Overview of Research Types in Psychology

Psychology research encompasses a diverse range of methodologies and approaches to investigate human behavior and mental processes. The primary types of research in psychology include:

1. Causal or Experimental Research:

• Goal: To establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
• Method:
  • Experiments involve manipulating one or more variables (independent variables) to assess their impact on an outcome variable (dependent variable).
  • Control groups are used to rule out alternative explanations.

2. Descriptive Research:

• Goal: To describe and analyze existing phenomena within a group or population.
• Methods:
  • Case studies: In-depth examination of an individual, group, or event to provide detailed insights.
  • Observational studies: Gathering data through direct observation of behavior in natural settings or controlled environments.
  • Surveys: Collecting information from a sample of individuals to understand their opinions, attitudes, or behavior.

3. Relational or Correlational Research:

• Goal: To explore the relationship between two or more variables without establishing causality.
• Method:
  • Determines the degree and direction of the association between variables.
  • Correlation coefficients indicate the strength and direction of the relationship.