chapter 2 Flashcards
theory
A set of facts and relationships between facts that can explain and predict related phenomena.
hypothesis
A proposed explanation for a situation, usually taking the form “If A happens, then B will be the result.”
construct
A hypothetical internal attribute that cannot be directly observed but is useful for describing and explaining behaviour.
operational definiton
definitions in theoretical constructs that are stated in terms of concrete observable procedures –> measured/well defined/manipulated
independent variable
An experimental variable controlled and manipulated by the experimenter; the “if A happens” part of a hypothesis.
dependent variable
A measure that demonstrates the effects of an independent variable; the “result” part of a hypothesis.
descriptive methods
researhc methods designed for making careful systematic observations
-single varibale of onterst
-classification behaviour
-systematic observation
survey
A descriptive method in which participants are asked the same questions.
case study
An in-depth analysis of the behaviour of one person or a small number of people.
correlational study
A measure of the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.
third variable problem
A variable that is responsible for a correlation observed between two other variables of interest.
experiment
A research method that tests hypotheses and allows researchers to make conclusions about causality.
causal claims
correlational studis do not tell us whether one variable causes changes in another
random assignment
procedure in which each participant has an equal chance of being placed in a group in an experiment
random samples
each member of population you are interested in has equal chance of being chosen to participate
confound
Variable that is irrelevant to the hypothesis being tested but can alter a researcher’s conclusions.
quasi-expeiremnt
random assignment not possible
-potential confounds limits claims
field experiement
An experiment conducted outside of a laboratory setting.
-less control
unaware of the study
external validity
generalizability
- how well would we expect the results of the stidy to generalize to population
internal validity
causality
-cause and effect relationship
reliability
The consistency of a measure, including test–retest, interrater, intermethod, and internal consistency.
replication
Repeating an experiment and producing the same results.
descriptive statistics
Statistical methods that organize data into meaningful patterns and summaries, such as finding the average value.
-describe data
inferential statistics
Statistical methods that allow experimenters to extend conclusions from samples to larger populations.
-probabilistic
never proven
