Behavioral genetic methods

Traditional behavioral genetic methods involve the use primarily of family, twin, and adoption correlations to estimate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences in the etiology of individual differences. These methods and representative results for personality are described. However, newer methods are emphasized: structural models and model-fitting, multivariate analysis, genetic change and continuity in development, shared and non-shared components of environmental variance, and genetic components of "environmental" variation. Because most applications of these behavioral genetic methods to the study of personality involve self-report omnibus questionnaires, an important direction for future research in this area is to use these methods to explore new issues and new measures that have emerged from personality theory and research during the past decade.     

The State of Research Methods in Personal Selling and Sales Management Literature

This study examines the state of research methods in the personal selling and sales management (SALES) literature and assesses the trends and changes in these methods that have taken place in recent decades. The authors examine the research methods described by 1,346 sales articles published in 15 prominent journals over a 29-year period (1980–2008). They compare articles published in Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management with the aggregate of sales articles published in other journals as well as with articles published in Industrial Marketing Management to reveal any common trends or differences. The results indicate some important shifts in the use of research methods in SALES literature as well as significant differences in the research methods published across different research outlets. This paper outlines the implications of the findings and offers suggestions for how the discipline might improve its use of various research tools.     

The analysis of classroom talk: Methods and methodologies

This article describes methods for analysing classroom talk, comparing their strengths and weaknesses. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are described and assessed for their strengths and weaknesses, with a discussion of the mixed use of such methods. It is acknowledged that particular methods are often embedded in particular methodologies, which are based on specific theories of social action, research paradigms, and disciplines; and so a comparison is made of two contemporary methodologies, linguistic ethnography, and sociocultural research. The article concludes with some comments on the current state of development of this field of research and on ways that it might usefully progress.     

Evaluating single-case research data for systematic review: A commentary for the special issue

The purpose of this commentary is to provide observation on the statistical procedures described throughout this special section from the perspective of researchers with experience in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of single-case research to address issues of evidence-based practice. It is our position that both visual and statistical analyses are complimentary methods for evaluating single-case research data for these purposes. Given the recent developments regarding the use of single-case research to inform evidence-based practice and policy, the developments described in the present issue will be contextualized within the need for a widely accepted process for data evaluation to assist with extending the impact of single-case research. The commentary will, therefore, begin with providing an overview of the conceptual underpinnings of a systematic review of single-case research and will be followed by a discussion of several features that are essential to the development of a conceptually sound and widely used statistical procedure for single-case research. The commentary will conclude with recommendations and guidelines for the use of both visual and statistical analyses within primary research reports and recommendations for future research.     

Evaluating mediation and moderation effects in school psychology: A presentation of methods and review of current practice

Third variable effects elucidate the relation between two other variables, and can describe why they are related or under what conditions they are related. This article demonstrates methods to analyze two third-variable effects: moderation and mediation. The utility of examining moderation and mediation effects in school psychology is described and current use of the analyses in applied school psychology research is reviewed and evaluated. Proper statistical methods to test the effects are presented, and different effect size measures for the models are provided. Extensions of the basic moderator and mediator models are also described.     

Cracking the Code: Using Personal Narratives in Research

The use of personal narratives in research across the field of psychology has dramatically increased in recent years. In studies spanning a wide range of topics, personal event narratives have provided especially valuable insights into the processes and products of cognitive development. This article offers a guide for researchers who might use personal narratives in research currently or in the future. Issues and best practices surrounding collecting, transcribing, and coding personal narratives are presented. Practical challenges, commonly used methods, and recommended guidelines are described. Illustrations of different types of personal narrative coding systems are offered. The article also highlights benefits of and resources for conducting personal narrative research.     

Client experiences of counselling and treatment interventions: A qualitative study of family views of family therapy

The case is made that personal experience and social life are inherently meaningful. The presence of meaning in human affairs requires all participants to develop interpretive skills if they are to understand what is happening. Researching social life is greatly helped by methods which acknowledge the hermeneutical quality of interpersonal experience. The use of qualitative research methods to investigate all aspects of counselling is therefore highly appropriate. To illustrate the use of qualitative research designs and methods of analysis, a study of family members' views of family therapy is briefly described.     

Reflexive action research: Developing knowledge through practice

This paper gives an overview of different ways of conducting counselling and psychotherapy research. An approach to research is described which overcomes the research‐practice gap: reflexive action research. It is argued that this approach to research is particularly appropriate and relevant for practitioners since it draws upon skills and awareness necessary for clinical work, and can complement positivist methods of research which are already well established in the profession. The wider use of systematic clinical case studies is suggested as a means of promoting the reflexive action research approach. Further consideration of issues of validity and reliability is required on the part of those intending to apply this approach within the field of therapy research.     

Personality research and psychophysiology: General considerations

A general discussion of psychophysiological methods in relationship to personality research is presented for the investigator without an extensive knowledge of psychophysiology. The paper is organized in four sections: (a) advantages inherent in the use of psychophysiological measures (e.g., continuous measurement, sensitivity to sublimal responses); (b) psychophysiological constructs that are particularly well suited to personality research (e.g., different kinds of physiological arousal, normal/pathological distinctions, perceptual states); (c) how to choose a set of psychophysiological measures and special considerations involved with their use (e.g., obstrusiveness, context and timing of measurement, costs, and capabilities); and (d) whether or not to “psychophysiologize” personality research. Within each section, illustrative applications of psychophysiology to personality research are described.     

Behaviorally referenced experimentation and symptom validation: a paradigm for 21st-century personality disorder research

Construct validity problems in contemporary personality disorder (PD) symptoms and diagnoses include poor interrater reliability, high comorbidity, limited discriminant validity, and inadequate criterion validity. These problems are due in part to a limited range of outcome measures and research methods utilized by PD investigators: The vast majority of PD studies use correlational methods to assess relationships among questionnaire- and interview-based self-reports. To strengthen the PD database, researchers must: (1) emphasize behaviorally referenced criterion validation of PD symptoms; and (2) explore PD dynamics using manipulations that alter PD-related psychological processes and produce measurable changes in behavior. Frameworks for conducting behaviorally referenced PD symptom validation studies and experiments are outlined. The advantages of a behaviorally referenced experimental approach to PD research are described, along with possible objections to this approach.     

Innovative Retention Methods in Longitudinal Research: A Case Study of the Developmental Trends Study

Minimizing participant attrition is vital to the success of longitudinal research. The Developmental Trends Study (DTS), a longitudinal study of the development of disruptive behavior disorders, has achieved a low attrition rate throughout the study. The development of early retention strategies, managing contact and scheduling history through the use of electronic databases, interviewer persistence, and the emergence of new electronic search methods have contributed to the success of our study. A literature review of retention methodology and practical solutions to maintain participant cooperation is described. A case study of the DTS is presented to inform researchers in longitudinal research on new methods used to maintain high retention rates.     

Mediation Tactics: A Comparison of Field and Laboratory Research1

This article responds to a concern that laboratory experiments, relative to field research, are poorly suited for the study of mediation. An overview of the study of mediation is presented. Methods of field and laboratory research on mediation are described. Then the issue of the generalizability of laboratory research to field settings is discussed. Finally, the results of field and laboratory research on mediation tactics are compared. Most research on when mediators choose to use specific tactics has been field research, but the few laboratory studies have provided comparable results. Both laboratory and field research have been employed to determine the effectiveness of mediation tactics in helping the parties to settle the dispute and fairly consistent results have been obtained across these settings. We conclude that laboratory experiments on mediation should not be considered inferior to field research methods, but rather should be considered complementary.     

Qualitative research in psychology: Attitudes of psychology students and academic staff

Qualitative research is experiencing a resurgence within the field of psychology. This study aimed to explore the range of attitudes towards qualitative research in psychology held by students and academics, using the model of attitudes by Eagly and Chaiken as a framework. Twenty‐one psychology students and academics were interviewed about their attitudes towards qualitative research. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. While qualitative research was described as inherent to the psychology profession and useful for generating rich data, some participants felt that this approach was not well respected or considered as legitimate as quantitative methods. Reflecting common misperceptions about qualitative research, participants also expressed concerns that qualitative research was too subjective and had limited generalisability. Furthermore, some participants felt that they lacked the skills and confidence necessary to conduct qualitative research. Large investments in time and resources were identified as barriers to undertaking qualitative research. Identifying attitudes towards qualitative research provides a basis for future work in dispelling myths, promoting attitudinal change and increasing both the use and teaching of qualitative approaches in psychology.     

The relationship between qualitative and quantitative research: Lessons from feminist psychology

The dominant methodological approach in psychological research has involved the use of quantitative methods within a positivist framework. In this article we argue that both qualitative and quantitative methods have their strengths and limitations, depending on the research question under investigation. We examine some of the advantages of qualitative methods, paying particular attention to the value of such methods for feminist researchers. We challenge the positivist assumption that all research should be apolitical and value-free, arguing that the political context in which all research studies take place plays an important role in decisions about the appropriate research methods to use. Despite the value attached to qualitative methods by feminist researchers, there may be projects for which quantitative methods, or a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques, are more suitable. We draw on examples from our research on the transition from school to the job market for young people, and a study of 16- to 19-year-old first time mothers to illustrate these points, examining the practical implications of our arguments for applied social psychology research.     

The use of matrix manipulation programs in teaching statistical methods

An array manipulation package, the Symbolic Matrix Interpretive System and Statistical Interpretive System (SMIS/SIS), is described. Using SMIS/SIS, one can declare matrices and arrays of real or randomly generated data and then manipulate the matrices using simple commands to produce virtually any desired analysis. The package, designed for use by nonprogrammers and programmers alike, features a full complement of matrix algebra operations and a smaller set of statistical functions. The package, while useful as a research tool, is especially useful in teaching statistical methods, particularly multivariate analysis in which the correspondence between mathematical formulas and program code has definite pedagogical advantages over the use of statistical program packages like SPSS, BMDP, and SAS.