Introduction to Behavioral Research Methods

Mark R. Leary, Ph. D., Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, received his B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan College (1976) and his doctorate from the University of Florida (1980). He taught at Denison University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Wake Forest University before moving to Duke.  Dr. Leary’s research and writing focus on social motivation and emotion, areas in which he has published more than 150 scholarly articles and chapters.  Dr. Leary is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Association for Psychological Science, as well as a member of the International Association for Relationship Research and the International Society for Self and Identity.  Dr. Leary was the founding editor of Self and Identity, a new scholarly journal, and served for nine years as Associate Editor of the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.  He has also served on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Personality, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Personality and Social Psychology Review, and Emotion.

BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Research in the Behavioral Sciences

Chapter 2: Behavioral Variability and Research

Chapter 3: The Measurement of Behavior

Chapter 4: Approaches to Psychological Measurement  

Chapter 5: Selecting Research Participants 

Chapter 6: Descriptive Research

Chapter 7: Correlational Research

Chapter 8: Advanced Correlational Strategies

Chapter 9: Basic Issues in Experimental Research

Chapter 10: Experimental Design

Chapter 11: Analyzing Experimental Data

Chapter 12: Analyzing Complex Designs

Chapter 13: Quasi-Experimental Designs

Chapter 14: Single-Case Research

Chapter 15: Ethical Issues in Behavioral Research

Chapter 16: Scientific Writing

COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Chapter 1: Research in the Behavioral Sciences

The Beginnings of Behavioral Research

Goals of Behavioral Research

Behavioral Science and Common Sense

The Value of Research to the Student

The Scientific Approach

Science and Pseudoscience

The Scientist’s Two Jobs: Detecting and Explaining Phenomena

Research Hypotheses

Conceptual and Operational Definitions

Proof, Disproof, and Scientific Progress

Strategies of Behavioral Research

Domains of Behavioral Science

Behavioral Research on Human and Nonhuman Animals

A Preview

Summary

Chapter 2: Behavioral Variability and Research

Variability and the Research Process

Variance: An Index of Variability

Systematic and Error Variance

Assessing the Strength of Relationships

Effect Size: Assessing the Strength of Relationships

Meta-Analysis: Systematic Variance across Studies

The Quest for Systematic Variance

Summary

Chapter 3: The Measurement of Behavior

Types of Measures

Scales of Measurement

Assessing the Reliability of a Measure

Assessing the Validity of a Measure

Fairness and Bias in Measurement

Summary

Chapter 4: Approaches to Psychological Measurement

Observational Approaches

Physiological and Neuroscience Approaches

Self-Report Approaches: Questionnaires and Interviews

Archival Data

Content Analysis

Summary

Chapter 5: Selecting Research Participants

A Common Misconception

Probability Samples

Nonprobability Samples

How Many Participants?

Summary

Chapter 6: Descriptive Research

Types of Descriptive Research

Describing and Presenting Data

Frequency Distributions

Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of Variability Tendency

The z-Score

Summary

Chapter 7: Correlational Research

The Correlation Coefficient

A Graphic Representation of Correlations

The Coefficient of Determination

Statistical Significance of r

Factors That Distort Correlation Coefficients

Correlation and Causality

Partial Correlation

Other Indices of Correlation

Summary

Chapter 8: Advanced Correlational Strategies

Predicting Behavior: Regression Strategies

Assessing Directionality: Cross-Lagged and Structural Equations Analysis

Analyzing Nested Data: Multilevel Modeling

Uncovering Underlying Dimensions: Factor Analysis

Summary

Chapter 9: Basic Issues in Experimental Research

Manipulating the Independent Variable

Assigning Participants to Conditions

Experimental Control

Eliminating Confounds

Error Variance

Experimental Control and Generalizability: The Experimenter’s Dilemma

Web-Based Experimental Research

Summary

Chapter 10: Experimental Design

One-Way Designs

Factorial Designs

Main Effects and Interactions

Combining Independent and Participant Variables

Summary

Chapter 11: Analyzing Experimental Data

An Intuitive Approach to Analysis

Hypothesis Testing

Analysis of Two-Group Experiments: The t-Test

Analyses of Matched-Subjects and Within-Subjects Designs

Computer Analyses

Summary

Chapter 12: Analyzing Complex Designs

The Problem: Conducting Multiple Tests Inflates Type I Error

The Rationale behind ANOVA

How ANOVA Works

Follow-Up Tests

Between-Subjects and Within-Subjects ANOVAs

Multivariate Analysis of Variance

Experimental and Nonexperimental Uses of Inferential Statistics

Summary

Chapter 13: Quasi-Experimental Designs

Pretest—Posttest Designs  

Time Series Designs

Comparative Time Series Design

Longitudinal Designs

Cross-sequential Cohort Designs

Program Evaluation

Evaluating Quasi-Experimental Designs

Summary

Chapter 14: Single-Case Research

Single-Case Experimental Designs

Case Study Research

Summary

Chapter 15: Ethical Issues in Behavioral Research

Approaches to Ethical Decisions

Basic Ethical Guidelines

The Principle of Informed Consent

Invasion of Privacy

Coercion to Participate

Physical and Mental Stress

Deception

Confidentiality

Debriefing

Common Courtesy

Vulnerable Populations

Ethical Principles in Research with Nonhuman Animals

Scientific Misconduct

Suppression of Scientific Inquiry and Research Findings

A Final Note

Summary

Chapter 16: Scientific Writing

How Scientific Findings Are Disseminated

Elements of Good Scientific Writing

Avoiding Biased Language

Parts of a Manuscript

Citing and Referencing Previous Research

Other Aspects of APA Style

Writing a Research Proposal

Using PsycINFO

Sample Manuscript

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