Basics of Psychological Research Flashcards
What is a variable?
Any characteristic that can vary
What is the Operational Definition?
Defines a variable in terms of specific procedures used to produce or measure it
3 Goals in Psych Research
- Measurement and Description
- Understanding and Prediction
- Application and Control
What makes a good theory?
Consistent with prior observation, specific, measurable, falsifiable (something testable), causality (randomized)
What is direct observation?
Watch and record behaviour as objectively and precisely as possible
What is a psychological test?
A standard measure to obtain a sample of subjects’ behaviour
What are the 3 types of research?
Descriptive research, correlational research, and experimental research
What are the descriptive methods?
Naturalistic observation, participant observation, case studies, and surveys
What is naturalistic observation?
Observe behaviour without manipulation or control over behaviour - real-world
What is a case study?
A report of a single person, group, or situation to collect a lot of detail - not an experiment
What is participant observation?
Researcher interacts with the population which allows for research insights from participants’ perspective
What is descriptive statistics?
Organizing and summarizing data in a useful way
What is inferential statistics?
Interpreting data and drawing conclusions
What is correlational research?
Measure and describe some phenomenon, looking at the relationship between two or more measured variables
What do positive correlations mean?
An increase in one variable relates to an increase in the other (i.e. the more wood I have, the more I can build)
What do negative correlations mean?
An increase in one variable relates to a decrease in the other (i.e. the more work I have, the less fun I have)
What are the 3 advantages of correlational research?
- Show the strength of present relationships
- Can be used to make predictions about variables
- Identifies “real-world” associations
What are the 3 disadvantages of correlational research?
- Can’t manipulate measured variable
- Can’t assume cause-effect relationship exists
- Shows an association, not a cause
What is experimental research?
Involves manipulation of one variable under controlled conditions so that resulting changes in another variable can be observed; testing theories through controlled experiments
What is stratified random sampling?
When a sample is divided into subgroups and representative samples
What is a null hypothesis?
There is no relationship between the variables of interest in the population
What is an alternative hypothesis?
There is a relationship between the variables of interest in the population
What is statistical significance?
When the probability of obtaining the result we got is very low if the assumptions of our null hypothesis are true
What is a Type 1 error?
When there is a causal relationship between two variables
What is a Type 2 error?
When there is not a causal relationship between two variables
What does internal validity mean within experimental research?
The degree to which results can be attributed to the independent variable and not other explanations
What does external validity mean within experimental research?
The degree to which results can be generalized to other people, across settings, and across time
What is meant by “ethics” in psychological research?
Ethics is a set of general principles of how people should be educated, treated, and respected when participating in any study
What does the principle of respect for persons entail?
That individuals should be treated as autonomous agents - free to make their own decisions. This involves informed consent, providing information about the research and potential risks and benefits.
What does the principle of beneficence entail?
That researchers must take precautions to protect participants from harm and ensure their well-being
What does the principle of justice entail?
That there must be a fair balance between those who participate in the research and those who benefit from it. Researchers need to ensure the participants are representing the group that will benefit.
