Carrying out your first experiment in the field of psychology can initially seem difficult and frightening. But it is worth to remember that the experiment consists of the structured parts which accurate performance can quite result in success.
Instruction
1. For a start it is necessary to decide on a research subject. It is for this purpose important that it interested as you personally, and surrounding people. The relevance of a subject has to consists in a problematic issue. Here it is possible to carry the following subjects: how to prepare teenagers for family life as it is better to acquire any given material, etc. On the basis of a problematic issue you also have to build a hypothesis. For example, red color causes attraction in men. In the research you will have to prove or disprove the made hypothesis. It is also worth noting that it is necessary to carry out search of literature in the subject chosen by you in advance. Perhaps, it was already investigated earlier, and your subject will not be relevant.
2. After you decided on a subject, be engaged in search of variables. The variable is understood as any factor which can change the research course. Variables are subdivided into internal and external. To external it is possible to carry: influence of strangers on the research course, climatic conditions, sanitary and hygienic conditions. Treat internal: health of the examinee, his mood, physical state.
3. The following step is search of techniques, necessary for a research. Often they can be found in free access on the Internet. However, you can make them independently, considering at the same time rules of drawing up questionnaires. Take care of that the technique was extremely clear and available to the examinee. Test it for your acquaintances to make sure of it.
4. Further it is necessary to decide on sample. It is one of the most important parts of an experiment. Let's assume if you investigate teenagers, then do not include in sample of people 18 years are more senior. The sample has to be various. It is desirable not to take children from one school, the area or the city. What the chosen circle of examinees will be wider, especially exact results will be brought by your experiment.
5. An important step is direct carrying out an experiment. Take care of that for all examinees identical conditions were created. Try to behave kindly. Accurately inform everyone of the instruction so that there is no not clear moment left. After carrying out an experiment thank the examinee that he found for you the time.
6. The last step is data processing and interpretation of results. It can be done as independently, and by means of special programs (Vstat 2.0, SPSS v.15).