CH2 Flashcards
what is rationalism
theory/beleivf that reason not expeiriecne is key source of knowledge
The Scientific Method
1.Identify the problem
2. Gather information (research)
3. Generate a hypothesis
4. design and conduct experiment
5. analyze data and formulate conclusions
6 repeat process (replicate exact or with extensions)
Descriptive methods
-methods for gathering information and describing specifics of behaviors, patterns, and other phenomena.
-methods focus on the who, what, and where, versus the why or how.
- there are 4 (naturalistic observation, participant observation, surveys, and case studies)
Naturalistic observation (descriptive method)
- observation as it happens in natural environment. no manipulation
- pros: help generate new ideas about observed phenomenon. ecologically valid behavior
- cons: lack of control, not sure what is influencing behaviour. researcher bias. interrater reliablity (may not achieve). possible hawthorne effect
Participant Observation (descriptive method)
- researcher becomes part of group investigation
- pros: more enriching experiience. greater access to daily life.
- cons: maybey hawthore effect. not reliable and not replicable. researcher bias (may see things that arent there)..
- expriment: David Rosenhan (1960-1970s) were concerned with validity of diagnosis
Case Studies (descriptive method)
- in depth analysis of a unique circumstance or individual
- not replicable. often hard to generalize from one case
- the HM hippocampus case
- phinease gage`
Surveys (descriptive method)
- good to collect quick info
- cons: sampliing error bias, aquiscent response bias. socially desirable bias. illusionary superiority, volunteer bias.
- Alfred kinsey: (1894-1956) revolutioniazed understanding of people sexual behaviours by collecting surveys
sampling error/bias
poor wording of survey questioncan cause confusion and may lead eeople naturally towards one answer
acquiescent response bias
tendancy for participants to agree/respond in the affirmitave on a survey
socially desirable bias
response that will be seen as socially acceotable on a survey
illusionary superiority
tendancy to describe our own behaviours as better then average (on survey)
volunteer bias
only motivated fraction of population participate in survey
RELIABILTY
if study is repeated will we get SAME RESULTS? a study can be reliable but not valid. ex: personiality test is only reliable if results are the same
VALIDITY
do methods used really measure the variable of interest?
- valid study = study that actually measures and tests the variable we want to study and not another variable (study can be reliable but not valid)
Correlation + spurious correlation
observation if two traits are related. or how well you can predict the change in one trait by studying the other trait
-corerelation is NOT causation
- no manipulation of variables
- correlation does not explain WHY it happned
- SPURIOUS: two or more variables are associated but not causally related, due to either coincidence or the presence of a certain third, unseen factor (basically random rubbish)
Experimentation: a third research strategy
- experiments concerned with cause and effect
- manipulating factors of interest tp determine effect
- can test theory
- control group, experimental group
- tests causailty