The next area of development of psychology called experiments. If at a mention of the word begin to nervously fidget around, remembering the innocent twitching volunteers under the current, you can reassure them and explain (if possible with some degree of leniency) that such experiments were always rare and is not currently practiced. Modern experiments in psychology rather like trying to develop space speed by pressing buttons on a computer or on a compilation of rankings of different bodily odors. Despite the absence of a sizzling electrodes and different cones, the results of such experiments, underlie most of the provisions of modern psychology. Psychology requires experiments just as book publishing needs the manuscript, and medicine - the corpses. Unfortunately, it is impossible to guarantee an excellent experiment, as well as provide a printable literary work or the perfect body. As a rule, psychologists use three types of studies, and only one of them is "true" experiment.

Questioning

This is hardly the most exciting form of research. Most often, psychologists are different kinds of questionnaires, and subjects have to respond to their constituent issues. This method has significant drawbacks, as you have to rely solely on the marginal integrity of respondent is unlikely to have a Buddhist monk ability to self-analysis. Our advice: ignore the obvious problems associated with questionnaires. They are not so important for the psychology that very few professionals pay attention to them. Your role as an apparent expert in this field is to keep silence.

In most tests, a so-called scale Laykerta.Obychno a line from appearing on her numbers. The subject should place a cross in front of a mark that characterizes his attitude toward each statement test. Psychologist, of course, must ensure that the questions were written in understandable language, without ambiguity, for example: "Rarely is it that I often wish that my uncertainty was less certain." Strongly disagree 0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 completely agree. The scale includes a number from 0 to 10, but enthusiastic volunteer who wants to show the extreme degree of consent, should be to finish eleventh division.

Correlational study

This type of research that has been created to show that people are inclined to do or feel something one will also be doing or experiencing something else. For example, one known study has proved that in homes where children live with high mental ability, more books. The problem of uncertainty - which came first? " Psychologists want to find out that here first: either the parents gifted children too smart, so buy lots of books or reading books to develop in children a high mental ability. May be surprised but the latter is unlikely, especially if it is meeting the novels by Jeffrey Archer.

"True" experiment

If the results of 99% of psychological studies either obvious or not informative (or both), only 1% of the classical experiments give interesting and unexpected results. They look like good tricks with uncovering the secret, in which the psychologist has skilfully bluff. If you are behind a pair of classic experiments, can consider himself an authority. The first created the Stanley Milgremv 1960. In the fabricated experiment he studied the human obedience, willingness to carry out someone's orders - disturbing proof of the ability of a psychologist to control people. The experiment was presented to participants as a study of the effect of pain on memory. The subject was told to dial a number on the machine, from that of the second participant of the experiment was in an adjacent room, received a shock and screamed in pain. In this case, the subject did not know that the second party was an artist. 65% of the subjects went through, while "pupil" does not give one final sob or lost consciousness. Output (which will have to remember because of its high prevalence in society) is as follows: submission to authority outweighs the natural ability to sympathize - or should not trust psychologists.

The second classic study - also a lie for the good. At the beginning of the 1950's Solomon Asch developed a simple test (a rarity in psychology). Volunteers were asked to assess which of the three lines of different lengths equal in length to the fourth. Almost all unmistakably coped with the task. But when the participant was asked to do the same in the other group of subjects who chose the wrong answer, he agreed with them. Naturally, everyone in the group, except for the test were decoy ducks. Output (should read as much as possible with feeling): individual perceptions of the world may be influenced by other people. Or, perhaps, is the estimate of the size was a matter of dispute.

During any lively discussion should be remembered that, whatever idea you may have advanced, almost always it can be confirmed by experiment. If you and your knowledge of cheeky face, be creative. Vaguely refer to something that is impossible to verify, and let your words sound as possible scientifically. Invent sources of information, say a special issue of international almanac subconscious biosocial psychometrics (even though it does not exist, audience still never even guessed it). This is a gimmick - the academic equivalent of the assertion that in early 1961, you saw as "Rolling Stones" signed his first contract for performance in the back room of a bar in the East End.