Examine And Assess The Role Of Different Research Methods In Advancing Psychological Knowledge.

The human mind is considered to be the origin of everything that is our very beings (thoughts, feelings and behaviour) individually and collectively as a society. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind that uses a variety of methods to investigate scientific wonders of an almost endlessly vast range, such as: obedience, memory, emotion, communication, personality, intelligence, development and so forth. This essay aims to address the role of different research methods used in advancing our psychological knowledge of the mystery known as the human psyche. It will provide an examination and evaluation of the effectiveness of some of the techniques and methods employed by psychologists to answer questions to help advance our scientific understanding.

Modern psychology is a highly respected area of science and as such it attempts to describe, decipher, interpret, hypothesise, record, readjust and improve all manner of behavioural features. Psychology has managed to categorise any collected data into two categories: qualitative and quantitative data. The differences between these two types of data is in their names one is based on quality data (descri ptive and not generally measured using numerical figures) and one is based on quantity data (is generally measured using numerical figures).

A lot of what psychology is about involves addressing the question: why do we do the things we do? So how can we use the qualitative and quantitative data obtained through investigative approaches to obtain the best results from the data procured. With this in mind numerous different methods have had to have been devised in order to obtain these answers from such a broad spectrum. The historical (case-study) approach relies on the research and analysis of previous data obtained from suitably, applicable studies. It cannot be manipulated by variables all it can do is provide insight into original studies and future theories, hypotheses and experiments. Pierre Paul Broca used this method to help develop his studies into what is known as Broca`s aphasia. After observing speech impairment in some of his patients and by then researching into the previous `Phrenology` work of Franz Joseph Gall and two of Broca`s previous mentors, he found a connection between speech and an area of the frontal lobe in the left hemisphere now named Broca`s area (Toates, 2010).

Due to new advances in biological science, neurology has developed new techniques and apparatus to investigate biological matters of the mind. For example it has led to neurologists re-analysing the brain of Mr Leborgne (a former patient of Broca) using MRI scans (magnetic resonance imaging) to provide more accurate data of the damage to the patients brain they were trying to understand how the amount of damage to his left hemisphere relates to his documented symptoms of speech impairment and right-sided paraplegia (Toates, 2010). Historical case-studies like these help us advance our knowledge by providing us foundations to make our hypotheses and design our experiments on.

The observational method, like the historical approach, generally doesn`t require any manipulation of variables either. This method observes and records behaviour in an objective manner and the absence of an independent variable helps to prevent the interference of cause and effect on any conclusions being drawn from the results.

Ethnography is the observation of living creatures in their natural, surrounding habitat. It enables the researcher to infiltrate a target groups natural environment anonymously so that uninhibited behaviour can be observed providing data of a more descri ptive, qualitative nature. William Corsaro was interested in how children talk to each other and believed that research on children`s friendships should focus on observing children`s individual understandings of the word `friend` and how it makes them behave and communicate with each other. He witnessed young children giving verbal reassurance to their `companions` during times of play (with other children) and found that even 3 year old children seemed to have the basic concepts of loyalty, jealousy, empathy and reassurance. (Brownlow, 2010). Observation in this way provides an ability to witness and analyse this pure form of data that no other method offers. If these children were removed from their natural habitat to a clinical laboratory, it would be uncertain that the data would be as accurate due to children`s possible anxieties and .

Knowledge can be gained by observing a sample without interference or bias, to try and locate the exact thing that we may be looking for. Like the historical approach this also provides us with a foundation to develop theories and further experiments. Again Corsaro provided further thought provoking data into the development of children`s friendships. He identified, through this form of observation, just how complicated the development of friendship can be and advised that young children define each other as friends simply by playing together (Brownlow, 2010). This helps us to analyse how particular individuals and groups behave when certain situations occur, depending on who we are studying.

Questionnaires are suitable for gathering quantitative data and as such are the preferred method for procuring large amounts of data in a fairly short space of time, as alternative methods can prove quite time consuming. Questionnaires are also popular because they are quite easy to administer to a limitless amount of experimental participants, are a good method of collecting measurable data and are also reasonably economical. This is demonstrated by the F-scale study which was administered to over 2000 respondents simultaneously by Adorno et al. (McAvoy, 2010).

With scales, however, instead of enquiring as to whether you like something, it would enquire as to the extent you like something and would then measure it against a structured scale. The F-scale calculated individual participants levels of agreement, matched them with a corresponding numerical score, added them together over 200 statements and averaged them to produce a final score (McAvoy, 2010). This shows the ability of this method to be able to convert data that appears to be more qualitative in nature into quantitative data for easier analysis and processing.

In the study into authoritarianism, Adorno et al. used their scale to determine whether attitudes or opinions caused an individual to be more susceptible to the influences of authority figures. (McAvoy, 2010). This contributes to scientific understanding by giving us insight into how humans behave as a group, on a bigger level, such as culturally or socially rather than individually and helps provide us with a greater understanding of human nature. Interviews use `purposeful conversation` to collect detailed data from its participants. It may be structured to ask all participants the exact same questions or ask open questions that develop with the participants answers, producing improvised conversation that encourages a participant to talk freely about that particular given subject. An essay however, is a piece of writing, evaluating the analysis of a particular subject or topic. The participants are usually in a familiar, unpressurised environment (like home) and are asked to answer one neutral question regarding their opinion on a given topic, allowing the participant time to provide a much more deeply thought out and careful answer. Gonzalez et al. used essays in their study to show that definition of friendship is subjective, but can still be categorised to a degree, depending on an individuals social fabric or cultural beliefs (Brownlow, 2010).

Interviews and essays provide detailed insight and are a good source for collecting qualitative data. Due to the nature of this method it`s not preferable when answers are needed quickly and in bulk but is the preferred method for collecting information that tells us what an individual thinks and how and why they may think it.

Interviews and essays are a good source of elaborate detail for fine tuning any ideas or thoughts we may have developed or at helping understand people on an individual basis. It aids us in understanding our individual place in society. In William Damon`s 1977 study he asked children directly what was important to them in friendship and found that loyalty and common ground were expected. (Brownlow, 2010). With the results gained from these encounters psychologists can analyse, further develop and categorise the term friendship and how it develops to enrich society.

In conclusion the spectrum of psychology is so vast that all methods and techniques developed to explain and understand it are beneficial in one form or another. Quantitative data can be very beneficial in understanding behaviour universally in a sense of society and human nature, whereas qualitative data can benefit us individually and subjectively on a smaller one to one level, this however, does not mean that they cannot and do not alternate frequently. We find that historical case-studies, research and observation provide us with the best means of examining and analysing behaviour. These methods aid us in developing ideas, theories and hypotheses. However, questionnaires, scales, essays and interviews help us to take our developing theories and fine tune them so we can study a specific aspect in much greater detail. When combined all of these methods help provide the foundations for psychological investigation and contribute to the discovery and understanding of the psyche and its dimensions.