Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

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


See full index

psych 104 > chapter 2 > Flashcards

chapter 2 Flashcards

research methods and measurement

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

empiricism

A

the conviction that accurate knowledge of the world can be acquired by observing it

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

scientific method

A

a procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts

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

theory

A

an explanation of a natural phenomenon

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

hypothesis

A

an explanation of a natural phenomenon

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

empirical method

A

a set of rules and techniques for observation

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

operational definition

A

a description of a property in measurable terms

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

construct validity

A

a feature of operational definitions whose specified operations are generally considered good indicators of the specified properties.

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

power

A

a detectors ability to detect the presence of differences or changes in the magnitude of a property

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

reliability

A

a detectors ability to detect the absence of differences or changes in the magnitude of a property

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

demand characteristics

A

aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think someone else wants or expects

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

naturalistic observation

A

a technique for gathering info by unobtrusively observing people in their natural environments

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

observer bias

A

the tendency for observers expectations to influence both what they believe they observed and what they actually observed

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

double blind study

A

a study in which neither the researcher nor the participant knows how the participants are expected to behave

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

population

A

a complete collection of people

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

sample

A

a partial collection of people drawn from a population

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

frequency distribution

A

a graphic representation showing the number of times that the measurement

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

normal distribution

A

a mathematically defined distribution in which the frequency of measurements is highest in the middle and decreases symmetrically in both directions

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

mode

A

the value of the most frequently observed measurement
pros: works well with normal frequency data, can produce sensible values
Cons: has low sampling stability, may not exist for some data, only works for symmetric unimodal distributions

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

mean

A

the average value of all the measurements
pros: best sampling stability, works with many statistical methods
cons: value may not exist in real world, assumes data is on an interval measurement scale, not robust to extreme values

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

median

A

value that is in the middle
pros: robust to extreme values
cons: does not work well with a lot of common statistical methods, has fairly low sampling stability

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

range

A

the value of the largest measurement in a frequency distribution

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

standard deviation

A

a statistic that describes how each of the measurements in a frequency distribution differs from the mean
only works for symmetrical unimodal distributions

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

variable

A

a property that can have more than one value

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

correlation

A

a relationship between variables in which variations in the value of 1 variable are synchronized with variations in the value of the other

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

correlation coefficient (r)

A

a mathematical measure of both the direction and strength of a correlation. symbolized by the letter r.
r=0 (no correlation)
r= 1 (perfect positive correlation )
r= -1 (perfect negative correlation)

26
Q

natural correlation

A

a correlation that is observed in the natural world

27
Q

third variable problem

A

the fact that the natural correlation between 2 variables cannot be taken as evidence of a casual relationship between them because a 3rd variable might be causing them both.

28
Q

experimentation

A

a technique used for establishing the casual relationship between variables

29
Q

manipulation

A

a technique for determining the casual power if a variable by actively changing its value

30
Q

independent variable

A

the variable that is manipulated in the experiment

31
Q

dependent variable

A

the variable that is measured in the experiment

32
Q

self selection

A

a problem that occurs when anything about a participant determines the value of the independent variable to which the participant was exposed

33
Q

random assignment

A

a procedure that assigns participants to conditions by chance

34
Q

internal validity

A

an attribute of an experiment that allows it to establish casual relationships

35
Q

external validity

A

an attribute of an experiment in which variables have been operationally defined in a representative way

36
Q

case method

A

a procedure for gathering scientific info by studying a single individual

37
Q

random sampling

A

a technique for selecting participants that ensures that every member of a population has an equal chance of being included in the sample

38
Q

replication

A

an experiment that sues the same procedures as a previous experiment but with a new sample from the same population

39
Q

type 1 error

A

an error that occurs when researchers conclude that there is a casual relationship between 2 variables when there in fact is not

40
Q

type 2 error

A

an error that occurs when researchers conclude that there is not a casual relationship between 2 variables when there in fact is

41
Q

informed consent

A

a verbal agreement to participate in a study made by an adult who has been informed of all the risks that participation may entail.

42
Q

steps of scientific method

A
  1. identify the question of interest
  2. gather relevant info and formulate a testable hypothesis
  3. design a study that can test the hypothesis
  4. analyze the data and draw tentative conclusions
  5. report the findings and ask further questions
43
Q

falsifiability

A

a characteristic of a hypothesis if it is capable of being disproved

44
Q

deductive argument/ statement

A

an argument in which the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. i.e. it is impossible for the conclusion to be false given that the premises are true

45
Q

inductive argument/statement

A

an argument in which it is improbable that the conclusion is false given that the premises are true

46
Q

central tendency

A

the most typical value of a data set. 3 common measures: mode, median, and mean

47
Q

negative skew

A

skewed left. long tail points left.
mean< median< mode

48
Q

symmetrical

A

symmetrically normal. tails are balanced
mean=median=mode

49
Q

positive skew

A

skewed right. long tail points right
mode<median<mean

50
Q

research ethics board (REBs)

A

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

51
Q

Canadian council on animal care (CCAC)

A

the three R’s:
replacement: methods to avoid or replace use of animals
reduction: strategy to reduce amount of animals used
refinement: modification of experimental procedures to minimize distress

52
Q

anecdote

A

a short, often interesting or amusing, personal experience.

53
Q

reliability

A

consistency of measurements

54
Q

test retest reliability

A

when a test/ measure is readministered it should produce the same result as when it was administered the 1st time

55
Q

interobserver reliability

A

two or more people using the same test/measure should arrive at the same conclusion

56
Q

blinding

A

a subject is not aware of the group ( experimental or control) they are in

57
Q

confounding variable

A

any difference between the experimental and control groups other than the independent variable

58
Q

statistical significance

A

p-value is less than 0.05.

59
Q

control vs experiment groups

A

the experimental group receives the treatment being tested, while the control group does not

60
Q

confirmation bias

A

the tendency to seek out info that supports our hypothesis and deny, ignore, or distort info that contradicts it.

61
Q

availability heuristic

A

when you estimate the likelihood of an occurrence bases on the ease which it comes to mind.

psych 104 (8 decks)

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