February 16, 2008
Experimental Psychology
by Prof. Dr. Mihai Anitei
Reviewed by Mihaela Chraif
Ejop Editor
The scientist’s pursuit of curiosity follows unknown paths, sometimes resulting in unanticipated discoveries that can appear to be accidental. Excitement, vague suspicions and flashes of insight are very much part of science. Thus are hard work, procedures and rigorous thinking that put our ideas to many demanding tests. The laboratories, the equipment, the computer are tools to promote the scientists’ central activity-creative systematic thinking.
The main goal of the book is to highlight that the research methods are the most enjoyable –and the easiest to learn- when you are actively involved and to teach the readers how to phrase questions scientifically, how to design and conduct scientific research and how to interpret and communicate the results. Furthermore, the experimental content is concerned with cognitive processes such as: sensations, perceptions, attention, learning, memory and thinking.
The book is divided into fourteen chapters. The first eight chapters present the fundamentals: the empirical method, the experimental research method, a classification of research designs, the experimental control of the variables, the physiologic indicators, ethics and the APA format of the Research Activity. The last eight chapters reveal the cognitive processes approached from the experimental psychology point of view.
Chapter three, the Observation as empirical method underlines the role of the scientific empirical observation. Psychology relies on the scientific methods because this approach is the best one for eliminating bias and opinions, for reaching a consensus about how a behavior truly operates. The scientific method provides convincing evidence because the scientists use the events in nature as the basis for studying behavior and see how differ from nonscientific approaches UNCLEAR. Most facts observed in psychology are behaviors: verbal behavior, nonverbal communication, psychological activity and so on.
Chapter four, Organizing a Research Experiment, describes how a research article is created by demonstrating what goes into the manuscript for a research report. The organization of a research report follows the logical order of the steps performed in conducting the research: Searching the literature, the researches’ objectives, Designing and Conducting the Study (Defining the independent variables, defining the Dependent Variables, the Hypothesis), the results and the conclusions. The book offers both nonexperimental and experimental approaches highlighted by the nonexperimental/experimental designs’ illustrations: Single-Group, Pretest-Posttest Studies; Pretest-Posttest Control-Group Studies; Randomized, Pretest-Posttest, Control-Group Design; Multilevel, Completely Randomized, Between Subjects Design and so on. Furthermore, the experimental designs are followed by the statistical procedures recommended for each design depending on the level of measurement of the dependent variable.
Chapter five provides the aspects of Selecting and Controlling the Variables. Defining the Independent Variables requires selecting the particular conditions we will present to the participants. Specifically, the researcher must decide on the number of conditions and on the specific amount or category of the independent variable that each condition will present. Talking about the Manipulation of the Independent Variable there are few approaches: Presenting Different Stimuli (presenting different stimuli or changing the characteristics of the stimuli); Manipulating Context (often the independent variable is the context in which a stimulus is presented); Manipulating Information Given Subjects (the independent variable may consist of the instructions or information given to subjects in each conditions); Stressing a Psychological System (to infer from subjects’ responses how the system normally operates) and Physiological Investigation (the manipulation of the internal physiological processes). In selecting from any of these approaches, the Construct Validity and the Content Validity play a major role. Furthermore, the Temporal Validity and Ecological Validity play an important role in the control of the variables.
Chapter six reveals the following Dependent Variables: the physiological variables, the motor reactions and the verbal responses. The EEG, REG, EMG and EOG indicators make the objectives of the experimental approach offered by the book. Also, the involvement of the EEG in the study of the dream, attention and emotions is highlighted. In order to introduce the motor reaction précised measured in experimental studies, the time reaction variable play a major role. An attractive objective of the book consists in presenting the Vienna Test System Unit. One of the main tasks is measuring the time reaction using Vienna Test System. The book introduces the Psychological Computerized tests presented in images. Also the independent and dependent variables are described for each test.
Ethics and APA Format for research is explained in chapter seven and chapter eight.
The standards for planning and conducting research on human subjects are focused on: Planning Research; Responsibility; Compliance with Law and Standards; Institutional Approval; Research Responsibilities; Sharing and Utilizing Data; Providing Participants with Information about the Study and So On. Furthermore the APA Format for the research report is completely described in chapter eight.
Beginning with chapter nine the author is introducing us in the Experimental Approach of the Cognitive Processes. Thus Chapter nine, The Experimental Approach of the Sensations highlights the concepts of Psychophysics, Absolute threshold, Difference threshold and Sensory Adaptation. The five senses are approached from the experimental point of view: Vision (the stimuli registered in our eyes are actually electromagnetic radiation waves to which our visual apparatus is sensitive and capable of responding); The Sense of Sound and Balance; Smell; Taste and Skin Senses. In the end of the chapter instruments and procedures of stimuli detection are presented.
Chapter ten reveal the Experimental Approach of the Perception: perceptual organization; the Gestalt Laws of Organization ; Feature Analysis (how we perceive a shape, pattern, object); Motion Perception; Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing and Depth Perception (Translating 2-D to 3-D). The main attraction of this chapter consist in introducing and presenting the Vienna Test System Unit with the Peripheral Perceptual Test, Appreciation of Speed and Distances-DEST test, the HYPO test, GFT test and 3 D perception test (PST 13).
The Experimental Approach of the Attention is highlighted in chapter eleven. The author presents the models of attention; the independent and dependent variables involved in the experimental approach of the computerized tests (Vienna Test System). Furthermore, the attention is approached from the neuroscience point of view (fMRI, EEG and Evoked Potential).
The Memory and Learning Processes are presented by the author in chapter twelve and thirteen. The independent and dependent variables play a major role in the Experimental Approach of the Memory and Learning processes.
The last chapter, chapter fourteen highlights aspects of Experimental Approach of Problem Solving and Thinking. The author presents the main concepts: inductive reasoning; deductive reasoning; algorithm; heuristic. The independent and dependent variables are presented by revealing laboratory experiments and problem solving procedures.
The book has got three main goals: to provide effective and broad coverage of the field of Experimental Psychology introducing readers to the theories, research and application that constitute the science; to provide an impetus for students to begin to think as psychologists and become more engaged, stimulating their interest, arousing readers’ intellectual curiosity and building an appreciation of how psychology can increase their understanding of the world around them.