Chapter 2 Flashcards
What are the two core tenets of science?
The universe operates according to certain natural laws, and such laws are discoverable and testable
What is the scientific method?
A method used to discover the laws governing the universe
What is psychology?
The scientific study of human behavior and mental processes
What is pseudopsychology?
Commenting on human behavior and mental processes without using the scientific method (e.g., parapsychology, astrology, psychics)
What is inductive reasoning?
Starts with observation and leads to a general theory
What is deductive reasoning?
Starts with a theory and leads to predictions about specific situations
What is hypothetico-deductive reasoning?
The testing of hypotheses
What is an independent variable (IV)?
The variable that you manipulate in an experiment
What is a dependent variable (DV)?
The variable that you measure or that is changed by the IV
Identify the IV and DV: Dr. Smith examines how daily exposure to a sun lamp impacts people’s depression levels.
IV: Sun lamp exposure; DV: Depression levels
What is an operational definition?
How the researcher decides to measure their variables
What is a population in research?
The entire group that is of interest to researchers
What is a sample in research?
A portion of the population that is selected for the study
What is random selection?
Randomly choosing a sample from a population
What is sampling bias?
Choosing a sample that does not represent your population
What is descriptive research?
Research method used to observe and describe behavior
What is experimental research?
Research method used to demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships between variables
What are case studies?
An intensive study of 1 or 2 people
What is naturalistic observation?
Systematic observation of people behaving as they normally do
What are surveys?
Asking people directly about their behaviors using questionnaires or interviews
What are the advantages and disadvantages of case studies?
Advantages: Can study rare behaviors, very detailed. Disadvantages: Cannot generalize results, cannot determine cause and effect
What are the advantages and disadvantages of naturalistic observation?
Advantages: Can study unethical topics, natural behavior. Disadvantages: Time-consuming, cannot determine cause and effect
What are the advantages and disadvantages of surveys?
Advantages: Quick data collection, cheap. Disadvantages: People may lie, cannot determine cause and effect
What is a hypothesis?
A testable prediction about the relationship between variables
What is a theory?
A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world
What is one key advantage of experimental research?
It can establish cause and effect.
What is a key disadvantage of experimental research?
Results might not be generalizable.
What does experimental research examine?
How one variable causes another variable to change.
What is the role of the experimental group in an experiment?
It is the group exposed to the independent variable (IV).
What is the role of the control group in an experiment?
It is the group not exposed to the IV, used for comparison.
What is random assignment in experimental research?
Randomly assigning participants to groups to make them similar before the study.
What is a double-blind procedure?
Neither the participant nor the researcher knows who is in which group.
What is the goal of descriptive research?
To show if there is a relationship between variables.
What does experimental research use to test hypotheses?
Statistics to indicate meaningful differences between groups.
What is a positive correlation?
When one variable increases, the other increases.
What is a negative correlation?
When one variable increases, the other decreases.
Why can’t correlations determine cause and effect?
Because two variables may be related but not causally linked.
What is descriptive statistics?
It describes the data in an experiment.
What is the mean in descriptive statistics?
The average of all the scores.
What is standard deviation?
It shows how much participants’ scores vary from one another.
What is inferential statistics?
It helps draw conclusions from the data using tests like p-values.
What does a p-value indicate?
The probability that the experiment’s results are not due to chance.
What p-value is typically considered statistically significant?
A p-value lower than .05.
What do Research Ethics Boards (REB) do?
They evaluate research to protect participants’ rights.
What is informed consent?
Participants’ permission after knowing the study’s risks and benefits.
What must researchers protect participants from?
Harm and discomfort.
What must be protected in research involving participants?
Confidentiality.
What is the role of the Canadian Council on Animal Care?
It oversees research involving animals as subjects.
When can animals be used in research?
When the research promises significant benefit and there is no alternative.
What are humane research guidelines for using animals?
Using the smallest number of animals and limiting all pain and distress.
