ch 2 - research methods Flashcards
1
Q
theory
A
- an explanation of how facts are connected and how they can help us understand or predict things that happen.
2
Q
hypothesis
A
- A proposed explanation for a situation, usually taking the form “If A happens, then B will be the result”
3
Q
construct
A
- an internal attribute that can’t be directly observed but is useful for describing and explaining behaviour
- ex: anxiety, intelligence, extraversion, etc.
4
Q
operational definiton
A
- a way of defining and measuring a construct
5
Q
independent variable
A
- variable manipulated by experimenter
6
Q
dependent variable
A
- demonstrates the effects of the independent variable
7
Q
descriptive methods/research
A
- make careful, systematic observations
- can include case studies, naturalistic observations, surveys, focus groups, interviews
- describing what’s going on with a certain group or phenomenon without trying to change or manipulate anything
8
Q
case study
A
- An in-depth analysis of the behaviour of one person or a small number of people
9
Q
correlational study
A
- A measure of the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables
- Permit us to discuss the relationships between two variables
- don’t allow causal claims
10
Q
directionality problem
A
- relates to correlational studies
- when you know two things are correlated but you’re not sure which one causes the other
11
Q
third-variable problem
A
- when two things seem correlated but there’s a hidden third variable that causes both of those two things
- relates to correlational methods
12
Q
correlation coefficient
A
- statistical index ranging from -1.00 to +1.00 that indicates how strongly a pair of variables are associated
13
Q
causal claims
A
- when you say one thing directly causes another thing to happen
14
Q
random assignment
A
- Each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any condition of the study
- Ensures that at the start of the experiment, that on average those different groups will average out on any variable
15
Q
random sample
A
- ppl who are randomly selected from the population
16
Q
confound
A
- related to experimental methods
- anything that may unintentionally vary along with the independent variable
17
Q
quasi-experiment
A
- Experimental design where random assignment is not possible
- E.g. a researcher takes advantage of pre-existing groups or conditions
18
Q
field experiment
A
- An experiment conducted outside of a lab setting
19
Q
external validity
A
- generalizability
- how a study can be applied to other places/groups of people
20
Q
internal validity
A
- causality
- how well study established a cause and effect relationship
21
Q
reliability
A
- The consistency of a measure
22
Q
replication
A
- Repeating an experiment and producing the same results
23
Q
descriptive statistics
A
- Statistical methods that organize data into meaningful patterns and summaries, such as finding the average value
24
Q
inferential statistics
A
- Statistical methods that allow experimenters to extend conclusions from samples to larger populations
- conclusions or predictions about a larger group based on a sample of data
25
Q
normal distribution/curve
A
- symmetrical probability function
- When an equal number of scores should occur above and below the mean
- The shape should indicate that most scores occur near the mean
26
Q
WEIRD samples
A
- western, educated, industrialised, rich, democratic samples
27
Q
open science
A
- a scholarly movement that aims to make the research process transparent, credible, reproducible, and accessible
28
Q
hawthorne effect
A
- people act differently when they know they’re being watched
29
Q
observer bias
A
- when a researcher’s personal views affect how they view and collect data
30
Q
self-report bias
A
- when people’s answers don’t fully reflect the truth bc they want to make themselves look good
31
Q
better-than-average effect
A
- when people think they’re better than others even when it’s not true
