CH 2 Flashcards
What is a hypothesis?
A tentative explanation or prediction about some phenomenon.
Often in the form of an “if-then” statement.
What is a theory?
A set of formal statements that explains HOW and WHY certain events are related to one another.
(Typically specify lawful relationships between certain behaviours and their causes.)
Broader than hypotheses.
What is the approach to understanding behaviour that has a major drawback?
Hindsight. Explanations are subject to variabilities: creative, reasonable or contradictory.
What is a variable?
Any characteristic or factor that can vary.
What is an Operational Definition?
Defining a concept or variable in terms of the specific procedures used to produce or measure it.
Explain social desirability bias.
The tendency to respond in a socially acceptable manner rather than according to how one truly feels or behaves.
In psychological testing, what is reliability?
The consistency with which a measure assesses a given characteristic, or different observers agree on a given score; the degree to which clinicians show high levels of agreement and their diagnostician decisions.
What is unobtrusive measurement?
Recording behaviour in a way that keeps participants unaware that they are being observed.
What are archival measures?
Records or documents that already exist.
How do you psychologists measure behavior?
Self reports and reports from others, directly observable behaviour using unobtrusive measures, analyze archival data, administer psychological tests, and record physiological responses.
What is the five step scientific process?
- Identify question of interest.
- Gather information and form testable hypothesis.
- Test hypothesis by conducting research.
- Analyze data, draw tentative conclusions, and report findings.
- Build a body of knowledge by asking further questions, conduct more research, develop and test theories.
Describe characteristics of a good theory.
It organizes existing information.
It is testable and generates new hypotheses and predictions which can be tested.
Predictions are supported by the findings of new research.
It conforms to the law of parsimony. (Simpler theory is preferred)
What are three key scientific attitudes?
Curiosity
Skepticism
Open-mindedness (prepared to challenge and discard cherished beliefs)
What is the scientific approach to understanding behaviour?
Prediction, control, and theory building.
What is the aim of descriptive research?
It seeks to identify behaviour, particularly in natural settings. May suggest potential cause-effect relations to be tested experimentally.
What is a case study?
An in-depth analysis of an individual, a group or an event, typically with the hope of discovering generalizable principles of behaviour.
Identify advantages of case studies.
1)Enable scientist to study rare phenomenon closely.
2)May challenge the validity of a theory or widely held scientific belief.
3)Can be a vibrant source of new ideas and hypotheses that may be further examined through controlled research methods.
What are the major limitation of case studies?
1) poor method for determining cause-effect relations
2) case study finding may not generalize to other people/situations
3) observers may not be objective in gathering evidence and interpreting the data