Review by Choice Review
It is unusual for a book on research methods to begin with an argument for the method, but it is clear from both the foreword and the content of the first four chapters that this approach is necessary. For researchers who are accustomed to using more conventional experimental/laboratory methods, and group-level between-subjects analyses, the handbook serves as a gentle wakeup call to reconsider many assumptions involved in traditional psychological science research methods, by way of a discussion of issues old and new. Contributors to the first section, "Theoretical Background," advocate strongly for methods that permit study of human behavior in real life, e.g., diary studies, ambulatory physiological studies, and experience sampling. The mildly defensive stance arises from the need to show what is often missing from or missed by more traditional approaches. The three subsequent sections provide support, presenting some important "how to do it" issues of questions matched with method, new analyses, and a look at many areas of psychology in which such methods can be useful. If judiciously selected, some chapters of this book could be used in advanced research methods courses, where the contrast with traditional approaches would potentially be most appreciated. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. J. F. Heberle Albright College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
