Mothers and infants exchanging gleeful vocalizations, married couples discussing their problems, children playing, birds courting, and monkeys fighting all have this in common: their interactions unfold over time. Almost anyone who is interested can observe and describe such phenomena. However, scientists usually demand more than a desription--they want observations that are replicable and amenable to scientific analysis, while still faithful to the dynamics of the phenomena studied. This book provides a straightforward introduction to scientific methods for observing social behavior. The...

Understanding Statistics in the Behavioral Sciences is designed to help readers understand research reports, analyze data, and familiarize themselves with the conceptual underpinnings of statistical analyses used in behavioral science literature. The authors review statistics in a straightforward way that is intended to reduce anxiety for students who feel intimidated by statistics. Conceptual underpinnings and practical applications are stressed, whereas algebraic derivations and complex formulas are reduced. throughout, which allows readers to focus more on the new statistical concepts than...

The role of quantitative methods in testing developmental hypotheses is widely recognized, yet even very experienced quantitative researchers often lack the knowledge required for good decision-making on methodology. The end result is a disconnect between research and practice in methods. The purpose of this monograph is to fill a gap in the literature by offering a series of overviews on common data-analytic issues of particular interest to researchers in child development. Our hope is that this monograph will make already developed methods accessible to developmentalists so they can...

Mothers and infants exchanging gleeful vocalizations, married couples discussing their problems, children playing, birds courting, and monkeys fighting all have this in common: their interactions unfold over time. Almost anyone who is interested can observe and describe such phenomena. However, scientists usually demand more than a desription--they want observations that are replicable and amenable to scientific analysis, while still faithful to the dynamics of the phenomena studied. This book provides a straightforward introduction to scientific methods for observing social behavior. The...