Chapter 2 - The methods of psychology Flashcards
1-4 questions
What is empiricism?
knowledge is acquired through observations and experiences
Scientific method
- Theorize/Generate idea
- Formulate falsifiable hypothesis
- Collect and analyze data
- Draw conclusions regarding hypothesis
What is deduction?
Drawing inferences based on premises (assumptions)
What is induction?
The process of deriving general principles from particular facts or instances
Why are humans difficult to study?
- Complexity: thoughts, feelings, action driven by 500 million neurons; not well understood yet
- Variability: All else being equal, individuals are very different
- Reactivity: People under observation react differently than when alone
Central tendency
Mean, Median, Mode
What does standard deviation and variance show?
How much observations differ from each other
When do we reject H0?
When the p-value < 0.05
Bias
Tendency to display certain behavior
What are demand characteristics?
People behaving in a way that meets expectations or beliefs about desired outcome; participants have beliefs about what the researcher is ‘demanding’ of them
Correlation
Variations on one variable are synchronized with variations in
another variable
Causal relationship
A change in some variable is causing a change in another variable (the cause must precede the effect)
Important: correlation is no evidence for causation
Experimentation
Techniques that allow for establishing whether a causal relationship exists
Manipulation
Creating a pattern of variation in an independent variable to establish changes in the dependent variable
Randomization
Assigning participants to a sample is not determined by a third variable; all members of the population of interest have an equal chance to be selected in the sample
Validity vs Reliability
- Validity: measuring what you wish to measure
- Reliability: consistency of measure
