connected in any way.

• naturalistic observation

• correlational study

• survey

• case study

Researchers observe children in a playground to study how often aggressive behaviors, like pushing or hitting, occur when there are no adults present compared to when adults are supervising.

• case study

• survey

• naturalistic observation

• correlational study