Chapter 2 Flashcards
Empiricism
the belief that accurate knowledge can be acquired through observation
Scientific method
a procedure for finding truth by using empirical evidence
Theory
a hypothetical explanation of a natural phenomenon
- an explanation of how something in the natural works
Hypothesis
a falsifiable prediction made by a theory
Empirical method
a set of rules and techniques for observation
3 Qualities that make empirical studies difficult
1) Complexity - brain is complex as hell
2) Variability - no 2 individuals are alike
3) Reactivity - when ppl know they are being studied they don’t always act the same
operational definition
a description of a property in concrete, measurable terms
Instrument
anything that can detect the condition to which an operational definition refers
types of research
1) descriptive - accurate & systematic measurement, increases awareness of multiple variables
2) Correlational - association between variables, predict relations between variables
3) Experimental - establish cause and effect relations
3 Descriptive Approaches
1) Naturalistic observation - observe others in their natural habitat
2) Case study - study just one person
3) Surveys - questionnaires and interviews
2 kinds of descriptive statistics
1) central tendency - mode, mean, median
2) Variability - range
Keys to scientific measurement
validity - the goodness with which a concrete event defines a property
reliability - the tendency for an instrument to produce the same measurement whenever it is used to measure the same thing
power - an instrument’s ability to detect small magnitudes of the property
demand characteristics
those aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think someone else wants or expects
naturalistic observation
a technique for gathering scientific info by unobtrusively observing people in their natural environment
correlation
2 variables are said to be correlated when variations in the value of one variable are synchronized w/ variations in the value of the other
Positive correlation
one variable increases by a fixed amount and the second increases by a fixed amount
r=1
Negative correlation
one variable increases by a fixed amount and the value of the second variable decreases by a fixed amount
r= -1
Uncorrelated
one variable increases by a fixed amount and the value of the second variable neither increases or decreases systematically
r=0
third-variable correlation
2 variables are correlated only because each is casually related to a 3rd variable
Experiment
technique for establishing the casual relationship between variables
Manipulation
changing a variable in order to determine its casual power
Independent variable
the variable that is manipulated in an experiment
Dependent variable
the variable that is measured in a study
we look to see whether our manipulation of the independent variable produced changes in the dependent variable
2 groups of participants
1) experimental - group of people exposed to a particular manipulation
2) control - group of people not exposed to a particular manipulation
Random assignment
a procedure that lets chance assign people to the experimental or control group at random
both groups will average to be the same
disadvantages of experiements
can create baises, and vary results because of ur observations
steps in the scientific process
- notice something of interest
- develop hypothesis
- test hypothesis - design study & collect data
- Analyze data & interpret findings
- Test again?
Respecting people
- research should show respect for persons and their right to make decisions for and about themselves w/o undue influence
- should be beneficent in attempts to maximize benefits and reduce risks to the participant
- should be just - should distribute benefits and risks equally to participants without prejudice toward particular individuals or groups
Rules that govern the conduct of psychological research
- Informed consent - a written agreement w/ all of the risks
- freedom of coercion - can’t give $ to persuade the participants
- protection from harm - have to choose the safer method
- risk-benefit analysis - cannot be asked to take large risks and if u are asking for small risk, the benefits need to outweigh the risk
- deception - may only use deception when it’s justified
- debriefing - need to be debriefed of the study
- Confidentiality - obligated to keep personal matters private
respecting animals
- must be supervised by psychologist who are trained w animals to ensure safety, comfort, health and humane treatment
- must make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, illness, infections and pain of animal
- can use a procedure that subjects an animal to pain, stress or privation only when an alternative procedure isnt avaliable & when the procedure is justified by the scientific educational or applied value of the study
- must perform all surgical procedures under appropriate anesthesia and must minimize an animal’s pain during and after surgery
respecting truth
- cant fabricate results
- cant mislead by omission
- obligated to share credit w all contributors
- obligated to share data
