Question

1) Distinguish between a theory and a hypothesis. Generate a theory about a psychological phenomena of your choice, and a hypothesis that could stem from it.

2) Identify any two research methods, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

3) Describe the essential features of the experimental method.

4) Explain the advantages of experimentation relative to other types of research methods.

5) Evaluate the resoning in this statement: "Although milk may not be dangerous, it should be banned because a survey in the state prison revealed that every inmate there drank milk during childhood. Thus, the evidence shows that milk drinking may have contributed to later criminal behavior.

Answer 1

1.Distinguish between a theory and a hypothesis.

Theory	Hypothesis
A phenomenon or phenomena that has data (variables, processes, structures, functions, organizing principles) supporting it forms a theory	It is a hunch, a thought , put to test and data gathered in the process of testing it
It is put forward after the research is done, supported by the relevant data as evidence	It is put forward before a research is done
It is a principle that is a result of the data obtained from one or more hypothesis	It is proposed only to be tested
This has a logical explanation	This is a speculation by a researcher or a group of researchers
One or more tested hypothesis may form the basis of theories	Theories may or may not engender hypothesis
They are reliable accounts and validated and referred to by the academic community	They have to be put to test and not yet reliable

Generate a theory about a psychological phenomena of your choice, and a hypothesis that could stem from it.

PM’S Theory of Intelligence - Children growing up in nuclear families are less intelligent compared to their peers growing up in joint families. Such a theory can generate a good number of hypotheses on different intelligences, because the term intelligence here is used as an umbrella term. Several hypotheses can be generated based on such a theory. Some examples are listed below:

A. School going children in joint families have higher productive language abilities as against their peers in nuclear families.

B. Children of the early childhood age bracket, brought up in joint families display higher interpersonal skills as against their peers being brought up in nuclear families.

2) Identify any two research methods, and describe the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Survey

This is a popular method of quantitative research. In this method a researcher poses a carefully curated set of questions to particular respondents and finds patterns in their responses. The advantages of a survey is that it can be administered very easily, quickly and also digitally. It can be of great use when a large population is involved.

Some of the disadvantages are that the researcher has no control over the respondents’ interpretation of his questions. It is very general in nature and cannot include some aspects for which we need specific response.

Interviews

This is a popular method used in qualitative research mostly. There are different types of interviews. They are structured wherein the researcher has a set of prepared questions. The advantage of this method is that it gives the researcher a chance to explain if his questions are not properly understood. It is very useful to get in depth information. Some disadvantages are that it is very time consuming.

3) Describe the essential features of the experimental method.

It is a scientific method of testing a hypothesis. There are variables, in which the independent variable is controlled or manipulated. It is very objective in nature and the views of the experimenter are not of much consequence in the process of experimentation. Depending upon whether the experiment is a natural one or a field experiment the researcher may or may not have control over the independent variable.

It is a scientific method of testing a hypothesis. There are variables, in which the independent variable is controlled or manipulated. It is very objective in nature and the views of the experimenter are not of much consequence in the process of experimentation. Depending upon whether the experiment is a natural one or a field experiment the researcher may or may not have control over the independent variable.

4) Explain the advantages of experimentation relative to other types of research methods.

Some of the advantages of this method are:

The experimenter has a high degree of control. The results can be very specific and unambiguous. The experiment can be duplicated. It can be used as a part of many other research methods.