Ch. 2 - Psychology Research Flashcards
Why is research important?
Research is a mandatory process in validating claims and developing an objective understanding of the worlds
Theory
well-developed set of ideas that proposes an explanation for observed phenomena
Hypothesis
tentative and testable statement (prediction) about the relationship between two or more variables
Falsifiability
able to be proven false
Clinical or case studies
Pros and cons
Focus on one individual
Pros: allows for more insight
Cons: difficult to generalize to larger pop.
Naturalistics Observation
Pros and cons
Observation of behavior in its natural setting
Pros: generanility, no performance or anxiety
Cons: observer bias, cost time and money, difficult to set up
Cross-sectional Research
Pros and cons
Compares multiple segments of a population at a single time
Pros: efficient in terms of time and money
Cons: limited by invidivual differences, limited by differences between cohorts
Longitudinal Research
Pros and Cons
Studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly over an extended period
Pros: Decresses the effect of individual differences
Cons: Waste or time and money, large amounts of drop outs, survivor bias
confirmation bias
tendency to ignore evidence that disproves ideas or beliefs
attrition
reduction in number of research participants as some drop out of the study over time
placebo effect
people’s expectations or beliefs influecning or determining their experience in given situation
Positive Correlation
two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller (+1)
Negative Correlation
two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes smaller (-1)
No correlation
two variables change with no relation to each other (0)
attributing causality
trying to determine the causes of people’s behavior
