Regardless of which prompt you choose, please use the Tag “Research Methods” on your post. Here are the prompts for this week:

Option 1

For this week’s discussion, I want you to design a research study about a topic you find interesting in psychology. You can choose any topic you would like as long as you relate it to human behavior or mental processes. In your post make sure to do the following:

• List your research question
• State your hypothesis (what you think the outcome would be and why)
• Describe your procedure (what you would have participants do, how you would recruit participants)

Make your research idea something feasible that you could actually do as a student researcher. In other words, assume you have a fairly small budget and a limited amount of time. If you’re a psychology major, you will eventually conduct your own research projects, so this is great practice to start thinking about what you might want to do.

Option 2

Mythbusters is a popular TV show on the Discovery Channel which tests popular ideas using scientific methods.  Select one of the mini-myths (short clips from the show) below and critique the methods used to test the myth. Remember, critique means list the strengths and the weaknesses. For each weakness, discuss why it is a problem and suggest a solution.

• Does Weaving Through Traffic Actually Get You to Your Destination Faster?
• Do Waitresses Get Bigger Tips When They Have Bigger Breasts?
• Is Yawning Contagious?
• Is Talking on a Phone While Driving as Dangerous as Driving Drunk?
• Do Beer Goggles Really Exist?
• Do Hands Free Devices Improve Driving Safety?
• Do Men Really Find Blonds More Attractive?
• Are Women Better Than Men at Reading Emotions?

I look forward to seeing what you write!

Header image: CC by Flickr user Caitlinator