Chapter 2 Flashcards
What is the primary purpose of conducting psychological research?
To differentiate facts from opinions and build understanding of observable phenomena.
Psychological research is grounded in empirical, observational methods.
What are the two types of reasoning in scientific research?
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning tests ideas in the real world, while inductive reasoning generates new ideas from observations.
Define a hypothesis.
A testable prediction about how the world will behave if a suggested notion is accurate.
Hypotheses are often framed as if-then statements.
What is the significance of a control group in experimental design?
It does NOT receive the experimental manipulation, allowing for comparison with the experimental group.
This helps isolate the effects of the independent variable.
What is meant by ecological validity?
The realism displayed in naturalistic observation research.
High ecological validity means findings can be generalized to real-world situations.
What is the role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB)?
To review research proposals involving human participants to ensure ethical standards are met.
IRB approval is necessary before conducting research.
What are the three measures of central tendency calculated in surveys?
- Mean
- Mode
- Median
These measures help summarize data sets for analysis.
Fill in the blank: The __________ is a subset of individuals selected from a larger group.
[sample]
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
Qualitative research focuses on understanding experiences and perspectives, while quantitative research focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis.
This distinction affects research methods and data interpretation.
True or False: Correlation implies causation.
False
Correlation indicates a relationship but does not establish a cause-and-effect connection.
What is observer bias?
When observers skew their observations to fit a goal or hypothesis.
This can affect the validity of the research findings.
What is a confounding variable?
An outside factor that impacts both variables of interest in a study.
Confounding variables can obscure the true relationship between the studied variables.
What is the purpose of random assignment in experiments?
To ensure all participants have an equal chance of being assigned to either the experimental or control group.
This enhances the internal validity of the research.
What does reliability refer to in research?
The ability to consistently produce a given result.
Reliability is crucial for the credibility of research findings.
What is the placebo effect?
The phenomenon where a participant’s expectations can influence their experience or outcomes.
This effect highlights the importance of controlling for participant expectations in research.
What does ‘longitudinal research’ involve?
Data gathering conducted repeatedly with the same group of individuals over time.
This method is useful for studying changes and developments.
What is the main limitation of archival research?
Researchers lack control over the previously collected information.
This can lead to inconsistencies in the data.
