Chapter 2: Methodology Flashcards
Bystander effect
When witnessers in the crime scene in the big city do nothing to help the victim. This is the result of “diffusion of responsibility.”
Hindsight bias
Tendency to exaggerate how much we could’ve predicted outcome after knowing it occurred.
Theory and hypothesis
Theory is developed. The hypothesis is formulated and derived from theory and is tested. After obtaining results, the theory is revised, and new hypotheses are formed.
3 types of research methods
- Observational method: describing the social behavior by observing people and recoding their behavior.
- Correlational method: predicting social behavior by making relationships between independent and dependent variables.
- Experimental method: making causal inference, involving direct intervention, and changing independent variable to see effect.
Examples of observational method
- Ethnography: when researchers attempt to understand a group or culture by observing the behavior for the inside without interfering or imposing preconceived notions.
- Interjudge reliability: level of agreement b/w 2 or more people who independently observer and code a set of data.
- Archival analysis: when researcher examines accumulated documents of a culture likes diaries p, magazines, novels, etc.
Limits of observational method
There is inadequate information from archives and inaccurate data. Because of this, researchers are not able to predict social behavior.
Correlation coefficient
A statistic that assesses how well you can predict one variable from another. It’s designated “r”.
- if r>0: positive correlation; x and y are directly proportional.
- if r
Example of correlational method
Survey: research in which representative sample of people are asked questions about their attitudes or behavior.
Random selection of people in a population is very important; people have equal chance of being selected for a sample.
Problems of correlational method
- Accuracy of responses in surveys: straightforward questions are easy to answer, but asking participant how and why they behaved in some hypothetical situation, inaccuracy is invited.
- Correlation does not equal causation
- Hidden third variable
Internal validity
Keeping everything in the experiment the same except the independent variable.
High internal validity is accomplished by controlling all extraneous variables and by randomly assigning people to different experimental conditions.
Problem: situation can become somewhat artificial and distant from real life.
Random assignment to condition
Process whereby all participants have equal chance of taking part in any condition of an experiment; researchers can be relatively certain that differences in participants’ background or personalities are evenly distributed across conditions.
Probability level (p-value)
Number that tells researchers how likely it is that the results of their experiment occurred by chance and not because of independent variable.
If p-value
External validity
Extent to which results of a study can be generalized to other situations and other people.
High external validity is accomplished with high generalizability, ability to conduct field experiments, and using cover story.
Problem: researchers cannot control independent variable.
Psychological realism
Extent to which the psychological processes triggered in an experiment are similar to those that occur in everyday life.
Cover story is used.
Cover story
A disguised version of the study’s true purpose.
Basic dilemma of the social psychologist
Refers to the trade-off between internal and external validity.
Replications
Repeating a study, often with different subject populations or in different settings.
Meta-analysis
Statistical technique that averages the results of 2 or more studies to see if the effect of an independent variable is reliable.
Applied research
Study was designed to solve a particular social problem
Cross-cultural research
Studying effects of culture on social psychological process.
Evolutionary theory
Explaining ways in which animals adapt to their environments. Central to the theory is natural selection.
Natural selection
Process by which heritable traits that promote survival in a particular environment are passed along to future generations because organisms with those traits are more likely to produce offspring.
Evolutionary psychology
Explaining social behavior in terms of genetic factors that have evolved over time according to the principles of natural selection.
Social neuroscience
Studying hormones and behavior, the human immune system, and neurological processes in the brain. Sophisticated technologies include EEG and fMRI.
