Psychology 104:  Experimental Social Psychology
Fall 2005
Professor Halford H. Fairchild
Office:  203 Scott Hall, Pitzer College
Hours:  Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 and by appointment
Phone:  909-607-3056

Course Syllabus

Texts
Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences, by Charles Stangor
Pocket Guide to APA Style, by Robert Perrin

Course Description
This course is intended to introduce students to the conduct of social-psychological research.  An emphasis is on "learning by doing."  Early on, and throughout the semester, students will be engaged in individual and/or group projects that will involve the review of literature, design of research, design of research instruments, data collection, data processing, statistical analysis, and write-up.  Ideally, one or more group and/or individual projects will be submitted for publication by the end of the semester.

The course developed an analyzed an Iraq War Attitudes Scale.  Preliminary Findings
Date
 Topic
 Readings
8/30/05
 Introductions and Course Overview
9/1/05
 Examples of Research
 Chapter 1



9/6/05
 Developing the Research Hypothesis
 Chapter 2
9/8/05
 Lab



9/13/05
 Ethics in Research
 Chapter 3
9/15/05
 Lab



9/20/05
 Measures
 Chapter 4
9/22/05
 Lab



9/27/05
 Reliability and Validity
 Chapter 5
9/29/05
 Lab



10/4/05
 Surveys and Sampling
 Chapter 6
10/6/05
 Lab



10/11/05
 Naturalistic Methods
 Chapter 7
10/13/05
 Lab



10/18/05
 Fall Break
10/20/05
 Hypothesis Testing and Inferential Statistics
 Chapter 8



10/25/05
 Correlational Research Designs
 Chapter 9
10/27/05
 Lab



11/1/05
 Experimental Research: One-Way Designs
 Chapter 10
11/3/05
 Lab



11/8/05
 Experimental Control and Internal Validity
 Chapter 12
11/10/05
 Lab



11/15/05
 External Validity
 Chatper 13
11/17/05
 Lab



11/22/05
 Quasi-Experimental Research Designs
 Chapter 14
11/24/05
 Thanksgiving Holiday



11/29/05
 Writing the Research Paper
 Pocket Guide to APA Style
12/1/05
 Lab



12/6/05
 Publishing Research
12/8/05
 Course Conclusion

Grading
Grades will be subjectively determined by the instructor based on participation in class reserach activities.