Chapter 2 Flashcards
what is science?
- based on empiricism: truth is best discovered through sensory experience
- rely on operational definitions
4 goals of science
describe, predict, explain, control
hypothesis
- scientific prediction that is generally proposed as an if-then statement
- must be clearly falsifiable or refutable
Theory
- best explanation we have given facts at hand
- theories develop after intense hypothesis testing
- evolve as new evidence is produced
sampling
- individual or group that is ultimately on interest to the researcher
- samples are used bc you can’t access whole population of interest
representative sample
a subset of the population that is similar in important ways to the full population
generalizability
assumption that the research findings from subset will apply to the full population
random sample
every member of population has an equal chance of being included
convenience sample
sample of individuals who are readily available
basic psychology
“pure” research conducted to seek knowledge for its own sake
applied psychology
finds practical used for knowledge gained from research
research methods
surveys, interviews, direct observation
research design
general approach to conducting a study to answer your research questions
- case study
correlational study
a descriptive study that looks for a relationship between two phenomena
variable
something that is being measured, and therefore varies in amount or kind
