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Cognitive psychology > Chapter 2: The Method Of Psychology > Flashcards

Chapter 2: The Method Of Psychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Empiricism

A

Originally a Greek school of medicine that stressed the importance of observation, and now generally used to describe any attempt to acquire knowledge by observing objects or events.

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2
Q

Scientific method

A

A set of rules and techniques that allow researchers to avoid the illusions, mistakes and erroneous conclusions that simple observations can produce.

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3
Q

Theory

A

A hypothetical account of how and why a phenomenon occurs, usually in the form of a statement about the causal relationship between two or more properties.

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4
Q

Hypothesis

A

A specific and testable prediction that is usually derived from a theory.

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5
Q

Verifiable

A

Something that can be checked by objective measures.

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6
Q

Deduction

A

Drawing inferences where the conclusion must be true if the premises are true.

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7
Q

Induction

A

The process of establishing general truths based on a limited set of observations.

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8
Q

Empirical method

A

A set of rules and techniques for observation.

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9
Q

Operational definition

A

A description of an abstract property in terms of a concrete condition that can be measured.

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10
Q

Measure

A

A device that can detect the measurable events to which an operational definition refers.

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11
Q

Electromyography (EMG)

A

A device that measures muscle contractions under the surface of a person’s skin

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12
Q

Validity

A

The characteristics of an observation that allows one to draw accurate inferences from it.

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13
Q

Construct validity

A

The tendency for an operational definition and property to have a clear conceptual relation.

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14
Q

Predictive validity

A

The tendency for an operational definition to be related to other operational definitions of the same property.

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15
Q

Reliability

A

The tendency for a measure to produce the same result whenever it is used to measure the same thing.

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16
Q

Power

A

The tendency for a measure to produce different results when it is used to measure different things.

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17
Q

Case method

A

A method of gathering scientific knowledge by studying a single individual.

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18
Q

Population

A

The complete collection of people, objects or events that can possibly be measured.

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19
Q

Sample

A

The partial collection of people, objects or events that are measured in a study.

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20
Q

Law of large numbers

A

A statistical law stating that as sample size increases, the attributes of a sample will more closely reflect the attributes of the population from which the sample was drawn.

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21
Q

Frequency distribution

A

A graphic representation of the measurements of a sample that are arranged by the number of times each measurement was observed.

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22
Q

Normal distribution

A

A frequency distribution in which most measurements are concentrated around the mean and fall off toward the tails, and the two sides of the distribution are symmetrical.

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23
Q

Mode

A

The value of the most frequency observed observation.

24
Q

Mean

A

The average value of the observation, calculated as the sum of all the observations divided by the number of observations.

25
Q

Median

A

The value that is greater than or equal to the values of half the observations and less than or equal to half the values of the observations.

26
Q

Range

A

The numerical difference between the smallest and largest measurements in a frequency distribution.

27
Q

Standard deviation

A

An estimate of the average difference between each observation and the mean in the population distribution.

28
Q

Statistically significant

A

The observed effect is not due to chance.

29
Q

Effect size

A

An objective and standardized measure of the magnitude of an observed effect.

30
Q

Demand characteristics

A

Those aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think an observer wants or expects them to behave.

31
Q

Natural observation

A

A method of gathering scientific knowledge by unobtrusively observing people in their natural environments.

32
Q

Double-blind observation

A

An observation whose true purpose is hidden from the researcher and the participant.

33
Q

Correlation

A

The ‘co-relationship’ or pattern of covariation between two variables occurs when variations in the value of one variable are synchronized with variations in the value of the other.

34
Q

Correlation coefficient

A

A statistical measure of the direction and strength of a correlation, symbolized by the letter r.

35
Q

Natural correlation

A

A correlation observed between naturally occuring variables.

36
Q

Third-variable correlation

A

Two variables are correlated only because eavch is causally related to a third variable.

37
Q

Matched sample

A

An observational technique that involves matching the average of the partcipants in the experimental and control groups in order to eliminate the possibility that a third variable (and not the independent variable) caused changes in the dependent variable.

38
Q

Matched pairs

A

An observational technique that involves matching each paricipant in the experimental group with a specific participant in the control group in order to eliminate the possibility that a third variable (and not the independent variable) caused changes in the dependent variable.

39
Q

Third-variable problem

A

A causal relationship between two variables cannot be inferred from the correlation between them because of the ever-present possibility of a third-variable correlation.

40
Q

Third-variable problem

A

A causal relationship between two variables cannot be inferred from the correlation between them because of the ever-present possibility of a third-variable correlation.

41
Q

Experiment

A

A technique for establishing the causal relationship between variables.

42
Q

Manipulation

A

A characteristic of experimentation in which the reseacher artificially creates a pattern of variation in an independet variable in order to determine it causal powers. Manipulation usually results in the creation of an experimental group and a control group.

43
Q

Independent variable

A

The variable that is manipulatedin an experiment.

44
Q

Dependent variable

A

The variable that is measured in a study.

45
Q

Experimental group

A

The group of people who are exposed to an experimental condition under investigation.

46
Q

Control group

A

The group of people matched to an experimental group but not exposed to the condition under investigation.

47
Q

Randomization

A

A procedure using random assignment to ensure that a paricipant’s inclusion in the experimental or control group is not determined by a third variable

48
Q

Self-selection

A

The problem that occurs when a participant’s inclusion in the experimental or control group is determined by the participant.

49
Q

Internal validity

A

The characteristic of an experiment that allows one to draw accurate inferences about the causal relationship between an independent and dependent variable

50
Q

External validity

A

A characteristic in an experiment in which the independent and dependent variables are operationally defined in a normal, typical and realistic way.

51
Q

Random sampling

A

A technique for choosing participants that ensures that every member of a population has a equal chance of being included in the sample.

52
Q

Quantitive research

A

Uses systematic, scientific investigation in order to measure and quantify phenomena.

53
Q

Qualitative research

A

Interested in gaining an in-depth understanding of the human experience and behavior.

54
Q

Informed consent

A

An agreement to paricipate in a study made by an adult who has been infomed of all the risks that participation may entail.

55
Q

Debriefing

A

A verbal description of the true nagture and purpose of a study that psychologists provide to people after they have participated in the study.

Cognitive psychology (9 decks)

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