PSY290: Research Methods in Psychology

An experiment examines whether there is a causal relationship between two variables. In other words, it looks to see if one variable has a direct influence on another.

• An independent variable is the one you can manipulate or control.
• A dependent variable is the one you observe and analyze.

When searching databases, you might use these variables as your search terms. You can mix and match, using variables as keywords or subject headings to see different results. Download the worksheet or use the examples listed below. These are only a few examples. There are many more you could try depending on the experiment you would like to design.

Examples of Search Terms You Might Mix and Match 

Dependent Variables Examples

• Aggression
• Attitude
• Creativity
• Empathy
• Memory 
• Mood
• Self-Esteem 

Independent Variables Examples

• Color
• Facial Expressions
• Images 
• Music
• Scent

Example Results.

When I searched for "Aggression" as a keyword and "Color" as a subject heading, I found:

Frank, M. G., & Gilovich, T. (1988). The dark side of self- and social perception: Black uniforms and aggression in

     professional sports. Journal of  Personality and Social Psychology, 54(1), 74–85. https://doi-

     org.libproxy.gc.maricopa.edu/10.1037/0022- 3514.54.1.74

When I searched for "aggression" (keyword) and "intervention" (keyword), I got:

Konrath, S., Martingano, A. J., Tolman, R. M., Winslow, M., & Bushman, B. J. (2023). Random app of kindness:

     Evaluating the potential of a smartphone intervention to impact adolescents’ empathy, prosocial behavior,

     and aggression. Psychology of Popular Media. https://doi-org.libproxy.gc.maricopa.edu/10.1037/ppm0000478.

     supp (Supplemental)

Both are examples of experiments. I might use either or both to construct the design of my own experiment on aggression.

Begin your search for scholarly, peer-reviewed articles by selecting a subject specific database. Limit your search to "scholarly/peer reviewed."

• Identify the keyword elements of your research question.
• Try various keyword combinations. Ex: narcissism AND empathy.
• Grab subject headings from the best results of your first searches OR click on subject headings within search results to see more results. Keep in mind, this will take you away from your original search results.
• Search by combinations of subject words and keywords. When using subject headings, be sure to change the dropdown menu of your search box to “subject” for those terms.
• Use the asterisk (star) key for truncation. Ex:  narcissi* will find articles containing the words “narcissism,” and “narcissist.”
• Use control +F to find words within articles—look for words related to your research question.
• Look at the Reference lists at the end of the most promising articles you find. Search by specific article title to see if the database you are using owns a full-text copy of that article. If you get no results, search by title in OneSearch under the Find Articles tab.

 

Need more help?  Use Ask-a-Librarian on the library’s main page to message with a librarian any time, day or night. http://lib.gccaz.edu/lmc/help/askalibrarian/