Summary
This lesson will explore the particular challenges of experimental design in psychology. Students will get to know the fundamentals of experimentation, and how they apply to psychological research. They will come to appreciate why the scientific method is necessary, and how psychology employs it, including the use of deception and its ethical guidelines. In the end, students will design their own experiments, presenting them for peer review before the class.
Essential Question(s)
How does the scientific method help test ideas about human thought and behavior?
Snapshot
Engage
Students will decide if psychological statements are “Always, Sometimes, or Never True” and watch a video explaining them.
Explore
Students participate in a card sort with relevant vocabulary.
Explain
Students will determine different parts of experimental design by jigsawing examples of psychological experiments.
Extend
Students design their own proposals for psychological experiments.
Evaluate
Students share their proposals and practice peer reviewing classmates’ designs.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Mapping out Research handout (attached; one per group; see Teacher’s Note below)
Card Sort handout (attached; one set per group; see Teacher’s Note below)
Let’s Prove It handout (attached; one per student)
Invisible Gorilla Experiment handout (attached; one per group)
Milgram’s Shocking Experiment handout (attached; one per group)
Stanford Prison Experiment handout (attached; one per group)
Asch Conformity Experiment handout (attached; one per group)
Peer Review Checklist handout (attached; 2-3 per student depending on number of groups; see Teacher’s Note in Evaluate section)
Pencil/Pen
Electronic device
Sticky notes
Poster paper (optional)
Engage
20 Minute(s)
Use the attached Lesson Slides to facilitate the following lesson.
Display slides 3 and 4 to introduce the essential question and learning objectives.
Move to slide 5. Tell students to scan the QR code, type in the link to your copy of the form, or share the Google form quiz with students on your LMS. Explain to students that they are reading statements about psychology and need to decide if they are “Always, Sometimes, or Never True.” Ask students to complete the form. After students have finished, take a few minutes to discuss their answers. Ask them why they chose what they did or what, if any, rationale they had.
Display slide 6 and show the video 7 Widely Believed Myths in Psychology You Probably Thought Were True.
After showing the video, facilitate a discussion with students asking them How did the video change or affirm your thoughts? What is your reaction after viewing that video?
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Have students get into pairs or small groups. Pass out one of the attached Mapping Out Research handouts and one set of attached Card Sort cards to each group (see Teacher’s Note in the Materials section). Display slide 7 and introduce students to this modified Card Sort strategy. Explain that students should read the sample experiment statement cards and determine where they go in the research process. Point out to students that some of the statements may be “red herrings” or distractors and should be placed on the fish spaces. Allow students time to work on their card sort.
Once students have completed their maps, ask students how they placed their cards and clear up any misconceptions. Use the answers hidden on slides 8-10 as a reference, or unhide them so your students can double check their work. Ask students if anything surprised them about parts of the experiment.
Explain
45 Minute(s)
Display slide 11. Explain to students that they will be participating in a Jigsaw activity. Each student will get one of four attached articles (Invisible Gorilla Experiment, Milgram’s Shocking Experiment, Asch Conformity Experiment, and Stanford Prison Experiment handouts) to read. Evenly distribute the articles and the attached Let’s Prove It note catcher handout. Next, have students form groups with everyone who has the same article as they do. Give students time to read, answer questions on the handout, and discuss their answers with their group members.
After students have finished reading and filling out the note catcher, divide them into groups of four. Make sure there is one of each article represented in each group. Have students summarize and discuss the readings and information they wrote on their note catcher. As a class, ask individuals to share out and make connections.
After everyone has had a chance to share their responses, use slides 12-13 to lead a discussion on the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Review the slide content in as much detail as you feel necessary, then ask students the following questions: How did you see these ethical concerns in the experiments you read? Did all of them have control groups? How does not having a control group connect with the IRB?
Extend
60 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 14 and introduce students to the Canva tech tool explaining that they will create their own digital poster presentation for their own psychological research experiment proposal. Have students turn over their Let’s Prove It handout to the graphic organizer on the back. With their same initial Jigsaw group, have students work together to design their own experiment. Encourage students to choose concepts you’ve already taught. If necessary, provide resources they can use. Tell students once they have their graphic organizers filled in with the correct information, they should choose a template from Canva and create a visual representation of their proposed experiment. Unhide slide 15 to give students template ideas they can use for their presentations.
Evaluate
60 Minute(s)
Students now get an opportunity to share their proposed study. Pass out 2-3 copies of the attached Peer Review Checklist handout to each student. Explain to students that they will act as the IRB and evaluate the proposal from that lens as well as give feedback based on the content of the presentations. At the end of each presentation, allow student reviewers time to complete their checklists (make sure they do front and back) and turn it into the presenting group.
Display slide 16. Once each group gets feedback from their classmates, have them review the feedback. On a sticky note, have students reflect on their experiences using the strategy I Used to Think…But Now I Know, answering these two questions: What did I used to think about psychological experiments? and What do I think now? Have students write their brief reflections on a sticky note and stick it to the door on the way out of class.
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). Always, sometimes, or never true. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/145
K20 Center. (n.d.). Canva. Tech tools. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/tech-tool/612
K20 Center. (n.d.). Card sort. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/147
K20 Center. (n.d.). I used to think . . . but now I know. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/137
K20 Center. (n.d.). Jigsaw. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/179
PSYCHSIDE. (2020, August 31). 7 Widely Believed Myths in Psychology You Probably Thought Were True [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/rs5cGZp5q1Y?feature=shared