Essential Research Methods in Psychology

Dr Phil Banyard is Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). In his thirty years at NTU Phil Banyard taught on a range of courses but focused on introductory modules and critical thinking. His research was concerned with the impact of digital technologies on teaching and learning, especially in schools. He was a chief examiner of A Level Psychology for many years and has written more than twenty texts. Among these is an introductory text with SAGE (now in its fourth edition) that brought in over 50 members of the department at NTU. His cultural interests are largely defined by smallpeople in the family and he is currently enjoying Captain Underpants series three which he regards as riotously creative. Belinda is a Reader in Forensic Psychology. She teaches primarily within forensic psychology, with specific focus on sexual crime. She has a strong background in psychometrics and individual differences, and retains her enthusiasm for quantitative research (continuing to teach multivariate statistics in what she hopes is a fun and interactive manner). Her research is leading her to incorporate qualitative research methods as she continues to develop a programme of research in collaboration with HMP Whatton (the largest sex offender prison in Europe) that makes a significant and practical contribution to our understanding of sex offenders and sexual crime. Additional areas of interest (both in terms of teaching and research) include the psychology of fraud, lying and deception. Christine Norman is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Gayle Dillon is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University.

Chapter 1. Psychological research: doing the right thing? - Philip Banyard Chapter 2. Experimental methods - Andrew Harris, Russell Turk, Mike Vernon and Juliet Ruth Helen Wakefield Chapter 3. Survey methods - Lucy Betts, Moon Halder, Mark Sergeant and Ben Oldfield Chapter 4. Neuroscientific methods - Andrew Clouter and Darren Rhodes Chapter 5. Randomised controlled trials - Janet Vousden and Anna Cunningham Chapter 6. Interviews - David Wilde, Beth Jones, Jennifer Mackay and Lisa Sanderson Chapter 7. Focus groups - Lydia Harkin and Francesca Chloe Ryding Chapter 8. Naturally occurring data - Anastasia Rousaki, Eva Prikrylova, Kristina Newman and Sarah Seymour-Smith Chapter 9. Visual methods - David Wilde and Amanda Edmondson Chapter 10. Combining two methods: Interviews and psychometrics - Rowena Hill, Lisa Sanderson and Beth Jones Chapter 11: Repertory grids - Nicholas Blagden and Rosie Kitson-Boyce Chapter 12. Case studies - Rusi Jaspal, Caroline Flowers and Melina Throuvala Chapter 13. Behavioural observations - Emma J. Vardy, Treshi-Marie Perera and James Stiller