Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

intro psych > chapter 2 > Flashcards

chapter 2 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

what are the 5 characteristics of quality scientific research?

A

based on measurements that are objective, valid and reliable

can be generalized

uses techniques that reduce bias

it is made public

it can be replicated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what are objective measurements?

A

the measure of an entity or behaviour that, within an allowed margin of error, is consistent across instruments and observers (the way that quality is measured must be the same regardless of who is doing the measuring)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is a variable?

A

the objective, concept or event being controlled, manipulated or measured by a scientist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

how can functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) help researchers?

A

it allows them to view the brain and see which areas are activated while you perform a variety of tasks such as remembering word or viewing emotional pictures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is an example of measuring variables?

A

gathering blood or saliva, which can be analyzed for enzymes, hormones and other biological variables that relate to behaviour and mental functioning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

how has this greater number of options to measure variables helped us?

A

it lets us examine the same variable using a number of different techniques, doing so strengthens our ability to understand the different elements of behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what are operational definitions?

A

statements that describe the procedures and specific measures that are used to record observations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

why is it important to have operational definitions?

A

so researchers can answer questions very carefully in their planning, conducting and sharing of research

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what is an example of the operational definition of depression?

A

a score of 20 or higher on the beck depression inventory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is validity?

A

refers to the degree to which an instrument or procedure actually measures what it claims to measure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is an example of validity when diagnosing depression?

A

researchers cannot just ask a few questions and then decide that one score merits clinical depression, instead, for the measure to be valid, a particular;ar score would have to differentiate people who are experiencing depression and people who are not

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what is reliability?

A

when I provides consistent and stable answers across multiple observations and points in time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are the 3 types of reliability?

A

retest reliability
alternate form of reliability
observer rating behaviour or response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what is retest reliability?

A

examines whether scores on a given measure of behaviour are consistent across test sessions, if scores widely vary on a test each time you take it, then it is unlikely your test is reliable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is alternate forms of reliability?

A

this form examines wether different forms of the same test produce the same results

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is an example of alternate forms of reliability?

A

individuals with brain damage might have their memory tested soon after they arrive at the hospital and then one or more times during their rehabilitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is the form of reliability “observer rating behaviour or response”?

A

this takes place when observers have to score or rate behaviour or response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what is an example of observer rating behaviour or response?

A

participants might write down lengthy, openended responses to an experimenters question, then have have these responses rated on different variables by laboratory personnel

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

why is it important to have more than one rater in “observer rating behaviour or response”?

A

because it allows for inter-rater reliability, meaning that the raters arrive at at very similar conclusions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is generalizability?

A

refers to the degree to which one set of results can be applied to other situations, individuals or events

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is an example of generalizability?

A

imagine one person claimed that a memory improvement course helped raise their grades, since its a small sample size and lots of variables, it is not generalizable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what is a way to increase the generalizability of a study?

A

to study a large group of participants

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what is a population?

A

the group that researchers want to generalize about

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what is a sample?

A

a select group of population members

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

why do scientists normally study a sample?

A

it is tough to find all population members, persuade them to participate and measuring their behaviour is impossible in most cases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

what kind of sample do researchers try to get from a population?

A

a random sample

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

what is a random sample?

A

a sampling technique in which every individual of a population has an equal chance of being included

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what kind of sample do researchers often have to settle for?

A

a convenience sample

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

what is a convince sample?

A

samples of individuals who are the most readily available

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

what are the 2 forms of generalizing?

A

across individuals
across time and locations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

what is ecological validity?

A

meaning that the results of a laboratory study can be applied or repeated in the natural environment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

is it important for researchers to have a high ecological validity?

A

yes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

what is researcher bias?

A

while creating objective, reliable and valid measures is important in quality research, various types of bias can be unintentionally introduced by the researcher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

what is an example of researcher bias?

A

the experiments may treat participants in different experimental conditions differently, making it impossible to know if any differences in the study were due to the experimental conditions or to the participants behaviour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

what are subject biases?

A

when the participants, including animals to indorduce their own biases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

what are some examples of subject bias?

A

the participant trying to figure out what the experimenter is are testing or trying to predict the responses that the researchers are hoping to find then responding accordingly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

what is the Hawthorne effect?

A

a behaviour change that occurs as a result of being observed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

what was the Hawthorne experiment?

A

a company wanted to see the relationship between working condition and productivity, when they made changes like brighter lighting or longer breaks, they saw an increase in productivity. this was due to the fact that the workers knew they were being watched when there were changes made to the working conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

since in most psychological research the participants know they are being observed, what problem does this create?

A

social desirability

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

what Is social desirability?

A

research participants responding in ways that increase the chances that they will be view favourably by the experimenter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

when a patient enters a treatment programs or experiment with a number of expectations, what can these expectations lead to?

A

placebo effect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

what is the placebo effect?

A

a measurable and experienced improvement in health or behaviour that cannot be attributable to a medication or treatment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

what is an example of the placebo effect?

A

when researchers are testing a new drug, they give a group the drug and another group a placebo and don’t tell them which is which, some times the placebo group reports as much improvement as the drug group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

what is the major concern of bias when studying human behaviour?

A

demand characteristics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

what are demand characteristics?

A

inadvertent cues given off by the experimenter or the experimental context that provide information about how participants are expected to behave

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

what is an example of demand characteristics in a class room influencing the results of research?

A

in one study, researchers told teachers in 18 different classrooms that a group of children had an “unusual” potential for learning, when in reality it was just a random selections of students. after 8 months of schooling the children singled out as especially promising showed significant gains in not just grades, but in intelegencce scores

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

why could demand characteristics make normal students do better if their teachers thought they were gifted?

A

because the teachers thought the kids are gifted so they gave them more attention and positive and encouraging feedback

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

how can we prevent the unintentional bias issue in research?

A

researchers complete rigorous training and follow careful scripts during the actual experiment, these precautions can help eliminate unintentional bias

also many studies include a interview or questionnaire at the end of the study asking participants what they thought the experiment was about to determine if the data from participants are due to the experimental manipulation or demand characteristics

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

why are demand characteristics important?

A

demand characteristics and other sources pf bias have all the potential to compromise research studies. many policy makers use research data to make decisions so its important that the data is accurate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

what are 4 techniques that can reduce bias?

A

anonymity
confidentiality
inform participants
single/ double blind studies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

how can anonymity reduce patient bias?

A

if each individuals responses are recored without any name or personal information that could link a particular individual to specific results they are much more likely to die accurate answers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

how can confidentiality reduce patient bias?

A

if the results will be seen only by the researcher, ensuring confidentiality and anonymity participants are much more likely to provide honest information about sensitive information like sexual history, drug use or emotional state if they can do so in confidentiality and with anonymity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

how can informing the patient reduce patient bias?

A

if they patient thinks they are receiving the drug and actually receiving the placebo, this can make them much less bias and honest with their answer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

what is it important to have in place when doing a drug study?

A

a single blind study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

what is a single blind study?

A

the participants of not know the purpose of the study, or else they do not know which type of treatment they are receiving (a placebo or a drug)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

what is put into place so a researcher in a drug study cannot have any bias?

A

a double blind study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

what is a double blind study?

A

a study in which neither the participant nor the experimenter knows the exact treatment for any individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

after a study is done, how do the researchers commute it to other researchers?

A

through an academic journal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

what process must all research manuscripts go through to determine if they can be published?

A

a peer review

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

what is a peer review?

A

a process in which papers submitted for publication in scholarly journals are read and critiqued by experts in the field of study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

what are the 2 main tasks in a peer review?

A

first, an editor receives the manuscript and determines wether it is appropriate subject matter for the journal

second, the editor sends copies of the manuscript to a select group of peer reviewer who critique the methods and results of the research and make recommendations to the editor regarding the merits of the research

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

what happens to studies if they cannot be replicated?

A

they become obsolete

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

what is replication regarding academic journals?

A

the process of repeating a study and finding a similar outcome each time, if the original hypothesis was correct similar results should be achieved by later researchers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

what is a replication crisis?

A

when results are not always replicated in similar investigations, this implies that the field of research has some serious methodological problems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

why is replication important?

A

because it proves that the published studies are not statistical flukes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

what are the 5 characteristics of poor research?

A

it produces untestable hypotheses
it relies on anecdotes and personal experience
it includes a biased selection of data
it makes appeals to authority rather than facts
it makes appeals to common sense

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

explain the characteristic of poor research “it produces untestable hypotheses”?

A

if a hypothesis is not precise enough to be proven wrong then it is not falsifiable, and if it is not falsifiable than it it not worth testing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

what is an example of research using anecdotal evidence?

A

a personal testimonial on a products webpage might claim that a man used subliminal weight loss recording to lose 20 pounds in 6 months, but there is no way o knowing wether the recordings were responsible for the persons weight loss

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

what is anecdotal evidence?

A

an individuals story to testimony about an observation or event that I suited to make a claim as evidence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

explain the characteristic “it includes biased selection of data”?

A

if a study only uses that if published by lays and the study is about if lays chips are good, that is a very biased source for the study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

what is an appeal to an authority evidence?

A

the belief in an “experts” claim even when no supporting data or scientific evidence is present

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

what is an example of a study using appeal to an authority evidence?

A

you should not get the COVID vaccine and wear a mask because Canadas chief public health officer says so, you should get the vaccine and wear masks because there is mounds of data supporting It that she is making her recommendation based on

or using a biased expert, a scientists funded by oil companies saying why oil is good for the environment

73
Q

what is appeal to common sense evidence?

A

a claim that appears to be sound but lacks supporting scientific evidence

74
Q

what is an example of appeal to common sense evidence?

A

many people throughout history assumed the world was the stationary centre of the universe, the idea that the earth could orbit the sun at blinding speeds was deemed nonsense

75
Q

what is a research design?

A

a set of methods that allows a hypothesis to be tested

76
Q

what are the 3 things that research design influences?

A

how the investigators organize the sample used to test the hypothesis

how investigators make observations and measurements

how investigators evaluate results

77
Q

what are 3 characteristics that all research designs have in common?

A

variables
operational definitions
data

78
Q

what do all psychologists begin their research with?

A

a research question

79
Q

what is descriptive research?

A

research that uses descriptive data to answer the question of “what” a phenomena is and describes its characteristics

80
Q

what are the 2 ways this descriptions can be performed in descriptive research?

A

qualitative research
quantitative research

81
Q

what is quantitative research?

A

examine an issue or behaviour by using numerical measurements and or statistics

81
Q

what is qualitative research?

A

examining an issue or behaviour without performing numerical measurements of the variables

82
Q

what is an example of quantitative research?

A

measuring a persons mental health by asking them to give a rating on a scale of 1-10

83
Q

what is an example of qualitative research?

A

measuring a persons mental health by providing them with cameras and having them document their days

84
Q

what is a case study?

A

an in-depth report about the details of a specific case

85
Q

how are case studies different from other research methods?

A

they do not develop and test a hypothesis they will give extensive detail in to someone’s history

86
Q

what are the 2 problems with case studies?

A

they go in to great detail about a single persons experience

they lack generalizability due to hyper focusing on a singe persons experience

87
Q

what is the benefits of using a case study?

A

the researcher can present much more details about an individual than would be possible in a research report

88
Q

that is the downfall of using a case study?

A

it only uses a single persons experience and is anecdotal evidence

89
Q

what do we know about using case studies as a form of scientific research?

A

they can be great at describing symptoms and improving future treatments but they lack generalizability to other people and situations

90
Q

how can science test the usefulness of case studies?

A

they can be used to test an existing hypothesis

91
Q

how can a case study test existing hypothesis?

A

for example, until a couple years ago, researchers thought that the amygdala - fear centre in the brain- was essential for emotional information to grab our attention, but a case study proved that a woman with a missing amygdala could still be grabbed by emotional stimuli

92
Q

how can we critically evaluate the role of case studies in research?

A

they can help scientists form hypotheses in future research studies

93
Q

why is it relevant that case studies can be used as a form of scientific research?

A

these studies demonstrate that case studies are not simply anecdotes, they case study of a single patient can help greatly in many ways

94
Q

what is naturalistic observation?

A

they unobtrusively observe and record behaviour as it occurs in the subjects natural environment (the subject doesn’t know they are being watched)

95
Q

why would scientists use naturalistic observation?

A

so they can get more accurate results and not have the patient change how they are acting because they know they are being watched

96
Q

what is self reporting?

A

a method in which responses are provided directly by the people who are being studied, typically through face to face interviews, phone surveys, paper and pencil tests and web based questionnaires

97
Q

what is the biggest problem with self reporting?

A

it is hard to avoid bais and the questions much be worded carefully so the questions is answered properly

98
Q

what does self reporting lead researchers to question?

A

they have to figure out if their questions are valid

99
Q

when psychologists are performing descriptive research about more than one variable when they are collecting data, what are they doing?

A

correlational research

100
Q

what is correlational research?

A

measuring the degree of association between two or more variables

101
Q

what is an example of correlational research?

A

asking these questions “what is the average education level of canadian over the age of 30” and “what is the average income of canadian over the age of 30”. these two questions are different but researchers can start to understand the associations among variables

102
Q

what are the 2 main characteristics that describe correlations?

A

direction (if negativly or posititvly correlated)

magnatude (how closley linked they are)

103
Q

does correlation measure causality?

A

no, correlation does equal causation (just because things are correlated does mean one causes the other)

104
Q

what is the third variable problem?

A

the possibility that a third, unmeasured variable is responsible for a well-established correlation between two variables

105
Q

what does positive and negative correlation mean?

A

positive correlation: they are correlated
negative correlation: they are not correlated

106
Q

what are illusory correlations?

A

beliefs that are ingrained in out culture but are not actually true

107
Q

what are 3 examples of illusory correlations?

A

crime and emergency room intakes suddenly increase when there is a full moon

opposites attract

gamblers get on a hot streak where one success leads to the next

108
Q

what is experimental research?

A

experimental designs improve on descriptive and correlational studies because they are the only designs they can provide strong evidence for cause-and-effect relationships

109
Q

what is random assignment?

A

two or more groups in which participants are equally likely to be placed in any condition of the experiment

110
Q

what is a confounding variable?

A

a variable outside the researchers control that might affect or provide an alternative explanation for the results

111
Q

what is an independent variable?

A

the variable that the experimenter manipulates to distinguish between two or more groups, the participants cannot alter these variables as they are controlled by the researchers

112
Q

what is an example of an independent variable?

A

in an experiment of showing people stressful images and measuring stress response, the independent variable would be the photos being shown

113
Q

what is an dependant variable?

A

the observation or measurement that is recorded during the experiment and subsequently compares across all groups

114
Q

what is an example of a dependent variable?

A

in an experiment of showing people stressful images and measuring stress response, the dependant variable would be the patients stress level

115
Q

what is a between-subject design?

A

an experimental design in which we compare the performance of participants who are in different groups

116
Q

what is an example of between-subject design?

A

showing people different photos and measuring their stress responses

117
Q

what is the experimental group?

A

the group in the experiment that receives a treatment or the stimuli target a specific behaviour

118
Q

what is an example of the experimental group?

A

the group that gets the drug instead of the placebo

119
Q

what is the control group?

A

the group that does not receive the treatment

120
Q

what are within-subject designs?

A

an experimental design in which the same participants respond to all types of stimuli or experience all experimental conditions

121
Q

what is an example of within-subject design?

A

if all participants in the study would view all of the images

122
Q

what is quasi-experimental research?

A

a research technique in which the two or more groups that are compared are selected based on predetermined characteristics

123
Q

what is an example of quasi-experimental research?

A

comparing a study of men and women, they cannot be assigned random groups

124
Q

can quasi-experimental research determine cause and effect?

A

no, they can point out relationships between pre-existing groups but they cannot determine what it is about those groups that leads to the differences

125
Q

what is the downfall of naturalistic observation?

A

experimental control is very difficult

126
Q

what is the research method “converging operations”?

A

a method that uses many different designs in one study

127
Q

what is it important that is addressed before a research study begins?

A

the ethical issues that may come along with the study

128
Q

what is the research ethics board (REB)?

A

a committee of researchers and officials at an institution charged with the protection of human research participants

129
Q

what rules do the research ethics board enforce?

A

the tri-council policy statement: ethical conduct for research involving humans

130
Q

what are the 2 ways the research ethics boards intend to protect individuals?

A

the committee weighs potential risks to the volunteers against the possible benefits of the research

it requires that volunteers agree to participate in the research

131
Q

what are some of the risks of psychological research?

A

minimal stress to participants

physical stress (small cuts, cold virus ,hand is cold water)

cognitive and emotional stress (writing about traumatic experiences, answering questions about sensitive or personal information)

132
Q

is physical stress or cognitive/ emotional stress more common in psychological research?

A

cognitive / emotional stress

133
Q

what do researchers have to do if their study will expose participants to physical or cognitive stress?

A

they must inform them before hand and after the stuffy is done they need to make sure they are non in significant distress and if they care they can get professional help

134
Q

what are some factors that motivate researchers to do potentially stress inducing research?

A

the desire to help others
the drive to satisfy their intellectual curiosity
their own employment

135
Q

what do researchers need to do regarding consent before a study?

A

need to make sure the volunteers are truly volunteers

136
Q

what is informed consent?

A

a potential volunteer must be informed and know the purpose, tasks and risks involved in the study and give consent without pressure

137
Q

what are the 6 details a volunteer should be told to be truly informed about a study?

A

the topic of the study

the nature of the stimuli to which they will be exposed

the nature of any tasks they will complete

the approximate duration of the study

any potential physical, psychological or social risks involved

the steps that the researchers have taken to minimize those risks

138
Q

if researchers know that disclosing information to the participants would make them act different, what will the researcher use?

A

deception

139
Q

what is deception?

A

misleading or only partially informing participants of the true topic or hypothesis under investigation, but they are given enough to evaluate the risks on their own

140
Q

what are the 4 elements determine wether full consent is given?

A

freedom to choose
equal opportunity
the right to withdraw
the right to withhold responses

141
Q

after participating in the research study, what must participants undergo?

A

a full debriefing

142
Q

what is a debriefing?

A

the researchers should explain the true nature of the study and especially the nature of and reason for any deception

143
Q

what are the important things when dealing with studies on animals?

A

committees oversee ethical treatment and proper housing, feeding and sanitation

risk and discomfort is humanly managed

144
Q

how long is the reasonable amount of time for data to be kept?

A

5-7 years

145
Q

why would people researchers need to keep data for a lengthy period of time?

A

other researchers might request the data to reinterpret it or examine it before attempting to replicate the findings

146
Q

what are the 2 ways scientists must treat their data?

A

must keep the data safe
must be honest with the data

147
Q

when would scientific misconduct occur with data?

A

when individuals fabricate or manipulate their data to fit their desired results

148
Q

what is a way to reduce the chance of fraudulent data being published?

A

by requiring researchers to acknowledge any potential conflicts of interest which might include personal financial gain from an institution or company that funded the work

149
Q

what are descriptive statistics?

A

a set of techniques used to organize, summarize and interpret data. to give you the big picture of the results

150
Q

what are the 3 most common statistics used to describe and understand data?

A

frequency
central tendency
variability

151
Q

what are some things you would want to know about a data set?

A

wether some scores occurred more often than others

wether all of the scores were clumped in the middle or more evenly distributed across the whole range

152
Q

what is frequency?

A

the number of observations that fall within a certain category or range of scores

153
Q

what are the 2 kinda of distribution we can get from a curve?

A

normal distribution
skewed distribution

154
Q

what is normal distribution?

A

a symmetrical distribution with values clusters around the mean value (bell curve)

155
Q

what is skewed distribution?

A

an asymmetrical distribution with a large cluster of scores on one side and a long tail on the other

156
Q

what do we use central tendency for?

A

estimating

157
Q

what is central tendency?

A

a measure of the central point of distribution

158
Q

what are the 3 different measures of central tendency used in psychology?

A

mean
median
mode

159
Q

what is mean?

A

the arithmetic average of a set of numbers

160
Q

what is median?

A

the 50th percentile or middle number

161
Q

that Is mode?

A

the category with the highest frequency or the most common number in a data set

162
Q

what is variability?

A

the degree to which scores are dispersed in a distribution

163
Q

what does it mean if there is high variability?

A

there are larger number of cases that are closer to the extreme ends of the continuum for that data set

164
Q

what does it mean if there is a low variability in a data set?

A

most of the scores are similar

165
Q

what are the 4 things that can cause variability?

A

measurement errors
imperfect measurement tools
differences between participants in the study
characteristics of patients on that given day

166
Q

what is the calculation used to link central tendency and variability?

A

a measure of variability around the mean (average distance from the mean)

167
Q

after researchers have described their data, what do they have to do?

A

test wether their data supports the hypothesis

168
Q

what is a hypothesis test?

A

a statistical method of evaluating wether differences among groups are meaningful or could have been arrived at by chance alone

169
Q

what do scientists rely on to tell if differences in their scores in a study is meaningful?

A

statistical significance

170
Q

what is statistical significance?

A

the means of the groups are farther apart then you would expect them to be by random chance alone

171
Q

what are the 2 hypothesis that statistical testing is based on?

A

null hypothesis
experimental hypothesis

172
Q

what is a null hypothesis?

A

assumes that any differences between groups are due to chance

173
Q

what is an experimental hypothesis?

A

assumes that any differences are due to a variable controlled by the experimenter

174
Q

what is a P-value?

A

the number that indicates if the results of a study are due to chance of the variable controlled by the researchers (high P values means due to chance, lower means that it is due to the controlled variable)

175
Q

if a P value is greater than 0.05, what does that mean?

A

it means that it is more likely that a fluke can occur the more you do tests, so the researchers have to use stricter values

176
Q

why is statistical significance important?

A

because it goes psychology researchers a useful standard for deciding if the differences between groups are meaningful

177
Q

what are the 6 kinds of research designs?

A

naturalistic observation
surveys and questionnaires
correlational research
experimental research
converging operations
case studies

intro psych (42 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions