Description

Rigorous, yet readable.

The author presents the material with sufficient elaboration, explanation, and examples that not only interest the student, but make it understandable.

Introduction to Behavioral Research Methods incorporates the four basic approaches to behavioral research (descriptive research, correlational research, experimental research, and quasi-experimental research), and shows students how to conceptualise questions, measure variables, design studies, and analyse data. Chapters on research ethics and scientific writing (including the most recent version of APA style) round out the book. Throughout each chapter, boxes on “Developing Your Research Skills” and “Behavioral Research Case Study” provide practical examples and pique student interest.

Features

RIGOROUS, YET READABLE.

• The author’s primary reason for writing this book was to create a textbook that is rigorous, yet readable. The author presents the material with sufficient elaboration, explanation, and examples that not only interest the student, but make it understandable.
• From the development of a research idea, through measurement issues, to design and analysis, the entire research process is an attempt to understand variability in behavior. Because the concept of variability is woven throughout the research process, the author has used it as a framework to provide coherence to the various topics in the book.
• MySearchLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.

PERSONALIZE LEARNING WITH MYSEARCHLAB

• MySearchLab with eText can be packaged with this text.
• MySearchLab provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.
• eText – Just like the printed text, you can highlight and add notes to the eText or download it to your iPad.
• Assessment – Chapter quizzes and flashcards offer immediate feedback and report directly to the gradebook.
• Writing and Research – A wide range of writing, grammar and research tools and access to a variety of academic journals, census data, Associated Press newsfeeds, and discipline-specific readings help you hone your writing and research skills.

IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING

• New up-to-date Behavioral Research Case Studies help students apply research to practice. (ex. p. 157)
• Writing resources on MySearchLab - Step by step tutorials present complete overviews of the research and writing process.
• Research and Citing Sources on MySearchLab - Instructors and students receive access to the EBSCO ContentSelect database, census data from Social Explorer, Associated Press news feeds, and the Pearson bookshelf. Pearson SourceCheck helps students and instructors monitor originality and avoid plagiarism.

ENGAGE STUDENTS

• The text is designed to make research methods understandable, useful, and interesting for students.
• Figures, tables, and an expanded glossary are included.(ex. p .12, p. 380)
  
• Without an elementary grasp of statistical concepts, students may find it difficult to understand the research articles they read. Although this book is unquestionably focused on research methodology and design, the author has sprinkled essential statistical topics throughout the book. With a better understanding of what becomes of the data they collect, students should be able to design more thorough and reliable research studies. (ex. p. 23)
• New up-to-date Behavioral Research Case Studies help students apply research to practice. (ex. p. 157)
• eText on MySearchLab - Just like the printed text, students can highlight and add their own notes to their interactive text online.
• Chapter quizzes and flashcards on MySearchLab offer immediate feedback and a gradebook allows both students, and instructors to monitor student progress throughout the course.
• A full Lab Manual is included on MySearchLab to help engage students in the research process.

EXPLORE RESEARCH

• This edition of the book has even more examples of real research, tidbits about the lives of famo

New to this Edition

Overview of Changes

PERSONALIZE LEARNING WITH MYSEARCHLAB

• MySearchLab with eText can be packaged with this text.
• MySearchLab provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.
• eText – Just like the printed text, you can highlight and add notes to the eText or download it to your iPad.
• Assessment – Chapter quizzes and flashcards offer immediate feedback and report directly to the gradebook.
• Writing and Research – A wide range of writing, grammar and research tools and access to a variety of academic journals, census data, Associated Press newsfeeds, and discipline-specific readings help you hone your writing and research skills.

IMPROVE CRITICAL THINKING

• New up-to-date Behavioral Research Case Studies help students apply research to practice.(ex. p. 157)
  
• Writing resources on MySearchLab - Step by step tutorials present complete overviews of the research and writing process.
• Research and Citing Sources on MySearchLab - Instructors and students receive access to the EBSCO ContentSelect database, census data from Social Explorer, Associated Press news feeds, and the Pearson bookshelf. Pearson SourceCheck helps students and instructors monitor originality and avoid plagiarism.

ENGAGE STUDENTS

• New up-to-date Behavioral Research Case Studies help students apply research to practice. (ex. p. 157)
• eText on MySearchLab - Just like the printed text, students can highlight and add their own notes to their interactive text online.
• Chapter quizzes and flashcards on MySearchLab offer immediate feedback and a gradebook allows both students, and instructors to monitor student progress throughout the course.
• A full Lab Manual is included on MySearchLab to help engage students in the research process.
• Expanded glossary

EXPLORE RESEARCH

• A full Lab Manual is included on MySearchLab to help engage students in the research process.
• New chapter on Selecting Research Participants (ex. p. 99)
• Chapter on scientific writing updated to conform to 6th edition of APA style (ex. p. 333)
• New sample manuscript reflects recent changes in APA style (ex. p. 355)
• New section on resisting one’s personal biases when conducting research (p. 65)
• Expanded coverage of effect size indicators (ex. p. 42)
• Revision of sections on main effects and interactions (ex. p. 222)
• New coverage of confidence intervals and the use of error bars (ex. p. 128)
• Expanded sections on telephone surveys, experience sampling, and Internet research (ex. p. 86)
• Enhanced discussion (and case study) on neuroimaging methods (fMRI) (ex. p. 78)
• New section on cross-sequential cohort designs (ex. p. 284)
• New section on research with vulnerable populations (ex. p. 322)
• New section on using PsycInfo (ex. p. 352)
• New up-to-date Behavioral Research Case Studies throughout text (ex. p. 157)

SUPPORT INSTRUCTORS

• MyTest, PowerPoints, and Instructor’s Manual offer additional support for instructors.
• Create a Custom Text - For enrollments of at least 25, create your own textbook by combining chapters from best-selling Pearson textbooks and/or reading selections in the sequence you want. To begin building your custom text, visit www.pearsoncustomlibrary.com. You may also work with a dedicated Pearson Custom editor to create your ideal text—publishin

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Research in the Behavioral Sciences
• Chapter 2: Behavioral Variability and Research
• Chapter 3: The Measurement of Behavior
• Chapter 4: Approaches to Psychological Measurement  
• Chapter 5: Selecting Research Participants 
• Chapter 6: Descriptive Research
• Chapter 7: Correlational Research
• Chapter 8: Advanced Correlational Strategies
• Chapter 9: Basic Issues in Experimental Research
• Chapter 10: Experimental Design
• Chapter 11: Analyzing Experimental Data
• Chapter 12: Analyzing Complex Designs
• Chapter 13: Quasi-Experimental Designs
• Chapter 14: Single-Case Research
• Chapter 15: Ethical Issues in Behavioral Research
• Chapter 16: Scientific Writing

Author

Mark R. Leary, Ph. D., Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke University, received his B.A. from West Virginia Wesleyan College (1976) and his doctorate from the University of Florida (1980). He taught at Denison University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Wake Forest University before moving to Duke. Dr. Leary’s research and writing focus on social motivation and emotion, areas in which he has published more than 150 scholarly articles and chapters. Dr. Leary is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Association for Psychological Science, as well as a member of the International Association for Relationship Research and the International Society for Self and Identity. Dr. Leary was the founding editor of Self and Identity, a new scholarly journal, and served for nine years as Associate Editor of the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. He has also served on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Personality, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Personality and Social Psychology Review, and Emotion.