Chapter 1 Flashcards
Psychological Theories and Research
Scientific Method
Systematic procedure of observing and measuring phenomenon to answer questions about:
- what happens
- when it happens
- what causes it
- why
Involves interaction of theories, hypotheses, research methods
Steps in the scientific method
- Formulate theory
- Develop testable hypothesis
- Test with research method
- Analyze data
- Share results and conduct more research
Observational Studies
Descriptive method involves assessing and coding observable behavior
- Used in laboratory or natural environments
Self-reports
descriptive method involves obtaining self-reports from participants of research
- questionaries or surveys can be used
- Self-report bias MUST be considered
Case studies
Intensive examination of few unique people or organizations
Correlational Methods
Research method that examine how variables are naturally related in real world
- no attempts to alter the variables or assign causation
Experimental Methods
Research method that test causal hypotheses by independent variable being manipulated and measuring effects on dependent variable
Variable in Experiment
Dependent and Independent
Dependent Variable
affected by manipulation of independent variable
Independent Variable
experimenter manipulates to examine impact on dependent variable
Groups in experiment
Control and experimental group
Control Group
comparison group of participants who receive no intervention or one unrelated to independent variable being investigated
Experimental group
one or more treatment groups of participants who receive intervention of independent variable being investigated
Confound
anything that affects dependent variable and may unintentionally vary between study’s different experimental conditions
Random Sample
fairly represents population by allowing each member of population an equal chance of being included
Random Assignment
placing research participants in conditions of experiment such that each participant has equal chance of being assigned to any level of independent variable
experimental method advantages
- explains and change behavior
- determine cause and effect relationships
- clearer conclusions
experimental methods disadvantages
- doesn’t describes behavior and predict behavior
- setting usually in artificial environment
- sometimes impossible to to ethical, practical reasons
Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)
groups of people responsible for reviewing proposed research to ensure it meets accepted standards of science and provides for physical and emotional well-being of participants
Ethical guidlines
privacy
confidentiality
informed consent
protection from harm
Privacy
researchers must respect participants’ privacy
confidentiality
participants’ information must be kept secret
informed consent
people must be told about research and can choose whether to participate
protection from harm
researchers cannot ask participants to endure unreasonable pain or discomfort
Descriptive statistics
provides summary of studies results
central tendency (descriptive statistics)
group of descriptive statistics including the mean, median and mode, where one number represents the middle numerical responses in data set
Mean (Central Tendency)
arithmetic average of a set of numbers
- EX: 10+11+19+15+7+9+11=82
- 82/7=11.714
Median (Central Tendency)
the value that falls exactly in the middle of data set
EX: 15
Mode (Central Tendency)
most frequent score in data set
EX: 11
Variability (descriptive statistics)
group of descriptive statistics, including the range and standard deviation, where one number represents the spread between numerical responses in data set
Range (Descriptive Statistics)
difference between largest and smallest value
EX: 31 exam scores: top score 95/100, bottom score 52/100
RANGE: 95-52=43
Standard Deviation (descriptive statistics)
measurement which reflects how far away each value is, on average from the median
Correlation Coefficient
descriptive statistic that indicates direction (negative or positive) and strength (0 to 1) of relationship between two variables: taken together these results, the numbers range from +1 to 0 to -1
Negative correlation
change in opposite directions.
as one variable increases the other decreases or vice versa
EX: the more you exercise, the less you weigh
Positive correlation
change in the same direction.
both increase or decrease together
EX: the more you eat, the more you weigh
Strength
the closer the correlation coefficient is to 1 (either + or -), the stronger the relationship
