Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Research Methods in
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
INP3004/MAN3360
Dr. Steve
Scientific Method
Observe
Hypothesize
Test
Replicate
Conclude
Goals of Science
Description
Prediction
Explanation
Research Steps
1. Statement of Problem
3. Measurement
4. Data Analysis
5. Conclusions
Research Steps
Step 1. Statement of Problem
Research Setting
Laboratory (artificial) vs. Field (natural)
Degree of Control
Less control in field more realism
More control in lab less realism
Research Steps
Step 2. Design Research Study
Methods:
Lab Experiment
Field Experiment
Questionnaire/Survey
Naturalistic Observation
Simulation
Case Study
Research Methods
Laboratory Experiment
Study conducted in a contrived environment
Benefits:
Provides more safety
Address specific questions
Cause and effect relationships
Manipulate I.V., measure D.V.
Disadvantages:
Time consuming
Example: What are the effects of sleep loss on
ones ability to operate heavy equipment?
Control: High
Realism: Low
Research Methods
Field Experiment
Study conducted in the natural setting using actual
employees
Benefits:
Cause and effect relationships
Manipulate I.V., measure D.V.
Disadvantages:
Interference with work activity (e.g., ethics, Hawthorne
effect)
Example: What is the effect of orientation training
on turnover and performance?
Control: Moderate
Realism: High
Research Methods
Questionnaire/Survey
Self-report to obtain data on attitudes/behaviors
conducted by phone, mail, interviews, electronically
Benefits:
Can collect a large quantity of data
Disadvantages:
Accuracy of reporting
Representativeness of sample
Return rate
Example: How satisfied are employees with their
jobs?
Control: Low
Realism: High
Research Methods
Naturalistic Observation
Observe overt behaviors over time
Benefits:
Use to generate hypotheses
Disadvantages:
Experimenter bias
Obtrusiveness
Frequency of behavior occurring
Example: Do smokers take more rest-breaks than
non-smokers?
Control: Low
Realism: High
Research Methods
Computer Simulation
Approximate realistic scenarios in a laboratory setting
Benefits:
Useful for dangerous environments
Great experimental control of environment
Disadvantages:
Greater fidelity (realism) is expensive
Example: Can police officers tell the difference
between criminal and hostage under stressful
conditions?
Control: High
Realism: Moderate
Research Methods
Case Study
In depth view of past events using interviews and
archival records
Benefits:
Detailed account of why particular event occurred
Disadvantages:
Little generalizability
Example: What human errors were involved in the
Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident?
Control: Low
Realism: High
Research Steps
Step 3. Measurement
Types of Variables
Quantitative things you measure
Examples: (age, time, scores, etc.)
How much does a book weigh?
Qualitative things you categorize
Examples: (gender, race, class standing, etc.)
What color is the book?
Research Steps
Step 3. Measurement
Experimental Variables
Independent Variable variable manipulated by the
researcher (assigned randomly or by matching)
Example: training strategy, lighting levels, drug treatment,
etc.
Dependent Variable variable that is measured
(outcome)
Example: productivity, time, sales, weight loss
Extraneous Variable variables outside the control
of the researcher that may confound the results
Example: participant experience, time of day, outside
activities, etc.
Research Steps
Step 3. Measurement
Regression Variables (used for prediction)
= a + bX
Predictor Variable (X) measure used to predict
an outcome (similar to independent variable)
Example: selection test scores, years of experience,
education level
Criterion Variable () outcome to be predicted
Example: work performance, turnover, sales,
absenteeism, promotion, etc.
Example: SAT scores and HS GPA as predictors
of college success
Research Steps
Step 3. Measurement
Measurement Scales
Nominal Classify into categories no order
Example: personality type, religion, gender
Ordinal Order objects along a dimension (ranking)
Example: Top 10 movies
Interval Meaningful distances between rankings
Example: thermometer
Ratio Interval with true zero point (most precise)
Example: Bathroom scale
Research Steps
Step 4. Data Analysis
20
18
16
14
Frequency
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
65- 75- 85- 95- 105- 115- 125- 135- 145- 155-
74 84 94 104 114 124 134 144 154 164
IQ Scores
Data Analysis
Skewed Frequency Distributions
20
18
16
14
Frequency
12
Normal or 10
8
Bell-shaped 6
4
Distribution 2
0
65- 75- 85- 95- 105- 115- 125- 135- 145- 155-
74 84 94 104 114 124 134 144 154 164
IQ Scores
Frequency
12
10 15
8
6 10
4
2 5
0
0
65- 67- 69- 71- 73- 75- 77- 79- 81- 82- 84-
250- 260- 270- 280- 290- 300- 310- 320- 330- 340-
66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 83 85 259 269 279 289 299 309 319 329 339 349
Professional Golf Scores Weight (lbs) of NFL Lineman
Data Analysis
Central Tendency
example scores = 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17
_
1. Mean average: X = X / N
Mean = 72 / 8 = 9
40
30
20
10
0
50 60 70 80 90 100
scores
Data Analysis
Variability
Range - distance between highest and lowest
score
(Range = High score Low score)
Range = 17 5 = 12
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
S = 16 -2 s -1 s 0s 1s 2s
Mean = 100 68 84 100 116 132
IQ Scores
Data Analysis
Correlation
Correlation ( r ) Degree of relationship
between two variables
Used for prediction
Cannot be used to infer causation
Range from 1 to +1
Negative r as one variable increases the other
decreases
Positive r as one variable increases so does the
other
Zero r no relationship between the two variables
Data Analysis
Correlation
600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 60 80 100 120
4 20
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Years of Practice
3 **
* * *****
*** 15
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College GPA
**
** *
* * **** **
***** *** ** *
2.5 * *
* * *
** * *
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2 ** 10
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**** **
1.5 * *
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1 * * 5
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0.5 * **
0 0
Note. The correlation coefficients for the majority of these examples are fictitious.
Data Analysis
Meta-analysis
Meta-analysis statistical procedure that
combines the results of many independent
research findings on a single topic
Used to estimate true relationship
Measures effect size of findings
Uses archival data
Research Steps
Step 5. Conclusions