===== Experimental research =====

Goal: //Become familiar with the key elements of the experimental research design and prepare your first experimental study plan!//

==== Prepare for the lab ====

  * Short introduction into key concepts in experimental research:
    * [[https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/research-design/|Research Design. A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples]]
    * [[https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/experimental-design/|A Quick Guide to Experimental Design. 5 Steps & Examples]]

==== Materials ====

  - Lecture: {{ :courses:psaw:experimental_research_methods.pdf |Experimental research methods}}
  - Q&A Session. What is the difference between...
    - qualitative and quantitative approaches?
    - correlation and experiment?
    - independent and dependent variables?
    - between-subjects and within-subjects design?
  - Practice Session -- today you will work in groups of **two/three/four/five** to prepare your first (**pre-registered**) **experimental** study plan!
    - Briefly describe the purpose (aim and objectives) of the study.
    - What research questions are being answered?
    - What hypotheses are being verified?
    - List the independent, dependent, and confounding variables.
    - For each variable, indicate whether it is quantitative or categorical and describe the operationalization of that variable.
    - What is the procedure of the experiment? (devices, tasks, groups, ...)
    - //A sample article from EEG research at JU with a well-described method as inspiration: [[https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00178|Senderecka et al. - 2018 - Post-error Brain Activity Correlates With Incidental Memory for Negative Words]]//


==== Learn more! ====

=== Physiological measurement of psychological variables ===

  * {{https://people.ict.usc.edu/~gratch/CSCI534/Readings/Fairclough-review.pdf|Fairclough - 2009 - Fundamentals of physiological computing}} -- A summary of the major issues related to the use of physiological measurement in HCI (psychophysiological inference, user state's representation, bio-cybernetic loop, ethics)
  * [[https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13209|Bach et al. - 2018 - Psychophysiological modeling. Current state and future directions]] -- How to address the problem of inverse inference?
  * [[https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2015.00136|Brouwer et al. - 2015 - Using neurophysiological signals that reflect cognitive or affective state: six recommendations to avoid common pitfails]] -- A title says everything ;-)


=== p-hacking ===

  * {{https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/sds/docs/loewenstein/MeasPrevalQuestTruthTelling.pdf|John, Loewenstein, Prelec - 2012 - Measuring the Prevalence of Questionable Research Practices With Incentives for Truth Telling}} -- More than 2,000 scientists participated in a survey on questionable methodological practices.
  * [[https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0956797611417632|Simmons, Nelson, Simonsohn - 2011 - False-Positive Psychology]] -- A subtitle is a good summary of the paper's topic: "Undisclosed Flexibility in Data Collection and Analysis Allows Presenting Anything as Significant"
  * [[https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12315|Forstmeier, Wagenmakers, Parker - 2017 - Detecting and avoiding likely false-positive findings - a practical guide]] -- a practical guide on "how statistical pitfalls and psychological traps lead to conclusions that are biased and unreliable, and how these mistakes can be avoided"
  * [[https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.20f13804|Andrade - 2021 - HARKing, Cherry-Picking, P-Hacking, Fishing Expeditions, and Data Dredging (...)]] -- a very short introduction to questionable research practices


=== Varia ===

  * [[https://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations|Spurious correlations]]