Psychology acts as a link between the social and biological sciences. As a social science its subject-matter is of the utmost importance in understanding human actions in society, their behaviour as individuals, as members of various groups. A knowledge of psychology however necessitates a knowledge of the tools of biological sciences as its methodology has been modelled after the biological sciences. Hence a training in laboratory methods is essential for students of psychology.
This book combines the salient features of the methodology of experiments in psychology, the concepts of general experiments in psychology, and the advantage of a laboratory manual. It aims at developing in the students the understanding and skill to pose a problem, and to plan and conduct an experiment to answer it. Complete reports of a number of experiments have been given which, though based on hypothetical data, will enable students to realise that every step has a rationale behind it. Accounts of related problems and, in several cases, description of the ways to answer them, supplement the detailed reports. Aware of the importance of group experiments in the world of today, the author has included experiments highlighting some special features of group experiments like selections of sample, design of group experiments and treatment of group data. The author has also taken care to avoid use of costly apparatus to carry out the experiments worked out in the book, depending largely on locally improvised materials. This is an invaluable book for students and teachers of psychology. |
