545- DEENA'S VERSION Research Design & Program Eval Flashcards
construct
WHAT: A concept or idea that is used to measure or describe a person’s cognition, emotions, or behaviors.
- observable and measurable
- operatioinally defined
WHY: Important as they allow people to objectively describe and measure things. They are used while developing assessments, treatment plans, and goals
EXAMPLE: A counselor administered an assessment that asked participants to measure their excessive worry, fidgeting, and difficulty concentration. These constructs make up anxiety. Anxiety can be measured indirectly by assessing the prevalence of these behaviors/constructs.
correlational research
WHAT: Research designed used to examine the relationship between two or more variables
- no manipulation
- does not show causation
- measured: r= -1, 1
WHY: Important to remember correlation does not show causation when conducting and consuming research. It allows us to identify relationships which may guide further research.
EXAMPLE: A research wanted to examine the relationship between caffeine consumption and levels of anxiety. They found the two variables to be positively correlated.
criterion-referenced scoring/tests
WHAT: Tests that measure a person’s performance against criteria or standards, rather than the scores of others
- to determine if a person has met certain benchmarks or mastery levels
WHY: Important as it helps to identify a person’s weaknesses or specific areas that need extra attention + track progress. Used in research to measure competencies, skills, or behaviors relative to benchmarks.
EXAMPLE: The Beck Depression Inventory is a criterion-referenced test. It measured whether a person’s symptoms meet the specific threshold for each level of severity for depression, if at all.
cross-sectional design
WHAT: A research design in which data is collected at one single point in time from a group of participants (typically diff ages)
✓ shows prevalence
✓ observational
✓ less expensive and time consuming
𝐗 does not show causation or change over time
WHY: Important tool that allows researchers to examine the characteristics that exist in a group at one time and compare them with other variables. Sheds insight on what may be occurring within a group.
EXAMPLE: A researcher wants to examine the differences in anxiety levels between age groups. They recruit people from diff age groups (20s, 30s, 40s, 50s) and administer an anxiety assessment to them at the same time. The research compares anxiety levels across age groups to determine if there is a relationship.
double-blind study
WHAT: A type of study in which the participants and the experimenters are unaware who is in the treatment or placebo.
WHY: Important as they reduce the chances of experimental bias, confounding variables, and increase the validity of a study. It ensures the results are credible and can be used in practice and further research.
EXAMPLE: A research is conducting a clinical trial to compare the effects of medication A versus a placebo (medication B) on anxiety symptoms. The researcher recruits people with GAD, divides them into two groups, and administers each group a medication. The researcher nor the participants know if they got medication A or B.
ecological validity
WHAT: The extent to which the findings of a psychological study can be generalized to real-world settings/represent natural conditions.
“Is the sample representative of the population?”
WHY: Important as a majority of studies are conducted with the intention of applying the findings to the real-world. It shows practical relevance/ if the findings can be implemented into use.
EXAMPLE: Researching are developing ad testing a new therapy technique for managing stress. Participants learn and practice the technique in a clinical setting. If the technique has good ecological validity, they should be able to incorporate it into their every day life.
experimental research
WHAT: Method used to investigate a casual relationship between variables to answer a research question.
- one or more IVs are manipulated –> effect on one or more DVs is measured
- control for cofounding variables
*random group assignment OR within-group control
WHY: Important when looking to establish a cause-and-effect relationship (causal results). Allows researchers to test theories, and findings can be used in practice or to guide further research. Yields
EXAMPLE: A researcher is investigating the effects of caffeine intake on levels of anxiety. They administer varying levels of caffeine to participants: high, moderate, low, or none (IV). Levels of anxiety are assessed before (baseline) and after (DV) caffeine consumption. Because researchers were sure to control for any additional variables that could have impacted the results, they can be sure the changes win the DV were from the IV.
hypothesis
WHAT: A testable prediction about a behavior, relationship between variables, etc. that conveys an expected outcome.
WHY: Important as a hypothesis provides a focus and direction for research, and helps to determine what data should be collected.
EXAMPLE: Researchers are examining the relationship between caffeine consumption and anxiety levels. The formulate a hypothesis that if caffeine is consumed, anxiety will increase. This hypothesis directs what the IV and DV should be.
longitudinal design
WHAT: Type of research design that involves repeated measurements or observations of the same individuals over an extended period time
✓ allows tracking of change over time
✓ shows long term effects
𝐗 can be costly in time and money
𝐗 attrition is a prob
WHY: Important as this design allows researchers to see development over time, long-term results of treatments or medications, and allows for a deeper understanding of the topic of research.
EXAMPLE: A researcher is investigating the relationship between trauma during childhood and long-term mental health. The researcher finds a group of children that have had a traumatic experience. She collects data over several years and compares it to the norm to see if their childhood trauma may have impacted their mental health.
program evaluation
WHAT: A systematic process to assess the implementation and outcomes of a program or intervention
- done to evaluate its effectiveness/efficiency + see if any modifications need to be made
Steps =
1) identification and definition of the needs the program should address
2) develop program
3) implement program
4) evaluate program (analyze outcomes, measuring change, etc.)
WHY: Important as it is a system to design, implement, and refine programs or interventions to ensure they are as beneficial and efficient as possible.
EXAMPLE: Researchers want to assess a group therapy program for social anxiety. They define the goals and implement the program. After, they analyze the outcome (i.e. symptom reduction) and determine what modifications should be made to the program.
quasi-experimental research
WHAT: Type of research that examines cause-and-effect relationships
- does NOT randomly assign participants
- creates groups via preexisting factors in participants (disorder diagnosis, smoker vs nonsmoker, etc.)
- DV is still measured
𝐗 cannot limit influence of extraneous variables
𝐗 may have poor internal or external validity
WHY: Allow researchers to study interventions in which it would be impossible or unethical to assign participants randomly. It makes it easier to study in real world settings.
EXAMPLE A: Researchers want to investigate the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. They gather participants and assign them to groups based on the amount of time they spend on social media.
EXAMPLE B: A clinical is offering a new program to help clients stop smoking. Participation is voluntary, and those who do not join will continue with their standard care. Researchers compare the rates of stopping smoking between each group.
random sampling
WHAT: Technique of randomly selecting participants from a larger population. gold standard
- each person in a population has an equal chance of being selected, and each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to an IV level
WHY: Important aspect of non-biased and generalizable research. It helps to ensure the sample group better represents the population.
EXAMPLE: A researcher wants to examine the effect of new mindfulness technique on stress levels in college students. They randomly select a group of participants enrolled in a college. By using random sampling, the research can have a sample that best represents all college students. However, the results of this study may not generalize to non-college student populations.
scientific methodology
WHAT: In psychology, it is a systematic approach to studying and understanding behavior and mental processes.
Involves…
- forming a hypothesis
- creating research design
- collectitng & analyzing data
- drawing conclusions from data
WHY: Important as it allows researchers to test theories, validate findings, and generate results that are reliable and unbiased. It aids in tthe explanation, prediction, and creation of inteventions to improve mental health and behavior.
EXAMPLE: A researcher wants to examine the effects of caffiene consumption on anxiety levels. They formulate a hypothesis, create a research design, collect data, then collect and interpret the results. They draw a conclusion that excessive caffiene consumotion results in increased anxiety.
criterion-related validity
WHAT: How well one measure (the criterion) predicts an outcome that is relevant to what the overall test is supposed tto measure.
Two types =
1. Predictive
- measure that predicts future performance in relation to another criterion (ex: SAT predicting success in college)
2. Concurrent
- how well a measure correlates with a criterion tthat is measured at the same time (ex: a new depression scale scores vs an older established depression scale scores that were given at the same time)
WHY: Important as it can guage if a measure is effective and accurate in measuring something and correlates with relevant outcomes.
EXAMPLE: A researcher has developed a new measure to diagnosis depression. To test its criterion-related validity, they administer the new measure along with the BDI to a group of participants. The scores from both tests are positively correlated, indicating good criterion-related validity.
