Chapter 2: Studying behavior scientifically

Question 1

Describe hindsight

Answer 1

Speculating why something happened after the fact.

Question 2

What is hindsight reasoning?

Answer 2

Thinking you predicted a result you already know

Question 3

Why is hindsight a problem

Answer 3

Using hindsight isn’t objective and it’s sorting like predicting a hockey game result after the game

Question 4

Name three principles of the scientific method

Answer 4

Curiosity
Skepticism
Open-mindedness

Question 5

What are the 5 steps of the scientific method

Answer 5

1. Identify a problem
2. Formulate a hypothesis
3. Test the hypothesis
4. Analyze data
5. Build a theory

Question 6

Describe a hypothesis

Answer 6

A tentative explanation about some phenomenon that can be testable/falsifiable

Question 7

Describe the characteristics of theories

Answer 7

• Broader than any one single prediction
• Dynamic (new knowledge can be added)
• Change occurs and paradigm shifts (sudden change in an idea) can happen

Question 8

What are characteristics of a good theory

Answer 8

• Incorporate existing and observations within it’s framework
• Are testable/falsifiable
• Have predictions supported by research
• Conform to the law of parsimony (have a simple explanation)
• Is generalizable(can be applied to other experiments)

Question 9

Give examples of overt behavior

Answer 9

Play patterns, reaction time

Question 10

What are examples of physiological measures

Answer 10

Hart rate, pupil dilation

Question 11

What is an example of a psychological test?

Answer 11

An IQ test

Question 12

What does operationalizing mean?

Answer 12

Defining a concept by the procedures used to produce or measure it (eg. measuring stress using heart rate)

Question 13

Describe reliability

Answer 13

Does a measure produce consistent results

Question 14

Describe validity

Answer 14

Does a measure relate to what it’s actually supposed to do

Question 15

What is it mean to be obtrusive

Answer 15

Having the tools used in measuring data get in the way of the data which is problematic

Question 16

What is data on a subject taken before one begins a research project on that subject known as

Answer 16

Archival measures

Question 17

What are correlational studies

Answer 17

They examine the relationship/among variables

Question 18

What are experimental methods

Answer 18

They examine the cause/effect between two variables

Question 19

What are case studies

Answer 19

In depth analysis of a group or event

Question 20

What are advantages of case studies

Answer 20

• Can be a source of new ideas/hypothesizes
• Can challenge validity of a theory
• Grants an opportunity to study a rare phenomenon

Question 21

What are disadvantages of case studied

Answer 21

• May have researcher bias and may not be objective
• Cannot establish cause and effect
• May not be generalized to multiple groups of people

Question 22

What is naturalistic observation

Answer 22

Observing behavior in a natural setting

Question 23

What are some advantages of naturalistic observation

Answer 23

Provides a rich description and has high ecological validity

Question 24

What are some disadvantages of naturalistic observation

Answer 24

Cannot make cause and effect inferences

Question 25

What is survey research and what are the advantages and disadvantages that go with it

Answer 25

Survey research collects data based on questionnaires
Advantages- efficient way to collect data, can tell changes over time
Disadvantages- cannot infer cause and effect, self-reports can be subjective, possible issue with representativeness

Question 26

How can issues of not representing an entire population occur with surveys

Answer 26

Gathering results from only one group of people can make the data unreliable (eg. asking only wealthy people who they believe would win the election)

Question 27

Why is random sampling important?

Answer 27

It allows everyone in the population to be equally represented

Question 28

What is stratified random sampling

Answer 28

Placing certain parameters in your research that takes into account differences in the population (eg. knowing half a population is bilingual, so ensuring half your sample is bilingual)

Question 29

What is correlational research

Answer 29

It seeks to find the relationships between two variables of interest (when x is affected, how is y affected) Only tells us HOW two things are related, not WHY

Question 30

What are advantages of correlational research

Answer 30

• Can be used to make inferences about variables
• Gauges the strengths of relationships already present
• Identifies ‘real-world’ associations

Question 31

What are disadvantages of correlational research

Answer 31

• Study is taken outside lab, making it uncontrolled

- Further research must be done to find causation

Question 32

What is the bidirectionality problem

Answer 32

It is questioning which variable is affecting which, if any

Question 33

What is the variable problem

Answer 33

Is there another variable in the relationship

Question 34

Describe correlation coefficients

Answer 34

A mathematical way to describe correlation with values that range from -1.0-1.0.

• 0.1=small effect, 0.5+=large effect
• Negative correlation numbers indicate variable change in opposite direction

Question 35

Why are experiments special

Answer 35

They allow us to make inferences about cause and effect due to directly manipulating one variable while controlling others.

Question 36

What is a within-subject design

Answer 36

Having one participant test all the conditions. If you can attain results this way without bias, you should

Question 37

What is between subject design

Answer 37

Different participants are associated with different conditions.

Question 38

What is random assignment and why is it important

Answer 38

Randomly assigning which participant gets what variable, this minimizes alternative explanations for results

Question 39

What is counterbalancing

Answer 39

Alternating the order of conditions for each participant in a study in order to reduce confounding order effects.

Question 40

What is internal validity

Answer 40

The degree to how what happens in an experiment leads to clear cut conclusions

Question 41

What are confounds

Answer 41

Two variables are intertwined and it is difficult to say which one caused the dependent variable. (eg. making a workout regime for people who already work out)

Question 42

What is a placebo and the placebo effect

Answer 42

A placebo is something that has no pharmacological effect and the placebo affect is a change that someone has from a placebo due to expectations alone. Placebo effects reduce internal validity

Question 43

What is the importance of a placebo group

Answer 43

Having a placebo group which is a form of control group can help estimate the effect of the placebo effect

Question 44

What are experimenter expectancy effects

Answer 44

Researchers can unintentionally influence data to allow them to get wanted results.

Question 45

What is a double-blind procedure

Answer 45

A procedure used to reduce experimenter expectancy effects where neither the researcher or the participant is aware of the condition.

Question 46

What is external validity

Answer 46

It refers to whether or not an experiment can be generalized to be done in other experiments.

Question 47

What is meta analyses

Answer 47

Using results from many different experiments.

Question 48

What is deception and when is it acceptable in studied

Answer 48

Deception is swaying a subjects perspective for more focus. It can be only done if absolutely necessary and it must be mild.

Question 49

What is debriefing

Answer 49

Telling the participants what happened in the experiment afterwards. This is required.

Question 50

What are bioethics

Answer 50

Ethics that deal with the field of medicine and biology

eg. is it ethical to change genes