Methods of Studying Human Behavior

1. Introspection Method

This method was introduced by EB Titchener. This is also known as self-observation method. Introspection means ‘to look within’. In this method of studying human behavior, the individual himself observe and report. Example: A patient can report about his pains and other disturbances in a better way than by a nurse. He will look within himself and explain how he is feeling. This will help for a better treatment.

Disadvantages 

1. Reports given by the reporter cannot be verified

2. This method cannot be used to study children, animals and persons suffering from mental disorders.

2. Observation Method

In this method the observer will observe and collect the data. Example: In the hospital the nurse will make observation of patient’s temperature, pulse, BP, facial expressions, etc.

This method is very useful to study the children, mentally ill, animals and unconscious patients. This method is also known as ‘naturalistic observation’ or ‘objective observation’ method.

Disadvantages

1. There are chances of subjective report, and prejudices of observer

2. Time consumption

3. Energy consumption

4. Too expensive.

3. Experimental Method

This is the most objective way of studying the behavior. In this method, experiments are conducted in the laboratories under controlled conditions. In experiments, usually the effect of independent variable on the dependent variable is studied.

There will be some other variables which are not wanted by the experimenter, these unwanted variables are called ‘extraneous’ or ‘intervening’ variables.

Generally the following steps are followed in an experiment;

1. Identification of the problem

2. Formulation of hypothesis

3. Designing the experiment

4. Testing the hypothesis by experiment

5. Analysis of results

6. Interpretation of results.

The advantage of this method is that, the results of the experiment may be verified by repetition of the same experiment.

Disadvantages 

1. Conducting experiment is very expensive

2. Time consuming

3. Experiments cannot be conducted outside the laboratory.

4. Clinical Method/Case History Method

This method is used very commonly in hospitals and also in educational settings. In hospitals this method involves collecting information (history) from a client/patient.

5. Survey Method

This method involves collecting information from large number of people using Questionnaires, checklists, rating scales.

6. Genetic Method

This method is also called as developmental method. This method involves studying an individual’s behavior from their earlier experiences during childhood to determine their present behavior.

7. Testing Method:

This method involves using various suitable tests to study attitudes, interests, abilities, intelligence, adjustments, personality and such other factors which influence behavior.

Accurate Person Perception

Person perception refers to a general tendency to form impressions of other people.

Perception: Perception refers to the way sensory information is organized, interpreted, and consciously experienced. Perception is the process of selecting, organizing, and interpreting information.

According to Joseph Reitz; “Perception includes all those processes by which an individual receives information about his environment seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling.”

According to B. V. H. Gilmer, “Perception is the process of becoming aware of situations, of adding meaningful associations to sensations.”

Perceptual process

Selecting Information

Selecting is the first part of the perception process, in which we focus our attention on certain incoming sensory information. Think about how, out of many other possible stimuli to pay attention to, a person may see a pair of shoes he/she wants to buy from across a mall, or smell something cooking for dinner when such person gets home from school. Such people quickly cut through and push to the background all kinds of sights, smells, sounds, and other stimuli, but how do we decide what to select and what to leave out.

We tend to pay attention to information that is salient. Salience is the degree to which something attracts our attention in a particular context.

Organizing Information

Organizing is the second part of the perception process, in which we categorize information that we perceive. 

Interpreting Information

Selecting and organizing incoming stimuli happens very quickly, and sometimes without much conscious thought, interpretation can be a much more deliberate and conscious step in the perception process. Interpretation is the third part of the perception process, in which we assign meaning to our experiences.