CH. 1: Research Methods in Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Hindsight Bias

A

Overestimate our ability to predict an outcome - belief that we predicted the current outcome prior to it

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2
Q

Confirmation Bias - Observer Bias

A

See what we believe

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3
Q

Judgmental Overconfidence

A

Overconfident about judgements

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4
Q

Seeing Order in Randomness

A

As in gambling superstitions - seeing a causal pattern where there is none.

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5
Q

Cultural Biases

A

e.g. Racism, Ageism, sex and gender

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6
Q

Observational Bias

A

See what we expect to see

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7
Q

Rosenthal Effect

A

High expectations lead to improved performance in a given area and low expectations lead to worse

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8
Q

Major Sources of Bias in Research - Threats to Validity

A
  • Observer Bias
  • Demand Characteristics
  • Non-Random Sampling

Can be helped by: Double Blind experimental design

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9
Q

Falsifiability

A

Scientific propositions, hypotheses, are falsifiable (can be proven wrong)

  • We do not say that a study—especially a single study—proves a hypothesis. Instead, we say the results of the study offer evidence in support of the hypothesis. We Fail to disprove the hypothesis when the results support the hypothesis
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10
Q

Science in psychology is inductive (going from the specific instance to a general implication) and based in the idea of probability (which involves statistical methods of estimating likelihood of an outcome being generalizable). Deductive reasoning is going from the general to the specific instance

A

Only deductive reasoning can logically prove something: going from a general proposition to a specific instance. All dogs are white, Lincoln is a dog, therefore Lincoln is white
Inductive reasoning: Going from a specific instance to the general proposition: Lincoln is white, Lincoln is a dog, does that establish that all dogs are white? It supports the idea of all dogs are white but does not prove it.
Psychological science is inductive.

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11
Q

Hypothesis Significance Testing

A

The results of a study are stated in P values, probability values: the probability that the positive finding is in error. That caffeine enhances memory is wrong for example. Usually stated as p =.05 or p = .01

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12
Q

Research study shows there is a relationship between the studied variables and there isn’t

A

False positive

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13
Q

Research shows there is no relationship between the variables and there is a relationship

A

False negative

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14
Q

Operational definition

A

Defining a measured variable in terms of how it was assessed

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15
Q

Replication

A

Can the study be repeated and get the same results

  • The failure of replications, publication bias
  • Absent replication we would be smart to not assume the results of the original work are accurate and not due to some extraneous variable in the procedures of the experiment
  • May be occurring at higher rates in biomedical research than recognized, potentially undermining credibility and self-correction,
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16
Q

Validity

A

Does the research reflect the construct under study?

  • Internal - The clarity of the measures and the variables
  • External - Findings apply to settings and samples other than those in the particular experiment
  • Ecological - Does it apply to real-world settings
17
Q

Reliability

A

Consistency of measurement

18
Q

Sampling

A

A sample of a population

  • Random Sampling

Normal curve - population mean

19
Q

The Experiment

A
  • Causation unlike correlational research
  • Manipulation: Creation of a pattern of variation in a variable in order to determine its causal power
  • Independent variable: Variable that is manipulated in an experiment
  • Dependent variable: Variable that is measured in a study
20
Q

EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS AND CONDITIONS

A

Control group - Experimental group
Random assignment
Experimental condition
Control condition
Sample
Population
Double Blind

21
Q

Regression Toward the Mean

A

Daniel Kahneman - “ Thinking Fast and Slow”
Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky example Israeli Air Force Pilots
Can make differences seem related to independent variables - risk of Type I error (false positive)
Events repeated tend to regress to their mean
Mathematically, size of possible regression depends on natural variability of the phenomenon
Ex: Coin toss
Problem of small samples
Fooled by randomness
The controlled experiment is to overcome regression effects - control group

22
Q

BE A CRITICAL CONSUMER OF PSYCHOLOGY

A

Reliability—the same values are obtained when the measurements are repeated

Validity—the method measures what it is supposed to measure

A study can be reliable without being valid but the reverse is not true

Bias

  • Response bias
  • Sampling bias

Replication

23
Q

Statistics - Measures of Central Tendency

A

The Mean - the average
The mean of 4, 1 and 7 is 4
Median - divides top and bottom half
The median of 4, 1, and 7 is 4
The Mode - most frequent value
The mode of 4, 1, 7, and 7 is 7

24
Q

Variability

A

Range - lowest and highest values
Normal distribution
Statistical Significance