Psychological Research Methods

1. Qualitative Research Methods
   1. Characteristics and Purpose
      1. Naturalistic Inquiry
         1. Understanding phenomena in their natural context
         2. Emphasizes meanings and experiences
      2. Contextual Sensitivity
         1. Focus on the environment and social settings
         2. Interpretation based on cultural and temporal settings
      3. Exploratory Approach
         1. Open-ended research questions
         2. Generating hypotheses rather than testing them
      4. Emphasis on Subjectivity
         1. Acknowledges researcher's influence on the process
         2. Values participants' perspectives and narratives
   2. Common Methodologies
      1. Grounded Theory
         1. Developed through data collection and analysis
         2. Constant comparative method for generating theories
      2. Ethnography
         1. Immersive observation in cultural or social groups
         2. In-depth descriptions of cultural practices
      3. Phenomenology
         1. Study of lived experiences
         2. Aims to reveal the essence of experiences
      4. Narrative Research
         1. Collection of personal stories and life histories
         2. Analysis of how individuals impart meaning through storytelling
      5. Thematic Analysis
         1. Identification of patterns or themes within qualitative data
         2. Involves coding and categorizing data iteratively
      6. Case Study Research
         1. In-depth examination of a single case or multiple cases
         2. Can be exploratory, explanatory, or descriptive
   3. Data Collection Techniques
      1. Interviews
         1. Structured, semi-structured, and unstructured formats
         2. One-on-one and in-depth conversational methods
      2. Focus Groups
         1. Group discussions to explore collective views
         2. Moderation and facilitation techniques
      3. Document Analysis
         1. Examination of existing documents and textual materials
         2. Incorporates historical, policy, and personal documents
      4. Observations
         1. Participant and non-participant observation
         2. Real-time and recorded observations of behaviors
   4. Coding and Analysis
      1. Coding Techniques
         1. Initial, axial, and selective coding practices
         2. Identifying and grouping similar data segments
      2. Analytical Approaches
         1. Thematic, narrative, and content analysis methods
         2. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)
      3. Software Tools
         1. Use of qualitative data analysis software (e.g., NVivo, ATLAS.ti)
         2. Advantages and limitations of digital analysis tools
   5. Ensuring Quality
      1. Credibility
         1. Member checking for validation
         2. Triangulation of data sources
      2. Transferability
         1. Thick descriptions for enhanced applicability
         2. Cross-contextual analysis
      3. Dependability
         1. Audit trails and detailed documentation of research process
         2. Peer debriefing to improve research reliability
      4. Confirmability
         1. Reflexivity and researcher reflection
         2. Clear distinction between data and researcher bias
   6. Advantages
      1. Rich, deep insights into complex phenomena
      2. Flexibility and adaptability in research design
      3. Facilitates understanding of social processes and interactions
      4. Provides a voice to marginalized or understudied groups
   7. Limitations
      1. Time-consuming data collection and analysis procedures
      2. Challenges in achieving objectivity and generalizability
      3. Potential researcher bias and subjectivity
      4. Limited replicability due to contextual nature of findings
   8. Ethical Considerations
      1. Informed Consent
         1. Addressing consent in informal and ethnographic settings
         2. Ensuring understanding and voluntariness in participation
      2. Anonymity and Confidentiality
         1. Safeguarding participant identities and sensitive information
         2. Considerations for digital and textual data
      3. Power Dynamics
         1. Being aware of and addressing power imbalances between researcher and participants
         2. Collaborative and participatory methods as empowerment strategies
      4. Representation and Misinterpretation
         1. Careful interpretation and representation of participant voices
         2. Ethical reporting and dissemination of findings