AP Psychology: Research Methods in Psychology

This assignment focuses on the topic of research methods in psychology. You will be presented with scenarios that require you to apply your knowledge of various research concepts. Answer each question based on the information provided in the scenarios.

Dr. Smith is a psychologist interested in understanding the relationship between social media use and self-esteem in teenagers. She decides to conduct a study in a local high school. She gathers a group of 100 students and asks them to fill out a questionnaire about their social media habits and self-esteem levels. Based on the data collected, Dr. Smith finds a negative correlation between the amount of time spent on social media and self-esteem levels.

Based on the scenario described, how is Dr. Smith using each of the following concepts in her research?

Correlational research

Survey method

Population and sample

After analyzing her data, Dr. Smith decides to conduct an experiment to further investigate the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. She randomly assigns students to two groups: one group is asked to abstain from social media for a week, while the other group is asked to continue their normal social media habits. At the end of the week, Dr. Smith measures the self-esteem levels of both groups.

Based on the extended scenario, how do each of the following concepts explain Dr. Smith's actions?

Experimental research

Random assignment

Independent and dependent variables