Chapter 2

Question 1

Empiricism

Answer 1

belief that accurate knowledge can be acquired through observation

Question 2

Scientific Method

Answer 2

procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts

Question 3

Theories

Answer 3

using observations to form ideas about how the world works
can always be proven WRONG, but can NEVER be proved RIGHT (could always be wrong tomorrow)

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

falsifiable prediction made by a theory

Question 5

Why are humans hard to study?

Answer 5

1. They are highly COMPLEX
2. They are highly VERIABLE
3. They are highly REACTIVE

Question 6

How to make a Measurement

Answer 6

1. Define a property we want to measure
2. Find a way to detect it

Question 7

Operational Definition

Answer 7

description of property in measurable terms

Question 8

Construct Validity

Answer 8

the extent to which the thing being measured arcuately characterizes the property
(is the operational definition a good one?)

Question 9

What makes a good detector?

Answer 9

Power and Reliability

Question 10

Power

Answer 10

ability to detect changed in magnitude of a property

Question 11

Reliability

Answer 11

ability to detect absence of changes in magnitude of property

Question 12

Demand Characteristics

Answer 12

aspects of observational setting that cause people to behave as they thins someone wants

Question 13

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 13

gathering info by observing people in their natural habitat

Question 14

How to avoid demand characteristics

Answer 14

1. Natural Observation
2. Privacy (answer in private)
3. Study Involuntary Behaviors (ex- pupils dilating)
4. Unawareness (don’t know how they should behave)

Question 15

Observer Bias

Answer 15

expectations can influence observations and reality
observer’s expectations can influence both what they think they observed and what they actually observed

Question 16

Double Blind Study

Answer 16

neither observer nor participants know how the participants are expected to behave

Question 17

Correlation

Answer 17

variations in the value of one variable are synchronized with the variations in the value of the other

Question 18

Positive Correlation

Answer 18

more is more

Question 19

Negative Correlation

Answer 19

less is more

Question 20

Causation

Answer 20

correlation does not mean causation due to the third value problem

Question 21

Third Value Problem

Answer 21

natural correlation between two variables cannot be taken as evidence of a casual relationship between them because a THIRD variable could be causing them both

Question 22

Experimentation

Answer 22

determining whether there is a casual relationship between variables

Question 23

Manipulation

Answer 23

determining the casual power of a variable by changing its value
1. manipulate 1 variable (dependent)
2. measure other variable
3. compare values

Question 24

Random Assignment

Answer 24

assign participations to condition by change
creates equal samples of types of people in each condition
removes the problems of self selection (the same types of people might chose certain condtions)

Question 25

Internal Validity

Answer 25

attribute of experiment that allows it to establish casual relationships
(is the experiment working as it should?)

Question 26

External Validity

Answer 26

variables have been operationally defined in a normal/realistic way

Question 27

Operational Definition

Answer 27

how variables are defined in the scope of the experiment

Question 28

Generalizability Restrictions

Answer 28

based on the sample we are studying, we can’t always make generalizations about a population unless we used random sampling

Question 29

Case Method

Answer 29

study one individual person

Question 30

Replication

Answer 30

experiment that uses that same procedures as previous experiment but with a new sample from same pop

Question 31

Ethics of Science

Answer 31

1. Respect of person and their rights to make decisions with out coercion or influence
2. Beneficent (max benefits and min risks)
3. Research should be just

Question 32

Rules that Govern Psychological Research

Answer 32

1. Informed Consent
2. Freedom from Coercion
3. Protection from Harm
4. Risk-Harm Analysis
5. Deception
6. Debriefing
7. Confidentiality