Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences

Fourth Edition

Gregory J. Privitera - St. Bonaventure University

Other Titles in:
Experimental Psychology | Research Methods (General) | Research Methods in Psychology

October 2024 | 664 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences, Fourth Edition employs a problem-focused approach to present a clear and comprehensive introduction to research methods. Award-winning teacher and author Gregory J. Privitera fully integrates the research methods decision tree into the design process to help students choose the most appropriate method for the research question they are seeking to answer. The book’s conversational writing style and student-focused features empower students to view research methods as something they can both understand and apply. Over the course of the book, students learn how to structure a study to answer a research question and navigate through the process of choosing an appropriate analysis or statistic to write a research report. New elements to the Fourth Edition include a new standalone chapter on qualitative research, assumptions testing throughout chapters on quantitative research, and updated examples and figures to communicate the latest updates in behavioral science research.

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About the Author

Acknowledgments

Preface

To the Student—How to Use SPSS With This Book

Section I • Scientific Inquiry

Chapter 1 • Introduction to Scientific Thinking

Science as a Method of Knowing

The Scientific Method

Other Methods of Knowing

The Goals of Science

Approaches in Acquiring Knowledge

Distinguishing Science From Pseudoscience

Chapter 2 • Generating Testable Ideas

Generating Interesting and Novel Ideas

Converting Ideas to Hypotheses and Theories

Developing Your Idea: Deduction and Induction

Performing a Literature Review

The “3 Cs” of an Effective Literature Review

Testing Your Idea: Confirmation and Disconfirmation

Chapter 3 • Research Ethics

Ethics in Behavioral Research

The Need for Ethics Committees in Research: A Historical Synopsis

Ethics: Examples From Psychology

Human Participant Research: IRBs and the APA Code of Conduct

Animal Subject Research: IACUCs and the APA Code of Conduct

Additional Ethical Considerations: Scientific Integrity

Section II • Defining and Measuring Variables, Selecting Samples, and Choosing an Appropriate Research Design

Chapter 4 • Identifying Scientific Variables

Criteria for Defining and Measuring Variables

Constructs and Operational Definitions

Types of Variables

Scales of Measurement

Reliability of a Measurement

Validity of a Measurement

Selecting a Measurement Procedure

SPSS in Focus: Entering and Coding Data

Chapter 5 • Sampling From Populations

Selecting Samples From Populations

Methods of Sampling: Nonprobability Sampling

Methods of Sampling: Probability Sampling

Sampling Error and Standard Error of the Mean

Potential Biases in Sampling

SPSS in Focus

Chapter 6 • Choosing a Research Design

Designing a Study to Answer a Question

Categories of Research Design

Internal and External Validity

Demonstrating Cause in an Experiment

Threats to the Internal Validity of a Research Study

Threats to the External Validity of a Research Study

External Validity, Experimentation, and Realism

Section III • Nonexperimental Research Designs

Chapter 7 • Qualitative Research Designs

An Overview of Qualitative Research

Role of the Researcher and Entry Into the Field

Sampling in Qualitative Research

Types of Qualitative Data

Qualitative Research Designs: Phenomenology, Ethnography, and Case Study

Chapter 8 • Naturalistic and Existing Data Research Designs

An Overview of Naturalistic Observation

Techniques for Conducting Naturalistic Observations

An Overview of Existing Data Designs

Existing Data Research Designs: Archival Research, Content Analysis, and Meta-Analysis

Chapter 9 • Survey and Correlational Research Designs

An Overview of Survey Designs

Rules for Writing Survey Items

Administering Surveys

Surveys, Sampling, and Nonresponse Bias

The Structure of Correlational Designs

Describing the Relationship Between Variables

Limitations in Interpretation

Correlation, Regression, and Prediction

SPSS in Focus: Correlation and Linear Regression

Section IV • Quasi-Experimental and Experimental Research Designs

Chapter 10 • Quasi-Experimental and Single-Case Experimental Designs

An Overview of Quasi-Experimental Designs

Quasi-Experimental Design: Nonequivalent Control Group Designs

Quasi-Experimental Design: Time Series Designs

Quasi-Experimental Design: Developmental Designs

An Overview of Single-Case Experimental Designs

Single-Case Baseline-Phase Designs

Validity, Stability, Magnitude, and Generality

Chapter 11 • Between-Subjects Experimental Designs

Conducting Experiments: Between-Subjects Design

Manipulation and the Independent Variable

Variability and the Independent Variable

Comparing Two Independent Samples

SPSS in Focus: Two-Independent-Sample t Test

Comparing More Than Two Independent Samples

SPSS in Focus: One-Way Between-Subjects ANOVA

Measuring the Dependent Variable

Chapter 12 • Within-Subjects Experimental Designs

Conducting Experiments: Within-Subjects Design

Controlling Time-Related Factors

Individual Differences and Variability

Comparing Two Related Samples

SPSS in Focus: Related-Samples t Test

Comparing Two or More Related Samples

SPSS in Focus: One-Way Within-Subjects ANOVA

An Alternative to Pre-Post Designs: Solomon Four-Group Design

Comparing Between-Subjects and Within-Subjects Designs

Chapter 13 • Factorial Experimental Designs

Testing Multiple Factors in the Same Experiment

Types of Factorial Designs

Main Effects and Interactions

Identifying Main Effects and Interactions in a Graph

Including Quasi-Independent Factors in an Experiment

Reasons for Including Two or More Factors in an Experiment

SPSS in Focus: Computing a Factorial ANOVA

Section V • Analyzing, Interpreting, And Communicating Research Data

Chapter 14 • Analysis and Interpretation: Exposition of Data

Descriptive Statistics: Why Summarize Data?

Frequency Distributions: Tables and Graphs

Measures of Central Tendency

Measures of Variability

SPSS in Focus: Central Tendency and Variability

Graphing Means and Correlations

Using Correlation to Describe Reliability

SPSS in Focus: Cronbach’s Alpha and Cohen’s Kappa

Chapter 15 • Analysis and Interpretation: Making Decisions About Data

Inferential Statistics: What Are We Making Inferences About?

Types of Error and Power

Parametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree

Nonparametric Tests: Applying the Decision Tree

SPSS in Focus: The Chi-Square Tests

Effect Size: How Big Is an Effect in the Population?

Estimation: What Are the Possible Values of a Parameter?

Chapter 16 • Communicating Research: Preparing Manuscripts, Posters, and Talks

Elements of Communication

Writing a Manuscript: Writing Style and Language

Elements of an APA-Style Manuscript

Presenting a Poster

Appendix A: APA-Style Writing, Sample Manuscript, and Posters

Appendix B: Instructions for Randomizing and Counterbalancing

Appendix C: SPSS General Instructions Guide and Statistical Tables

Glossary

References

Index

covers all of the research designs that are used. I especially like the SPSS integration examples. It is clearly written and just comprehensive enough for undergraduate psychology majors

Dr Jeffrey D Stone

Psychology, California St Univ-Los Angeles - Los Angeles

May 26, 2025

Report this review

Key features

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
- Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
- NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
- The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
A new standalone Chapter 7: Qualitative Research further expands and highlights this growing area of behavioral science research methods.
Testing the Assumptions of Parametric Testing features balance the coverage of this final analysis step in quantitative research by: making students aware of the assumptions; connecting readers to where in the book they can learn about nonparametric alternatives to this testing; and providing students with a more balanced perspective for choosing appropriate statistical analyses to analyze quantitative data.
Expanded Learning Checks throughout chapters allow students more opportunities to test their understanding and align more closely with chapter learning objectives.
Additional and updated examples clarify distinguishing between basic and applied research, types of validity and reliability, and more.
Hypothesis methodology linked to current examples help students realize the value and real-world application of research design in the behavioral sciences, and connects them to examples in research that they can relate to their own experiences and interests.
Content reflective of SPSS® v.29 incorporates new selection options required to analyze data in chapters and in Appendix C.
Revised figures, tables, and writing improve clarity and readability of the material.
Over 60 new references reflect the latest scholarship and perspectives and replace relatively outdated references.

KEY FEATURES:

A problem-focused organization of five main sections that each build upon the last gives students a full picture of the scientific process.
Ethics in Focus features throughout review important ethical issues related to the topics in each chapter.
Coverage of three broad categories of research design (nonexperimental, quasi-experimental, and experimental) focuses on understanding how, when, and why research designs are used, and the types of questions each design can and cannot answer.
A guide at the front of the book, How to Use SPSS® With This Book, provides students with an easy-to-follow, classroom-tested overview of how SPSS® is set up, how to read the Data View and Variable View screens, and how to use the SPSS® in Focus sections in the book.
SPSS® in Focus sections provide step-by-step instruction using practical research examples for how the data measured using various research designs taught in each chapter can be analyzed using SPSS®.
Learning Objectives organize student learning outcomes at the beginning of each chapter and are answered in chapter-concluding summaries.
Learning Checks with answer keys allow students to review what they learn as they learn it and actually confirm their understanding.
Making Sense sections break down the most difficult concepts to ease student stress and make research methods more approachable.
APA appendices support learning of APA style with a guide to grammar, punctuation, and spelling; a full sample APA-style manuscript from a study published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal; instructions for creating posters using PowerPoint®, and more.