Chapter 2: Methods of Psychology

Question 1

case study

Answer 1

in-depth analysis of the behaviour of one person or a small number of people

Question 2

confirmation bias

Answer 2

the tendency to notice and remember instances that support your beliefs more than instances that contradict them

Question 3

confounding variables

Answer 3

variable that is irrelevant to the hypothesis being tested but can alter researcher’s conclusions

Question 4

constructs

Answer 4

a hypothetical internal attribute that cant be directly observed but is useful for explaining and describing behaviour

Question 5

control group

Answer 5

group without the independant variable

Question 6

correlations

Answer 6

a measure of the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables

Question 7

critical thinking

Answer 7

the ability to think rationally and independantly

Question 8

cross-sectional study

Answer 8

an experimental design for assessing age-related changes in which data are obtained simultaneously from people of different ages

Question 9

dependent variable

Answer 9

a measure that demonstrates the effects of an independent variable; the “result” part of a hypothesis

Question 10

descriptive methods

Answer 10

research methods designed for making careful, systematic observations

Question 11

descriptive statistics

Answer 11

statistical methods organize data into meaningful patterns and summaries, such as finding the average value

Question 12

double-blind procedure

Answer 12

controls placebo effects; the participant and researcher does not know whether the participant was given an active substance, treatment, or placebo

Question 13

experiment

Answer 13

a research method that tests hypotheses and allows researchers to make conclusions about causality

Question 14

experimental groups

Answer 14

a group of participants who are exposed to the independent variable

Question 15

field experiments

Answer 15

an experiment conducted outside of a laboratory setting

Question 16

focus groups

Answer 16

a small, often deliberately chosen group of people who engage in a structured discussion on a topic

Question 17

generalization

Answer 17

to extend conclusions to larger population outside your research sample

Question 18

hypothesis

Answer 18

a proposed explanation for a situation usually taking the form of “if A happens, then B will be the result”

Question 19

independent variable

Answer 19

an experimental variable controlled and manipulated by the experimenter; the “if A happens” part

Question 20

inferential statistics

Answer 20

statistical methods that allow experimenters to extend conclusions from samples to larger populations

Question 21

informed consent

Answer 21

permission obtained from a research participant after the risks and benefits of an experimental procedure have been thoroughly explained

Question 22

interview

Answer 22

q and a session between the participant and the researcher

Question 23

longitudinal study

Answer 23

an experimental design for assessing age-related changes in which data are obtained from the same individuals at intervals over a long period of time

Question 24

mean

Answer 24

the numerical average of a set of scores

Question 25

measure

Answer 25

a method for describing a variable’s quantity

Question 26

median

Answer 26

the halfway mark in a set of data, with half of the scores above it and half below

Question 27

meta-analysis

Answer 27

a statistical analysis of many previous experiments on a single topic

Question 28

mixed longitudinal design

Answer 28

a method for assessing age-related changes that combines the cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches by observing a cross-section of participants over a shorter period than is used typically in longitudinal studies

Question 29

mode

Answer 29

the most frequently occurring score on a set of data

Question 30

naturalistic observation

Answer 30

an in-depth study of a phenomenon in its natural setting

Question 31

normal distribution

Answer 31

a symmetrical probability function

Question 32

null hypothesis

Answer 32

a hypothesis stating the default position that there is no real difference between two measures

Question 33

objectivity

Answer 33

the practics of basing conclusions on facts, without the influence of personal emotion and bias

Question 34

operationalization

Answer 34

defining constructs in ways that allow them to be measured

Question 35

peer review

Answer 35

the process of having other experts examine research prior to its publication

Question 36

placebo

Answer 36

an inactive substance or treatment that cannot b distinguished from a real active substance; fake drugs

Question 37

population

Answer 37

the entire group from which a sample is taken

Question 38

publication bias

Answer 38

the possibility that published studies are not representative of all work done on a particular phenomenon

Question 39

random assignment

Answer 39

the procedure in which each participant has an equal change of being placed in any group in an experiment

Question 40

reliability

Answer 40

the consistency of a measure, including test-retest, interrater, inter method, and internal consistency

Question 41

replication

Answer 41

repeating an experiment and producing the same results

Question 42

sample

Answer 42

a subset of a population being studied

Question 43

science

Answer 43

a method of learning about reality through systematic observation and experimentation

Question 44

standard deviation

Answer 44

a measure of how tightly clustered around the mean a group of scores is

Question 45

statistical significance

Answer 45

a standard for deciding whether an observed result is because of chance

Question 46

surveys

Answer 46

a descriptive method in which participants are asked the same question

Question 47

theories

Answer 47

a set of facts and relationships between facts that can explain and predict related phemomena

Question 48

third variable

Answer 48

a variable that is responsible for a correlation observed between two other variables of interest

Question 49

validity

Answer 49

a quality of a measure that leads to correct conclusions(ie the measure evaluates the concept that it was designed to do)

Question 50

variables

Answer 50

a factor that has a range of values