Chapter 2 Flashcards
What is the Scientific Method?
A multistep technique that generates empirical knowledge derived from systematic observations of the world
Four steps: Observe ➡️ Detect Regularities ➡️ Generate a Hypothesis ➡️ Observe.
Define Operational Definition.
Definitions that specify how concepts can be observed and measured.
What is Descriptive Research?
Methods designed to observe and describe behavior.
What is reactivity in psychological research?
When behavior changes as a result of the observation process.
What is External Validity?
The extent to which results generalize to other situations or are representative of real life.
What is Naturalistic Observation?
A descriptive research technique that records naturally occurring behavior as opposed to behavior produced in the laboratory.
What is Participant Observation?
When the observer attempts to become a part of the activities studied.
Define Case Study.
A descriptive research technique focused on a single case, usually an individual.
What are the limitations of Case Studies?
External validity, verification, hard to determine cause and effect.
What is a Survey?
A descriptive research technique designed to gather limited amounts of information from many people.
What are Psychological Tests?
Tests designed to measure differences among people.
List examples of Psychological Tests.
- Achievement tests
- Aptitude tests
- Intelligence tests
- Personality tests
What is the purpose of Statistics in psychological research?
To look for patterns in the data and test hypotheses.
What are central tendencies?
Values around which scores tend to cluster: mean, median, mode.
Define Variability in statistics.
How much the scores in a set differ from one another.
What are Inferential Statistics?
Used to decide if the behaviors recorded in a sample are representative of the larger population.
What does Correlation indicate?
Whether two variables vary together in a systematic way.
What is the range of correlation values?
From -1 to +1.
True or False: Correlation implies causation.
False.
What is Experimental Research?
A technique in which the investigator actively manipulates the environment to observe its effects on behavior.
What is an Independent Variable (IV)?
The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.
Define Dependent Variable (DV).
What is measured in an experiment.
What is a Confounding Variable?
An uncontrolled variable that changes along with the independent variable.
What is a Single-blind study?
Experimental participants do not know which conditions they have been assigned.
