Name: using records to study behavior
Uploaded: 2020-02-12T11:07:39.000Z
Duration: 1 min 40 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Virginia  Standards of Learning

HIgh School

Biology

BIO.1

BIO.1.b

Archival Research

Researchers do not need to interact with participants to carry out psychological research. Instead, they may find it more appropriate to answer certain research questions using material that was already collected and archived.

This method is known as archival research&mdash;the use of existing records and data sets for experimental purposes. This may include public records, databases of survey results, and even social media information.

For example, a researcher may be interested in exploring how students&rsquo; driving behavior changes when there&rsquo;s a big college home game. Rather than watching students on the road&mdash;which would be dangerous&mdash;she can access police records and compare the number of speeding tickets given out on game days versus other days.

She may find that students are more likely to speed on game days because they are excited to get to the stadium. Using this method, she can be confident that the results were not affected by observational bias, because she didn&rsquo;t interact with the participants herself.

In addition, because she doesn&rsquo;t need to spend time and money collecting her own data, she can focus her attention on data analysis.

However, archival research also has a few draw

archival research

Some researchers gain access to large amounts of data without interacting with a single research participant. Instead, they use existing records to answer various research questions. This type of research approach is known as archival research. Archival research relies on looking at past records or data sets to look for interesting patterns or relationships. For example, a researcher might access the academic records of all individuals who enrolled in college within the past ten years and calculate how long it took them to complete their degrees, as well as course loads, grades, and extracurricular involvement. Archival research could provide important information about who is most likely to complete their education, and it could help identify important risk factors for struggling students.

In comparing archival research to other research methods, there are several important distinctions. For one, the researcher employing archival research never directly interacts with research participants. Therefore, the investment of time and money to collect data is considerably less with archival research. Additionally, researchers have no control over what information was originally collected. Therefore, research questions have to be tailored so they can be answered within the structure of the existing data sets. There is also no guarantee of consistency between the records from one source to another, which might make comparing and contrasting different data sets problematic.
This text is adapted from <a href="https://cnx.org/contents/Sr8Ev5Og@10.24:iMyFZJzg@11/2-2-Approaches-to-Research" target="_blank">OpenStax, Psychology. OpenStax CNX.</a>

Some researchers gain access to large amounts of data without interacting with a single research participant. Instead, they use existing records to answer ...

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KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

using records to study behavior

Archival research uses existing records and data sets to study behavior and answer research questions. Researchers do not collect new data from participants in this method. Instead, they look back at records that already exist to find patterns and relationships.

A researcher might, for example, examine the academic records of students who enrolled in college over the past ten years. Those records could show how long students took to finish their degrees, along with course loads, grades, and extracurricular involvement. From that information, researchers may learn who is more likely to complete college and what factors may be linked to student struggles.

Archival research is different from methods that require direct contact with participants. It usually takes less time and money because the data already exist. At the same time, researchers cannot control what was originally recorded. That means research questions must fit the data that are available.

Another challenge is that records from one source may not match records from another source. Inconsistent data can make comparison difficult. For that reason, archival research can be useful, but it also depends on the quality and structure of the existing records.

Using Records to Study Behavior

the scientific method

Research Questions and Falsifiable Hypotheses

Research questions and falsifiable hypotheses help scientists separate facts from opinions. Facts are observable realities. Opinions are personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may or may not be accurate. In science, facts are established with evidence from empirical research, which means research based on observation and experience. Scientific knowledge grows through the scientific method, a process that connects ideas with real-world evidence. Researchers test theories and...

case studies

Studying Rare Cases in Psychology

Case studies help psychologists study rare people or rare situations in detail. This research method is used in observational research when scientists focus on one person or just a few individuals. Because the group is so small, researchers can collect very rich information and gain a deep understanding of the case. A well-known example is the New York Times story about Krista and Tatiana Hogan, Canadian twin girls who are conjoined at the head. Scientists have evidence that the twins may be...

naturalistic observations

Watching Behavior in Real Settings

Naturalistic observation is a research method for watching behavior in its real setting. Researchers try to record what people or animals do without changing the situation. The goal is to see behavior as naturally as possible. People often act differently when they know they are being watched. That is why observers must be inconspicuous, or hard to notice. In a classroom hand-washing example, a student observer might stand at a sink and pretend to put in contact lenses while secretly recording...

surveys

Survey Data in Psychology

Survey data in psychology comes from sets of questions answered by research participants. Surveys can be given on paper, online, or by speaking with people directly. They are usually quick to complete, which makes them useful when researchers want information from many people. A survey helps researchers study a sample, which is a smaller group chosen from a population, the larger group they want to understand. Because surveys can reach larger and more diverse samples, the results may reflect...

Archival research uses existing records and data sets to study behavior and answer research questions. Researchers do not collect new data from participants in this method. Instead, they look back at records that already exist to find patterns and relationships. A researcher might, for example, examine the academic records of students who enrolled in college over the past ten years. Those records could show how long students took to finish their degrees, along with course loads, grades, and...

longitudinal research

Tracking the Same People Over Time

Longitudinal research tracks the same group of people over time. Researchers use this design when they want to study change in human development or across the lifespan. Data are collected from the same participants repeatedly over an extended period. A simple example is a survey on dietary habits. The same people might answer at age 20, again at age 30, and again at age 40. This repeated testing helps researchers see how responses change over the years. Longitudinal research can also help...

cross-sectional research

Studying Age Groups at One Point in Time

Cross-sectional research compares different groups of people at the same time. Researchers use it when they want to study how a trait or behavior varies across age groups or other segments of the population. For example, a researcher interested in dietary habits could compare 20-year-old, 30-year-old, and 40-year-old individuals in one study. This approach does not require waiting 20 years to track how one group changes from decade to decade. It is a shorter-term way to collect data. <br...

group design

Experimental and Control Groups

Experimental and control groups are the two parts of a basic experiment. The groups should be the same except for one difference: the experimental manipulation. The experimental group gets the treatment or variable being tested, and the control group does not. Because that is the only planned difference, researchers can link any change between the groups to the manipulation rather than to chance. A clear example is a study on violent television and children’s behavior. In that setup, the...

factorial design

Factorial Analysis in ANOVA

Factorial analysis is a research design that uses ANOVA, or analysis of variance, to test how more than one independent variable affects a dependent variable. The independent variables are also called factors. A worker productivity study can show how salary and skill level may each influence the result. In this example, salary can be grouped into three levels: low, moderate, and high. Skill level can be grouped into two levels: entry level and experienced. The study would be called a two-way...

the placebo effect

How Expectations Shape Placebo Results

The placebo effect shows how expectations and beliefs can shape what people experience. In some situations, simply expecting something to happen can make it feel real. This effect is often discussed when scientists test a new medicine. A common example is a study on depression treatment. A pharmaceutical company may compare two groups. The experimental group receives the medication, and the control group does not. To keep participants from knowing which treatment they got, researchers may give...

blind procedures

Single-Blind and Double-Blind Studies

Single-blind and double-blind studies help researchers reduce bias in an experiment. Bias can happen when expectations affect how a study is carried out or how results are read. In this kind of research, blinding keeps those expectations from shaping the outcome. In a single-blind study, the participants do not know whether they are in the experimental group or the control group. The researcher who designed the study still knows who is in each group. This setup helps limit the effect of...

ethics in research

Research Oversight for Human and Animal Studies

Research oversight protects human dignity and safety in modern science. Good research must be ethical, and researchers must show that their studies meet that standard. This idea is especially important when studies involve people or animals. Studies with human participants follow strict rules to prevent harm. Research institutions that receive federal support for human studies must have access to an institutional review board, or IRB. An IRB is a committee made up of administrators,...

correlations

Reading Correlation Coefficients

Correlation describes a relationship between two or more variables. It does not automatically mean that one variable causes the other. When variables are correlated, one changes as the other changes, and that relationship can be measured with a correlation coefficient. A correlation coefficient is a number from -1 to +1. It is usually written as r. The number shows the strength of the relationship. Values closer to 1, whether positive or negative, show a stronger relationship and make changes...

cause and effect

Why Correlation Can Mislead

Correlation can be misleading when two variables move together for a different reason. A confounding variable, or hidden factor, may be causing the pattern instead of one variable directly affecting the other. The ice cream and crime example shows this clearly. When temperatures rise, more people go outside, buy ice cream, and may also have more chances for conflict. A correlation does not prove causation. Even when a relationship looks strong, we should not assume that one variable causes the...

reliability and validity

Testing Measurement Quality in Research

Reliable and valid measurements are essential in data collection and research. Reliability means a tool or test gives the same result in a consistent way. In psychology, that means the instruments used to collect data should produce reproducible results. Consistency alone is not enough. A kitchen scale can show the same reading every time, but it can still be wrong if it is not calibrated correctly. In that case, the scale is reliable because it is consistent, but it does not measure the...

regression toward the mean

Regression Toward the Mean in Data

Regression toward the mean is a statistical pattern in which very high or very low values move closer to the average when they are measured again. A blood pressure reading taken at one moment is one example. The change is usually caused by random error and chance, not by a real underlying shift. This idea matters because it can affect many kinds of research. If scientists do not account for regression toward the mean, they may think a treatment worked when the difference was really just a...

measures of central tendency

Mean, Median, and Mode in Data

Mean, median, and mode are the main ways to describe the center of a data set. The center is also a way to describe location. The mean and the median are the two most widely used measures of center. The mean is the arithmetic mean, which most people call the average. In everyday use, average and mean are often used to mean the same thing. The mode is another measure of center. It is the value that appears most often in a data set. If two values occur the same number of times, the data set is...

variation: normal distribution, range, and standard deviation

variation-normal-distribution-range-and-standard-deviation

Measuring Data Spread with Range and Variance

Variation describes how far scores are from each other in a data set. In psychology, researchers organize measurements of traits, features, or characteristics, called variables, in different ways. Qualitative data, such as ethnicity, can be counted to show the proportion and variety of groups in a sample or population. Quantitative data allow for more calculations, including measures of central tendency and variability. The mean, mode, and median are central tendency measures. They identify a...

statistical significance

Testing Whether Group Differences Matter

Statistical analysis helps determine whether differences between an experimental group and a control group are meaningful. After data are collected, researchers check whether the results are likely to be real or just due to chance. If a difference is caused by chance, it is not considered meaningful. In psychology, a group difference is usually called significant when the chance of it happening by accident is 5 percent or less. Another way to say this is that if the experiment were repeated...

key terms and concepts

Learn how archival research uses existing records and data sets to study patterns, save time, and find limits in inconsistent data sources.

Using Records to Study Behavior | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Social Psychology offers a comprehensive learning experience on the principles of social behavior through concise, animated video lessons. The series explores key topics such as self-concept, social cognition, group dynamics, stereotypes, and relationships. It provides a structured foundation for understanding human behavior in social situations. Students gain insights into how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts while examining the psychological processes that influence interactions and judgments. By integrating theory with real-world applications, these lessons offer a clear and engaging approach to mastering essential concepts in social psychology.

social psychology

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Chemistry

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CH.1.b

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112.49.c.4.

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112.51.c.4.

112.51.c.4.C.

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The Scientific Method

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The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by asking questions and defining problems
• ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena and/or
organisms, from examining models and theories, and/or to seek additional
information
• determine which questions can be investigated within the scope of the
school laboratory or field to determine relationships between independent
and dependent variables
• generate hypotheses based on research and scientific principles
• make hypotheses that specify what happens to a dependent variable when
an independent variable is manipulated

BIO.1.a

Case Studies

There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological ...

Naturalistic Observations

If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, ...

Surveys

Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be ...

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals ...

Cross-Sectional Research

In cross-sectional research, a researcher compares multiple segments of the population at the same time. If they were interested in people&#39;s dietary ...

Group Design

The most basic experimental design involves two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The two groups are designed to be the same except ...

Factorial Design

Factorial Analysis is an experimental design that applies Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical procedures to examine a change in a dependent variable ...

The Placebo Effect

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Blind Procedures

Ideally, the people who observe and record the children&rsquo;s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to ...

Ethics in Research

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 • individually and collaboratively plan and conduct observational and experimental investigations 
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• determine appropriate sample size and techniques 
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Introduction to Statistics

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Ogive Graph

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Histogram

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Relative Frequency Histogram

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Scatter Plot

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Time-Series Graph

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Bar Graph

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Multiple Bar Graph

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Pareto Chart

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Pie Chart

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What is Central Tendency?

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Arithmetic Mean

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Mean From a Frequency Distribution

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What is a Mode?

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Bias

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Median

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Blinding

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Midrange

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Clinical Trials

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What is Variation?

Apart from the measures of central tendency, distribution, outliers, and the changing characteristics of data with time, an important characteristic of ...

Range

The range is one of the measures of variation. It can be defined as the difference between a dataset&#39;s highest and lowest values. For example, in the ...

Standard Deviation

The most commonly used measure of variation is the standard deviation. It is a numerical value measuring how far data values are from their mean. The ...

Standard Error of the Mean

The sampling variability of a statistic is defined as how much the statistic varies from one sample to another. The sampling variability of a statistic is ...

Calculating Standard Deviation

The standard deviation is the most common measure of variation. It is a value that tells us how far a data value is from the mean value in a dataset. ...

Crossover Experiments

Crossover experiments, also called the repeated-measurements design, is a study design in which all experimental units are exposed to all treatments in ...

Controls in Experiments

When conducting an experiment, it is crucial to have control to reduce bias and accurately measure the dependent variables. It also marks the results more ...

The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data 
 • construct and interpret data tables showing independent and dependent variables, repeated trials, and means
 • construct, analyze, and interpret graphical displays of data
 • use data in building and revising models, supporting an explanation for phenomena, or testing solutions to problems
 • analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution

BIO.1.c

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The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering practices by  constructing and critiquing conclusions and explanations
• make quantitative and/or qualitative claims regarding the relationship between dependent and independent variables 
• construct and revise explanations based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources including students' own investigations, models, theories, simulations, and peer review 
• apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and design solutions 
• compare and evaluate competing arguments or design solutions in light of currently accepted explanations and new scientific evidence
• construct arguments or counterarguments based on data and evidence differentiate between a scientific hypothesis and theory

BIO.1.d

Using Records to Study Behavior

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