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GENERAL Psychology > Chapter 2. Research Methodology > Flashcards

Chapter 2. Research Methodology Flashcards

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0
Q

What are the two basic types of observational studies?

A

Naturalistic observation & Participant observation

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1
Q

Observational studies or descriptive studies

A

Involve noting and observing behavior to analyze it objectively

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2
Q

Naturalistic observation

A

The observer remains separated from or makes no attempt to change the situation

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3
Q

Participant observation

A

The researcher is involved in the situation

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4
Q

Cross-sectional studies

A

Compare two different groups. For example, to study intellectual abilities you can take a group of young people and compare it with a group of older individuals.

These studies tend to be cheaper that longitudinal studies but the researcher has to account for unidentified variables.

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5
Q

Observer bias

A

Systematic errors that occur because of an observer’s expectations

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6
Q

Operational definitions

A

Identify and quantify variables so that they can be measured

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7
Q

Experimenter expectancy effect

A

Actual change in the behavior of the pole and animals being observed that is due to observer bias

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8
Q

Correlations a study

A

A research method at examines how variables are naturally related in the real world, without any attempt by the researcher to alter them.

You can not draw a causal relationship

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9
Q

Directionality problem

A

When researchers find a relationship between two variables in a correlation all study, they can not determine which variable may have caused the changes in the other variable.

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10
Q

Third variable problem

A

When the experimenter cannot directly manipulate the independent variable and therefore cannot be confidence that another, unmeasured variable is not the cause of differences In the dependent variable.

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11
Q

Experiment

A

This is a study in which the researcher manipulates one variable to examine the variable’s effect on a second variable

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12
Q

Control group

A

The participant in a study that receive no intervention or an intervention different for the one being studied

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13
Q

Experimental group

A

The participants in the study that received the intervention

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14
Q

Independent variable

A

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

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15
Q

Dependent variable

A

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

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16
Q

Confound

A

Anything that affects the DEPENDENT variable and may unintentionally vary between the experimental conditions of a study

The more confounds and thus alternative explanations that can be eliminated, the more confident a researcher can be that the independent variable produced the change (or effect) in the dependent variable.
For example the amount of money for women who work more and therefore want to have fun

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17
Q

Population

A

Everyone in the group the experimenter is interested in

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18
Q

Sample

A

Subset of the population

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19
Q

Selection bias

A

When participants in different groups in an experiment differ systematically.

For example when we are testing the condition of which women want to have fun and we assign two levels five hours and ten and then mesured, but we do not take into consideration that in our sample there may be older women that are from the start less likely to engage in fun seeking behaviors.

This problem can be circumvent by using random sampling to assign participants to different levels of the independent variables

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20
Q

Random assignment

A

The procedure for placing research participants into the conditions of an experiment in which each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any level of the independent variable

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21
Q

What is a meta-analysis

A

This is an analysis of multiple analyses, or studies that have already being conducted.

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22
Q

Major research categories that span the levels of analysis

A
  • Biological
  • Individual
  • Social
  • Cultural
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23
Q

Culturally sensitive research

A

Studies that take into account the way culture affects thoughts, feelings and actions.

24
Q

Observational Technique

A

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

25
Q

Reactivity

A

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

People may feel compelled to make a positive impression on an observer, so they may act differently when they believe they are being observed

26
Q

Case Studies

A

Involves the intensive examination of one person or a few individuals or one or few organizations

The researcher is forced to make assumptions about the effects of various life events

The interpretations of case studies is often very subjective

27
Q

Methods for asking participant questions

A
  • Surveys
  • Interviews
  • Questionnaires
  • Self-report
28
Q

Socially desirable responding

A

The person responds in a way that is more socially acceptable

29
Q

Response performance

A

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

30
Q

Three basic forms to measure response performance

A

Reaction time

Response accuracy.. Does paying attention improves perception?

Stimulus judgements…presenting stimuli and asking if two objects are the same

31
Q

Why do psychologist use reaction times?

A

Because they cannot be faked

32
Q

What does reaction time measures?

A

Indirectly Reflects brain processing

33
Q

What is psychophysiological assessment?

A

Researchers examine how bodily functions change in association with behaviors or mental states

34
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

A devise that measures electrical activity in the brain

Too noisy or imprecise to isolate specific responses to particular stimuli

35
Q

Brain imaging

A

A range of experimental techniques that make brain structures and brain activity visible

Associated with the changes in the flow of blood carrying Origen and nutrients to the active brain regions

Measure changes on the rate or speed of blood flow

36
Q

Major imaging technologies

A

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

37
Q

What is a PET Scan?

A

A method of brain imaging that assesses metabolic activity by using a radioactive substance injected into the blood stream

Enables the researcher to find the brain areas that are using glucose

38
Q

What is a MRI?

A

Magnetic resonance imaging is a method of brain imaging that produces high quality images of the brain

It uses a powerful magnetic field

39
Q

What is a fMRI?

A

A functional magnetic resonance imaging is a technique used to examine changes in the activity of the working human brain

Whereas PET measures blood flow directly by tracking a harmless radioactive substance, fMRI measures blood flow indirectly by assessing changes in the blood’s oxygen levels
Limitation: the findings are necessarily correlational

40
Q

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A

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

Along with a fMRI, this technique allows researchers to make judgements of brain activity by comparing data when a brain area is working effectively and when it is not. This devise disrupts brain activity long enough to allow researchers to study a particular brain area when the brain is not performing well due to the momentary interruption

When used along with imaging is a powerful method for examining which brain regions are necessary for specific psychological functions.

41
Q

Who launched the behaviorist movement?

A

john b. Watson

42
Q

What is informed consent?

A

This means that the participants make a knowledgeable decision to participate.

43
Q

When is it necessary to use deception?

A

Researchers Need to use deception if the study’s specific goals may alter the participants’ behavior, thereby rendering the results meaningless.

It involves misleading participants about the study’ goals or not fully revealing what will take place.

44
Q

Debriefing

A

If deception is used, a careful debriefing , or explanation of the study after it’s completion, must take place to inform participants of the study’s goals and the need for deception and to eliminate or counteract any negative effects produced by the deception.

45
Q

Validity

A

The extend to which the data collected address the research hypothesis in the way intended.

For example, court records from children that have been abused in order to asses if children who have been abused as children will grow up to be consumers of drugs.

46
Q

Reliability

A

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

For example, the remote control. A person using a stopwatch to measure time between Chanel changing would be less reliable than if the control was connected to a device that measures precisely when the person changed the channel

47
Q

Accuracy

A

The extend to which the experimental measure is error free

48
Q

Random error

A

The value of the error differs each time

Opposite to systematic error

49
Q

Systematic error

A

The amount of error introduced into each measurements is constant

More problematic than random error because it tend to average out over time and therefore is less likely to produce inaccurate results.

50
Q

Descriptive statistics

A

Overall summary of data

51
Q

Central tendency

A

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

Summarizes the central tendency and variability in a set of numbers

52
Q

Mean

A

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

53
Q

Median

A

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

54
Q

Mode

A

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

55
Q

Variability

A

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

56
Q

Standard deviation

A

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

57
Q

Inferential statistics

A

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

GENERAL Psychology (2 decks)

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