Chapter 2 Flashcards
Objective Measurements
Measurements of a property that, within an allowed margin of error, is consistent across instruments and observers
Variable
The thing being measured
Operational definitions
Statements that describe the procedure and specific measures that are used to record observations
Validity
The degree to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure
Reliability
Degree to which a test produces similar scores each time it is used
Generalizability
The degree to which a test’s results can be applied to other situations
Population
Group of people researchers want to generalize about
Sample
Select group of population members
Random Sample
A technique in which each member of the population has an equal chance of being included
Convenience Sample
Subjects who are most readily available are chosen
Representative Sample
Sample that closely matches characteristics of population being studied
Ecological Validity
REsults of experiment can be repeated in the natural world
Hawthorne Effect
Change in behaviour due to the knowledge one is being observed
Social Desirability
Subject responds in ways they believe will grant them favour among the experimenters
Demand characteristics
Inadvertent cues given off by experimenter about how subjects are expected to behave
Placebo Effect
Beliefs about what is supposed to happen may bring about change
Single-blind
Only researcher knows about the purpose of the study
Double-blind
Neither researcher nor subject aware of exact treatment
Peer Review
Submitted articles reviewed by experts in that field of study
Replication
Repeating an experiment and getting a similar outcome
Anecdotal evidence
Researcher’s anecdote used used to make a claim as evidence
Appeal to authority
The belief in an expert’s claim even when no supporting evidence is present
Appeal to common sense
A claim that appears to be sound but lacks supporting evidence
Qualitative Research
Research that measures a property without numerical values
Quantitative Research
Assigns numerical values to results
Case Study
In Depth report about the case of a specific individual. Example: HM brain dude
Naturalistic Observations
Researcher unobtrusively observes subject in their natural environment
Self-Reporting
Questions answered by the subjects. Establishes norms.
Correlational Research
Studies the relationship between two variables.Correlation does not equal causation
Illusory correlations
Relationships that only exist in the mind
Third Variable Problem
A third, unseen variable is responsible for the correlation of two known variables
Random Assignment
Technique of dividing a sample into two or more groups where participants are equally likely to be placed in any condition of experiment
Confounding Variable
Variable outside researchers control that may provide an alternate explanation for results
Independent variable
Variable manipulated by researcher
Between-subjects design
An experiment in which we compare the performance of individuals who are in different groups
Experimental Group
group that receives stimulus
Control Group
Group that doesn’t receive stimulus
Within - subjects design
Subjects experience all kinds of stimuli
Quasi-experimental research
Two main groups to be compared selected based on predetermined characteristics
REB
Research Ethics Board
Informed Consent
Subject must give consent
Deception
Misleading subjects as to what the purpose of the experiment is
Debriefing
Full study is explained by researcher after experiment
Descriptive Stats
Used to describe data
Frequency
Number of scores that fall within a certain category
Animal Rights Perspective
Animals shouldn’t be used in research
Animal Welfare Perspective
Humans have the right to use animals; still must treat them fairly
Normal Distrubtion
Symmetrical curve around the mode
Positive Skew
Hill on left, tail to right
Negative Skew
Hill on right, tail to left
Mean, median, mode
Average, middle data point, most frequently occurring value
Variability
Degree to which scores are dispersed
Std Dev
Variability around the mean
Null hypothesis
Assumes variation due to chance
Experimental hypothesis
Assumes variation due to experimenter
