Chapter 2: Methods of Social Psychology

Question 1

DEF What is observational research?

Answer 1

• observing participants and some phenomenon at close range
• almost participating in it
• observatoins can be misleading

Question 2

DEF What is archival research?

Answer 2

using existing collections(archives) of data and information to draw conclusions
- census reports, police reports, sports statistics, newspaper publications, etc

Question 3

DEF What are surveys?

Answer 3

• simply asking people questions

- representative sampling, random smapling, convenience sampling

Question 4

DEF What is representative sampling?

Answer 4

accurately portray population demographics

Question 5

DEF What is random sampling?

Answer 5

selected at random, each participant has an equal opportunity to be selected

Question 6

DEF What is convenience sampling?

Answer 6

may be biased because a participant has some disposition that put them in that place at that time
ex. contacting people walking into a library

Question 7

DEF What is correlational research?

Answer 7

measure two or more variables and examine whether a relationship exists between them

Question 8

What does correlation NOT establish?

Answer 8

correlation does NOT establish causation

correlation requires further exploration

Question 9

DEF What is a longitudinal study?

Answer 9

a study conducted over a long period of time with the same participants

Question 10

DEF What is experimental research?

Answer 10

making inferences about why/how a relationship exists between two variables

Question 11

What are the components of an experiment?

Answer 11

independent and dependent variables, control condition

Question 12

DEF What is a natural experiment?

Answer 12

a naturally occuring event that naturally has different conditions
ex. studying levels of happiness in marriages (cannot force people to get married for an experiment)

Question 13

Is all research created equal?

Answer 13

No, not all research is created equal. Must consider validity, reliability, and statisitical significance.

Question 14

DEF What is the external validity of an experiment?

Answer 14

If the results are applicable outside of the lab

Question 15

DEF What is a field experiment?

Answer 15

An experiment conducted in the real world where participants are unaware they are in a study

Question 16

DEF What is the internal validity of an experiment?

Answer 16

confidence that only the manipulated variable could have produced the results

Question 17

What are potential affects on internal validity?

Answer 17

selection bias, regression to mean, expectancy (people speculating about what the results mean or what an experimenter wants), and differential attrition (people dropping out leaving only people with a higher tolerance to participate)

Question 18

What is the reliability of a test and measure?

Answer 18

the degree to which a research method and a given varaible are likely to yeild consistent results
ex. getting a dif score the second time you take an IQ test

Question 19

What is the validity of a test and measure

Answer 19

a correlation between a measure and something a measure is supposed to predict
- will this method produce relevent results?

Question 20

DEF What is statisitical significance?

Answer 20

a measure of probability that a given result could have occured by chance?
- are you results because of your manipulated variable or simply just a coincidence?

Question 21

DEF What is informed consent?

Answer 21

agreeing to participate after learning relevant into
- can be deceptive about what the study is actually measuring to avoid bias, but still have to inform participants of the actions in the study