Chapter 2 - research methods Flashcards
what is science’s basic assumption?
events are governed by some lawful order that can be observed, measured and tested
used to predict thing if you manipulate them
what is the scientific method?
designed to help the scientific process remain as accurate and precise as possible
psychology uses the scientific method
what is step one of conducting research?
make observations, review the literature
what is step 2 in conducting research?
develop a testable hypothesis
what is a hypothesis?
a tentative statement about the relationship between 2 or more variables
best if variables are operationally defined
what is step three when conducting research?
choose participants, select the research method, collect data
what is the best way to choose participants?
random sampling from the population
what is a population?
the entire group that is of interest to researchers
what is a sample?
the portion of the population that is used in the study
what is sampling bias?
choosing a sample that does not represent your population
what is random sampling?
making sure that every individual in the population has an equal chance of being included in your samples
what are the three methods of data collection?
case studies
naturalistic observations
surveys and questionnaires
what is a case study?
an in-depth investigation of a single participant using different data collection techniques
what are the advantages of case studies?
useful method to study rare behaviours
very detailed
can be sourced of support for the cause of behaviour
what are disadvantages of case studies?
results may not generalize to other people
potential for researcher bias
cannot determine cause and effect
what is naturalistic observations?
observing and recording the participant’s natural behaviour without influencing the participant
what are the advantages of naturalistic observations?
behaviours are studied under natural conditions
good to use in conjunction with lab experiments
what are the disadvantages of naturalistic observations?
time consuming
difficult not to influence behaviour
hawthorn effect
can’t determine cause and effect
what are survey and questionnaires?
participants are asked a series of questions about certain parts of their behaviour
what are the advantages of survey and questionnaires?
quick and cheap data collection
good to study behaviours that cannot be directly observed
what are the disadvantages of survey and questionnaires?
careful of wording effect
results depend on what the participants themselves say
potential for participant bias
can’t determine cause and effect
what are the two main types of research methods to test hypothesis with?
experimental research
correlational research
what is experimental research?
researcher manipulates a variable
there are different groups of participants, and each group are different groups of participants, and each group is exposed to something different
allows cause and effect conclusions
what are variables?
any measurable conditions that are controlled or observed in a study