Chapter 2 Research Methodology Flashcards

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1
Q

Accuracy

A

The extent to which the experimental measure is free from error

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2
Q

Case Studies

A

A research method that involves the intensive examination of unusual people or organizations

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3
Q

Central Tendency

A

A measure that represents the typical response or the behavior of a group as a whole

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4
Q

Confound

A

Anything that affects a dependent variable and may unintentionally vary between the experimental conditions of a study; A source of error

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5
Q

Control Group

A

A comparison group; the participants in a study that receive no intervention or receive intervention that is unrelated to the independent variable being investigated

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6
Q

Correlational Studies

A

A research method that examines how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them or assign causation between them.

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7
Q

Cross-Sectional Studies

A

A research method that compares participants in different groups at the same time

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8
Q

Culturally Sensitive Research

A

Studies that take into account the role that culture plays in determining thoughts, feelings and actions.

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9
Q

Data

A

Objective observations or measurements

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10
Q

Dependent Variable

A

In an experiment, the variable that is affected by the manipulation of the independent variable

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11
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

Statistics that summarize the data collected in a study

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12
Q

Descriptive Studies

A

A research method that involves observing and noting the behavior of people or other animals to provide a systematic and objective analysis of the behavior

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13
Q

Directionality Problem

A

A problem encountered in correlational studies; the researchers find a relationship between two variables, but they cannot determine which variable may have caused changes in the other variable

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14
Q

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

A

A device that measures electrical activity in the brain; wavelength

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15
Q

Experiment

A

A study that tests causal hypotheses by measuring and manipulating variables

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16
Q

Experimental groups

A

Treatment groups; the participants in a study that receive the intervention

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17
Q

Experimenter expectancy effect

A

Actual change in the behavior of the people or nonhuman animals being observed that is due to the expectations of the observer

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18
Q

External Validity

A

The degree to which the findings of an experiment can be generalized outside the laboratory

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19
Q

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A

An imaging technique used to examine changes in the activity of the working human brain

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20
Q

Hypothesis

A

A specific prediction of what should be observed if a theory is correct

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21
Q

Independent variable

A

In an experiment, the variable that is manipulated by the experimenter to examine its impact on the dependent variable

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22
Q

Inferential statistics

A

A set of procedures used to make judgements about whether differences actually exist between sets of numbers

23
Q

institutional review boards (IRBs)

A

Groups of people responsible for reviewing proposed research to ensure that it meets the accepted standards of science and provides the physical and emotional well-being of research participants

24
Q

internal validity

A

The extent to which the data collected in a study address the research hypothesis in the way intended

25
Q

longtitudinal studies

A

A research method that studies the same participants multiple times over a period of time

26
Q

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

A

A method of brain imaging that produces high-quality images of the brain

27
Q

mean

A

A measure of central tendency that is the arithmetic average of a set of numbers

28
Q

median

A

A measure of central tendency that is the value in a set of numbers that falls exactly halfway between the lowest and highest values.

29
Q

meta-analysis

A

The “study of studies” that combines the findings of multiple studies to arrive at a conclusion

30
Q

mode

A

A measure of central tendency that is the most frequent score or value in a set of numbers.

31
Q

Naturalistic observation

A

A type of descriptive study in which the researcher is a passive observer, making no attempt to change or alter ongoing behavior

32
Q

Observational technique

A

A research method of careful and systematical assessment and coding of overt behavior

33
Q

Observer bias

A

Systematic errors in observation that occur because of an observer’s expectations

34
Q

Participant observation

A

A type of descriptive study in which the researcher is actively involved in the situation

35
Q

population

A

Everyone in the group the experimenter is interested in

36
Q

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

A

A method of brain imaging that accesses the metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the bloodstream

37
Q

random assignment

A

Placing research participants into the conditions of an experiment in such a way that each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any level of the independent variable

38
Q

reactivity

A

When the knowledge that one is being observed alters the behavior being observed

39
Q

reliability

A

The extent to which a measure is stable and consistent over time in similar conditions

40
Q

Replication

A

Repetition of an experiment to confirm the results

41
Q

Research

A

A scientific process that involves the systematic and careful collection of data

42
Q

Response Performance

A

A research method in which researchers quantify perpetual or cognitive processes in response to a specific stimulus

43
Q

Sample

A

A subset of a population

44
Q

Scatterplot

A

A graphical depiction of the relationship between two variables

45
Q

Scientific method

A

A systematic procedure of observing and measuring phenomena (observable things) to answer questions about what happens, when it happens, what causes it and why; involves a dynamic interaction between theories, hypotheses and research

46
Q

Selection Bias

A

In an experiment, unintended differences between the participants in different groups

47
Q

Self-report methods

A

Methods of data collection in which people are asked to provide information about themselves, such as in questionnaires and surveys; has self-report bias

48
Q

Standard deviation

A

A statistical measure of how far away each value is, on average, from the mean

49
Q

Theory

A

A model of interconnected ideas or concepts that explain what is observed and makes prediction about future events

50
Q

The third variable problem

A

A problem that occurs when the researcher cannot directly manipulate the variables; as a result, the researcher cannot be confident that another, the unmeasured variable is not the actual cause of differences in the variables of interest

51
Q

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A

The use of strong magnets to briefly interrupt normal brain activity as a way to study brain regions

52
Q

Variability

A

In a set of numbers, how widely dispersed the value are from each other and from the mean

53
Q

Variable

A

Something in the world that can vary and that a researcher can measure

54
Q

George is looking for a research project. In doing so, he could formulate and draw on a theory because:

A

one of the benefits of theories is that they lead to testable hypotheses