Faith Cockrell

Mr.Evarts - 3rd
1/22/16

Psychological Research Pertaining to Methodologies and Statistics

Statistics and methodologies are used by psychologists on a daily level, and help bring
new discoveries in the psychological community. Mean, median, descriptive statistics, and
inferential statistics, are all methods of studies in which the newly found research/statistics are
processed and organized under. Usually, the type of information that would be most applicable to
these types of methods is numerical statistics, such as a quantity. This can be described with any
study that relates to percentages, and are often filed through the mean, which is the average.
Methods, known as longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies are infamous to the
research behind behavior. While both are successful and similar, the study of behavior would
succeed at a higher degree under a longitudinal study program. This theory is proven being that
psychologists study an individual, rather than a group of people like cross-sectional studies
show. Sociologists would find that cross-sectional studies cause for a more pertinent study. This
can be implicated in studies such as Pavlovs dog experiment.
One of the most appealing methods of studies are the single-blind study and the doubleblind study. Double-blind studies are generally more prosperous as the analyst cannot act biased
toward the test subject nor influence the study in any form. Single-blind studies tend to advance
more in the perspective that the researcher will be more aware of the case, and grant previous

knowledge to the case. A double-blind study can be represented infamously by the death
sentence as a form of criminal justification. Multiple doctors provide the sedative for the
prisoner, although only one of the experts provide the true medication.
Major components to psychological experiments are tied to a random selection, or a
random assignment. Random selections are used more often as it can get an accurate result
across a whole category or division. This is seen through polls, or interviews along the streets of
busy cities.
Surveys and case studies are used constantly, as they cause for an effortless approach to a
new study. As both forms of studies are used with the intention to bring information in quickly,
surveys tend to be more efficient. Surveys can be done by anyone, whether a professional or not.
This can be illustrated through a sample of closed-ended questions that are given for a customer
to fill out after a purchase at a certain shop. Surveys are generally appreciated by the common
man more than a case study, for it calls for a more complex outlook.
Psychologists will often study public interests under a method known as a correlation
study. A correlation study is applied by psychologists as they use researched statistics, and
compare them to multiple common factors. Correlation studies are found to be more commonly
used than experiments. This is due to the fact that a correlation study often draws more accurate
and more detailed information that cannot be achieved through a simple experiment.
Experiments are customarily know to provide random subjects and for a study that requires such
accuracy, an experiment will not suffice.

Although it is known to be a controversial subject, abortions are reasoned by many

various factors that include: race, religion, financial stability, and age. A psychologist today, will
often take these factors into consideration and begin to compare and contrast them to the
statistics behind abortions throughout our nation, or even our world.
An abortion is traditionally described for when a pregnant woman, prior to the initial 14
weeks of pregnancy, terminates the pregnancy via pill or surgically. Today, the topic of abortion
is recognized as one of the most conflicting discussions. The controversy of the subject has
brought a great deal of curiosity to many psychologists and researchers, which resulted in many
correlation studies for the factors mentioned previously.
Race, has a significant pattern difference for the statistics of abortion. The patterns of
abortion rates mirror the levels of unplanned pregnancy for that particular race. Statistically
speaking, the abortion rate for African Americans is five times higher than the abortion rate for
caucasians. This being stated, caucasians are placed as the second highest race for abortion rates.
Religion is another common factor towards abortions today. Another stereotype proven
wrong by statistics occur in this field. Many people and even psychologists were/are under the
impression that christians have the least amount of abortions due to their stereotypical view of
them. As they are proven wrong, multiple studies over a course of many years prove that
christians contradict this idea, and receive the highest percentage of abortions. This surprising
result is believed to ring true as many christian women do not want to be shamed upon and go to
the extremity to hiding their pregnancy.

Most abortions that are due to unplanned pregnancies are categorized by age. A
stereotype is frequently stressed on teens and young adults between the ages of 16-20. Ironically,
they are one of the age groups that score lowest in the abortion rating scale that is studied in
correlation to age. Although many people would find this as a shock, this particular circumstance
can be easily reasoned by the fact that teens that fall under this age range do not score highly on
the pregnancy rating scale. A study in 2006 shows that in reality, the age correlation compared
with abortions are ranked the highest when the woman is between 24 and 30.
Finally, the factor of financial stability comes into play. Despite the fact that many of
these factors have been contradicted their stereotypes by their statistics, this concept does not.
The patterns of abortion imitate and depict the pattern of income. Often times, women that live in
poverty, or receive a low annual income, will have fewer abortions, for they cannot support a
new child. On the other hand, many women with a higher income, or are financially stable, will
have less abortions, since they can and are willing to provide for their new family.
Correlation studies are favored by many psychologists as it calls for an accurate study,
and forms statistics that not only prove stereotypes wrong, but can bring new knowledge and
discoveries for the public interest. Various psychological methodologies are used for different
purposes and cases, and can often open the minds people, and bring them into the world that is
psychology.