Ch2- Scientific Research

Question 1

What are the 5 characteristics of quality scientific research?

Answer 1

1) It is based on measures that are objective, valid, and reliable.
2) The research can be generalized.
3) It uses techniques that reduce bias
4) The findings are made public
5) The results can be replicated.

Question 2

Define: Objective measurements.

Give an example.

Answer 2

The measure of an entity or behaviour that is consistent across instruments and observers.

eg. 10kg

Question 3

Define: Operational definitions

Answer 3

Statements used to describe procedures (or operations) and specific measures that are used to record observations.

eg. Obese could be defined as “BMI over 200”

Question 4

Define: Variable

Answer 4

Object/concept/event being measured.

Question 5

Define: Reliability

Answer 5

“Time tested”; being able to provide consistent and stable answers across multiple observations & points in time.

Question 6

Define: Validity and Ecological Validity

Answer 6

“Relevance”- the degree to which the procedure accurately measures what it wants to measure.

Ecological validity is being able to apply the results to the real world.

Question 7

Define: Generalisability vs. Overgeneralising

Answer 7

Degree to which your results can be applied to more events, groups, etc.

Overgeneralising is the inappropriate generalisation to groups that do not apply.

Question 8

Define: Population

Answer 8

The group you want to generalise about.

Question 9

Define: Sample, Random Sample, Convenience Sample

Answer 9

Sample: A select group of population members
Random Sample: Sample with every individual in a population having an equal chance of inclusion.
Convenience Sample: Sample most readily avaliable.

Question 10

Define: Replication

(Hint: in the context of studies)

Answer 10

Repeating a study and finding a similar outcome each time

Question 11

Define:

• Researcher bias
• Subject/participant bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Demand characteristics
• Social desirability

Answer 11

• Researcher bias: Bias introduced by researcher
• Subject/participant bias: Bias introduced by the subject
• Hawthorne effect: Bias introduced by the effect of observation
• Demand characteristics: Inadvertant cues given off by the researcher or experiment context about how the participants are expected to behave.
• Social desirability: Participants respond to be viewed favorably.

Question 12

What do these all have in common?

Define:

• Anonymity
• Confidentiality
• Single-blind study
• Double blind study

Answer 12

All are techniques that reduce bias.

• Anonymity: Responses are recorded without ID
• Confidentiality: Test results will only be seen by researcher
• Single-blind study: Participants don’t know the purpose of the study, eliminating subject bias.
• Double blind study: Participants and experimenters both don’t know the exact treatment for any individual.

Question 13

What are 5 Elements of poor research? Finish the statements below.

\_\_\_\_\_Hypothesis
\_\_\_\_\_dotes
\_\_\_\_\_selection of available data
Appeals to \_\_\_\_\_\_
Appeals to \_\_\_\_\_\_

Answer 13

Untestable hypothesis
Anecdotes
Biased selection of available data
Appeals to authority
Appeals to common sense

Question 14

Define: Research question vs. research design

Answer 14

• Question kickstarts research.

- Design refers to methods that allow the hypothesis to be tested.

Question 15

Define: Descriptive research

Answer 15

Answers the question of WHAT a phenomenon is.

Question 16

Define: Naturalistic observation

Answer 16

Unobtrusive observation of a subject in a natural environment.

Question 17

Define: Correlational research, Correlation, and the Third variable problem

Answer 17

Correlational research: Measurement of the degree of association between two or more variables. Can be visualised with a scatterplot.

Correlation: relation between two variables. Does not imply causation.

Third Variable Problem: The possibility that a well-established correlation between 2 variables is caused by a 3rd, unmeasured variable.

Question 18

Which coefficient (value) shows the strongest correlation?

a) +0.2
b) -0.5
c) -0.9
d) 1.5

Answer 18

c. Correlation values only go to +1.0 or -1.0.

Question 19

Define:

• independent variable
• dependent variable
• confounding variable

Answer 19

• independent variable: The variable that is manipulated between 2 or more groups
• dependent variable: The variable that is recorded and measured.
• confounding variable: a variable outside the control of the researcher that might affect or provide alternative explanations for the results.

Question 20

Define: Between-subjects design vs. Within subjects design. Which design involves a control group?

Answer 20

Between-subjects design involves a control group.

In a between subjects design, the performance of different groups of participants are measured. There is an experimental group that receives the treatment, and a control group that doesn’t.

A within subjects design has the same participants respond to all types of stimuli/ experience all experimental conditions.

Question 21

Define: Quasi- experimental research

Answer 21

where 2 or more groups are selected for pre-determined characteristics, rather than by random assignment.

Question 22

Define: Converging operations.

(Hint: under the context of theories being tested)

Answer 22

When a theory holds up under dozens of tests using a variety of designs.

Question 23

Describe: Research Ethics Board (REB). Who do they protect?

Answer 23

A committee of researches and officials at an institution responsible for protecting HUMAN participants.

Question 24

Describe “Informed consent” and “deception”. Are they mutually exclusive?

Answer 24

Informed consent: Knowing the risks, tasks, purpose of the study, and giving consent without pressure.

Deception: Misleading or only partially informing participants of the true nature of the investigation.

Not mutually exclusive. Deception should only be short-term; the nature of the investigation should be revealed in a debriefing once the experiment is over.

Question 25

Describe scientific misconduct.

Answer 25

Fabrication or alteration of data to fit desired results.

Question 26

Match the following:

• Normal distribution
• Positive skewed distribution
• Negative skewed distribution

___/\
/\___
__/\__

Answer 26

Normal __/\__

Positive skewed distribution /\___

Negative skewed distribution ___/\

Question 27

Mean, median, and mode:

which one corresponds to:

50th percentile?
divided average?
most commonly found?

Answer 27

Mean: divided average
Median: 50 percentile
Mode: Most common

Question 28

Define: standard variation.

Answer 28

average distribution around the mean (or average)

Question 29

Define: Hypothesis test vs. Statistical significance

Answer 29

Hypothesis test: Statistical method of evaluating whether or not differences among groups are meaningful, or could have been arrived at by chance alone.

Statistical significance: A concept that implies that t means of the groups are further apart than you would expect them to be by random chance alone.