Types of Research Methods in Psychology

Written by: Wilson College • Sep 16, 2026

A psychology researcher sits at a desk and writes in a notebook

Psychological research extends to all areas of society. Recent studies range from tracking verbal fluency as a predictor of survival in old and very old age to investigating how programmers’ brains respond to errors in code.

Psychological research can go beyond human interaction, as in a recent study published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology, in which researchers discovered that food-sharing behavior among certain killer whale populations can help build relationships beyond their own species, much as it does in humans.

Research methods in psychology encompass systematic procedures, such as observing behavior and mental processes, collecting data, and testing whether the evidence supports the proposed explanation.

For individuals looking to prepare for research careers in psychology, a bachelor’s degree in psychology provides a well-rounded sampling of topics, including clinical, cognitive, and behavioral psychology, to enter the field with confidence.

What Is the Purpose of Research in Psychology?

Research in psychology is important because it helps explain how people think, learn, behave, and make decisions. Researchers use their findings to develop ways to improve the following:

Health: Treatments for anxiety, depression, and addiction, as well as therapies to promote healthier habits
Education: Teaching methods that enhance memory and motivation, especially for students with learning disabilities
The justice system: Improved understanding of criminal behavior and identification of gaps in the justice system
Communities: Programs for communities facing social issues, helping address violence, discrimination, poverty, substance use, and disaster recovery

When psychological research leads to real-world solutions, it can boost well-being and lower social and economic costs.

Research methods in psychology include experiments, surveys, case studies, and observations. The common element across these methods is that data collection must be objective and reliable.

This requirement sets psychological research apart from casual observation of people’s behavior. Research methods in psychology yield reproducible results, which are necessary for findings to be accepted as scientifically valid.

The Scientific Method in Psychology

In their study of phenomena, psychologists use the scientific method, which involves a five-step process for examining how people think and behave:

Observe the phenomenon under investigation.
Ask a research question and develop a hypothesis, which is a statement predicting what a study will find.
Test the hypothesis and collect data, including primary and secondary sources, and quantitative and qualitative data.
Examine the results, which include experimentation and sampling, and draw conclusions.
Report and share the findings. A completed study does not yet count as a contribution to the field—findings must first pass through a peer review process, in which psychologists in a similar field review the findings without payment.

3 Research Methods in Psychology

Research methods in psychology are typically classified into three main categories: experimental, descriptive, and correlational.

Experimental Research

Experimental research is the category focused on cause-and-effect relationships. The researcher manipulates the independent variable, holds other conditions as constant as possible, and measures the effect on the dependent variable. Experimental design governs how participants are allocated across conditions, including assignment to control and experimental groups.

Famous examples of experimentation in psychological research are the Asch conformity experiments, which found that social pressure led many participants to accept an obviously wrong answer to conform with the group.

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research observes and describes behavior rather than manipulating it. No variable is controlled, so the method records what is happening without testing why. Case studies, observational studies, interviews, and questionnaires fall into this category, and each can produce quantitative or qualitative data depending on how the questions and recording categories are structured.

A study published in Nutrients surveyed participants about their daily screen time, how often they viewed filtered photos, and their body dissatisfaction. Since the researchers relied on participants’ self-reports without altering any conditions, this study exemplifies descriptive research in psychology.

Correlational Research

Correlation means association, and correlational research measures the extent to which two variables are related, with one treated as the predictor and the other as the outcome. A study typically obtains two measures from a group of participants and assesses the degree of association between them. Association alone does not establish that one variable causes the other.

A 2026 study published in PLOS ONE provides an example of correlation research in psychology. The researchers followed 76 undergraduates for four years and found that students with higher grades slept about 27 minutes more per night for each GPA point. The researchers said they could not tell whether the extra sleep helped grades or whether better students simply worked faster and had more time to sleep.

How to Work in Psychological Research

Psychological research, which is key to addressing challenges in human behavior, can take on several roles that may differ by specialization. For example, cognitive psychology studies how the mind thinks, remembers, and learns, while developmental psychology studies growth and change across the lifespan. Other specializations include clinical psychology, health psychology, social psychology, educational psychology, and counseling psychology.

Despite differences in focus areas, baseline responsibilities in the psychology field are often shared across roles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following activities are typically performed by psychology professionals:

Studying behavior and brain function: Observing, interviewing, and conducting surveys
Identifying and diagnosing disorders: Assessing psychological, emotional, behavioral, or organizational issues in people
Researching and identifying patterns: Identifying behavioral or emotional issues and understanding and predicting behavior
Sharing findings: Writing articles, research papers, and reports

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists generally need an advanced degree in psychology, typically a master’s or doctoral degree. Those who apply to graduate programs usually already have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, education, or social science.

Clinical and counseling psychologists generally have to obtain either a Ph.D. in psychology or a Psy.D. The Ph.D. programs generally place a strong emphasis on research leading to a dissertation, whereas the Psy.D. programs concentrate on the application of psychological principles in work with clients or patients.

As for skills, several qualities are important for individuals exploring research methods in psychology:

Analytical skills for examining collected information and drawing logical conclusions
Communication skills for conveying ideas orally and in writing
Observational skills for reading facial expressions and other body language
Problem-solving skills for designing research, evaluating programs, and finding solutions
Interpersonal skills for building rapport with clients and working with other specialists
Integrity for keeping client discussions confidential
Compassion and patience for working with people in stressful and difficult situations

Prepare for a Psychology Research Career

Psychology research expands the field of psychology. For anyone looking to learn how to apply research methods in psychology to contribute to the field, enrolling in Wilson College Online’s Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology program can prepare students to design and conduct psychological research. The program includes coursework in qualitative and quantitative research methods and in data analysis for the behavioral sciences.

Learn how Wilson’s online B.A. in Psychology program can set you on the path to a career in psychology research.

Recommended Readings

Psychology Career Paths After Earning a Bachelor’s Degree

Sociology vs. Psychology: Key Similarities and Differences

5 Health Psychology Careers

Sources:

American Psychological Association, Becoming and Being a Psychological Scientist

American Psychological Association, Psychology Subfields

American Psychological Association, “Research Methods in Psychology”

American Psychological Association, “The Top 10 Journal Articles of 2025”

Association for Psychological Science, “2025 in Review: Revisiting Top Research From APS’s Journals”

Journal of Comparative Psychology, “Testing the Waters: Attempts by Wild Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) to Provision People (Homo Sapiens)”