Ch 2: Research Methods Flashcards
Science
A process or method for generating a body of knowledge.
Theory
A set of interrelated constructs (concepts), definitions, and propositions that presents a systematic view of a phenomenon by specifying relations among variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting the phenomenon.
Induction
An approach to science that consists of working from data to theory.
Process for Cyclical Inductive Model of Research: •Data collection •Theory development •Additional data collection •Theory refinement > data collection again
Deduction
An approach to science in which we start with theory and propositions and then collect data to test those propositions–working from theory to data.
Process for Deductive Inductive Model of Research:
- Theory development
- Data collection
- Theory refinement
- Additional data collection
- Theory refinement again
- Data collection again
Characteristics of Good Theory
- Parsimony
- Precision
- Testability
- Usefulness
- Generativity
Causal Inference
A conclusion, drawn from research data, about the likelihood of a causal relationship between two variables.
Independent Variable
A variable that is systematically manipulated by the experimenter or, at the least, measured by the experimenter as the antecedent to other variables.
Dependent Variable
The variable of interest, or what we design experiments to assess.
Extraneous Variable
Anything other than the independent variable that can contaminate our results or be thought of as an alternative to our casual explanation; also called a confounding variable.
Internal Validity
The extent to which we can draw causal inferences about our variables.
External Validity
The extent to which the results obtained in an experiment generalize to other people, settings, and times.
Hypothesis
A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables.
Stage Model of the Research Process
Formulate the hypothesis Design the study Collect data Analyze data Report the findings
> formulate the hypothesis…
Experimental Methods
Research procedures that are distinguished by random assignment of participants to the conditions and the manipulation of independent variables.
Random Assignment
The procedure by which research participants, once selected, are assigned to conditions such that each one has an equally likely chance of being assigned to each condition.
Manipulation
The systematic control, variation, or application of independent variables to different groups of participants.
Field Experiment
An approach to research that employs both random assignment and experimental manipulation, but does so outside the laboratory.
Quasi-experiment
A research design that resembles an experimental design but does not include random assignment.
Observational Methods
Research procedures that make use of data gathered from the observation of behaviors and processes in order to describe a relationship or pattern of relationships.
Unobtrusive Naturalistic Observation
An observational technique whereby the researcher unobtrusively and objectively observes individuals but does not try to blend in with them
vs. participant observation!
Case Studies
Examinations of a single individual, group, company, or society.
Archival Research
Research relying on secondary ata sets that were collected either for general or specific purposes identified by an individual or organization.
Surveys
A data collection technique that involves selecting a sample of respondents and administering some type of questionnaire.
Experience Sampling Methodology
ESM
A technique that allows researchers to obtain repeated real-time reports of phenomena such as moods and emotions through the use of technology such as smartphones and other mobile devices.
Social Network Analysis
A methodological technique that focuses on describing, visualizing, and understanding the relationships between individuals and groups.
measurement
The assignment of numbers to objects or events using rules in such a way as to represent specified attributes of the objects.lity of a
Attribute
A dimension along which individuals can be measured and along which they vary.
Reliability
The consistency or stability of a measure.
Test-Retest Reliability
The stability of a test over time, often called a coefficient of stability.
Parallel Forms Reliability
The extent to which two independent forms of a test are equivalent measures of the same construct; sometimes called equivalent from reliability or a coefficient of equivalence.
has become significant in recent years given society’s increasing consider that people with a disability be treated fairly.
Interrater Reliability
The extent to which multiple raters or judges agree on ratings made about a particular person, thing, or behavior.
Internal Consistency
An indication of the extent to which individual test items seem to be measuring the same thing.
Construct Validity
The extent to which a test measures the underlying construct that it was intended to measure.
Construct
An abstract quality, such as intelligence or motivation, that is not observable and is difficult to measure.
Content Validity
The degree to which a test or predictor covers a representative sample of the quality being assessed.
Predictive Validity
The extent to which test scores obtained at tone point in time predict criteria obtained in the future.
Concurrent Validity
The extent to which a test predicts a criterion that is measured at the same time that the test is conducted.
Convergent Validity
The degree to which a measure of the construct in which we are interested is related to measures of other, similar constructs.
Divergent Validity
The degree to which a measure of the construct in which we are interested is unrelated to measures of other, dissimilar constructs.
Ethics Code of Psychologists
APA 2017
Five Principles that serve as goals
- Helping others while doing no harm
- Establishing relationships based on trust
- Maintaining high integrity in teaching, research, and the practice of psychology
- Being fair and just in all professional relationships and actions
- Respecting the rights and dignity of all people
**Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
of the American Psychological Association (APA)
Informed Consent
Participants signifying (usually in writing) their willingness and desire to participate in a particular research study after being provided with important and relevant information about the risks, procedures, and benefits of such participation.
Statistic
An efficient device for summarizing in a single number the values, characteristics, or scores describing a series of cases.
Mode
The most frequent single score in a distribution.
Median
The score in the middle of the distribution.
Mean
The arithmetic average of a group of scores; typically the most useful measure of central tendency.
Range
The simplest measure of dispersion, reflecting the spread of scores from the lowest to the hightest.
Variance
A useful measure of dispersion reflecting the sum of the squared differences between each score and the mean of the group divided by the number of total scores.
Standard Deviation
A measure of dispersion that is calculated as the square root of the variance.
Normal Distribution
A mathematically based distribution depicted as a bell-shaped curve, in which most of the observations cluster around the mean and there are few extreme observations.
Correlation Coefficient (r)
A statistic that measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables.
Coefficient of Determination (r2)
The percentage of variance in a criterion that is accounted for by a predictor.
Meta-analysis
A methodology that is used to conduct quantitative literature reviews.