Chapter 3 - "Research Methods"

Question 1

behavioural measures

Answer 1

Measures designed to gain insight into particular psychological states or processes that involve recording performance on particular activities or tasks.

Question 2

behavioural trace measures

Answer 2

Measures designed to gain insight into behavior that examines phenomena associated with that behaviour. For example, footprints in the sand could provide a behavioural trace of where people have walked, and this could be used to measure people’s preference for particular parts of a beach.

Question 3

behaviourism

Answer 3

An approach to psychology that asserts human behaviour can be understood in terms of directly observable relationships (in particular, between a stimulus and a response) without having to refer to underlying mental states. Behaviourism was the dominant approach to psychology for most of the first half of the twentieth century.

Question 4

dimension

Answer 4

Any property of people or things in which they can differ (e.g. intelligence or height). Different people and things can therefore be situated or placed at different points along any dimension and it is possible to differentiate between them in terms of the positions they occupy (e.g., for measurement or assessment purposes).

Question 5

dynamic mental processes

Answer 5

Aspects of psychology that are seen to be common to people in general, but which are changeable over time (e.g., mood and judgement).

Question 6

extraneous variable

Answer 6

Any variable that is not immediate interest to a researcher but which may pose a threat to validity because it compromises the interpretation of research findings. This is usually because it obscures the measurement of processes of interest.

Question 7

generalization

Answer 7

The process of making statements about the general population on the basis of relevant research (e.g., experiments or surveys).

Question 8

instrument

Answer 8

Any procedure or device used to assess or measure psychological or behavioural phenomena (e.g., intelligence, attitudes, eye movements).

Question 9

physiological measures

Answer 9

Measures of physiological states or processes (e.g., skin conductance and blood flow) used in psychological research to gain insight into particular psychological states or processes.

Question 10

population

Answer 10

The complete set of events, people or things that a researcher is interested in and from which any sample is taken.

Question 11

psychological tests

Answer 11

Measurement procedures used to identify a person’s mental state relative to other people (or population norms). These typically involve large numbers of questions or tasks. Test reliability and validity are established through extensive research.

Question 12

random sample

Answer 12

A sample in which each member of the population has the same probability of being included, This is ensured by random selection methods (e.g., by drawing lots).

Question 13

sample

Answer 13

Either the group of participants from which a particular set of responses is obtained or that set of responses itself.

Question 14

self-report measures

Answer 14

Measures designed to gain insight into particular psychological states or processes that ask participants to reflect on their own mental processes or behaviour.

Question 15

stable psychological characteristics

Answer 15

Aspects of psychology that are seen to be relatively enduring over time and to be properties of particular individuals (e.g., personality and intelligence).

Question 16

American Psychological Associates (APA)

Answer 16

The main professional body for psychologists in North America. With around 120,000 members organized into 54 divisions and an annual budget of over $100m, this body is widely seen to define ‘best practice’ for psychologists (not only researchers, but also clinicians and other practitioners) around the world. Most countries have similar bodies and there are also a range of bodies that oversee activity in specific fields of research and practice (see Research Bite 3.2).

Question 17

causal interference

Answer 17

Either the process of reaching conclusions about the effect of one variable or another, or the outcome of such a process.

Question 18

condition

Answer 18

A situation in which participants are all treated the same way (i.e., exposed to the same level of treatment) and where that treatment relates to something being investigated by the researcher.

Question 19

confounding

Answer 19

Unintended or accidental manipulation of an extraneous variable that occurs because that variable (called a confound) is associated with an independent variable in an experiment. A confound is thus a special case of extraneous variable.

Question 20

control group

Answer 20

Participants in an experiment who are not subjected to a relevant treatment (as distinct from an experimental group).

Question 21

dependent variable (DV)

Answer 21

The outcome variable on which a research is interested in monitoring effects.

Question 22

experiment

Answer 22

An experiment is an investigation in which a hypothesis is scientifically tested. In an experiment, an independent variable (the cause) is manipulated and the dependent variable (the effect) is measured; any extraneous variables are controlled. An advantage is that experiments should be objective.

Question 23

experimental group

Answer 23

Participants in an experiment who are subjected to a particular level of relevant treatment (as distinct from a control group).

Question 24

independent variable (IV)

Answer 24

The treatment variable manipulated by the experimenter in an experiment, or more generally the causal variable that is believed to be responsible for particular effects.

Question 25

internal validity

Answer 25

The extent to which the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable has been correctly interpreted.

Question 26

manipulation

Answer 26

The process of systematically varying an independent variable across different experimental conditions. This is sometimes referred to as the ‘experimental treatment’.

Question 27

participants

Answer 27

The people who take part in a particular piece of research.

Question 28

random assignment

Answer 28

The process of assigning participants to conditions on a strictly unsystematic basis. When this occurs every participant has the same chance of being placed in any experimental condition.

Question 29

representative sample

Answer 29

A sample of research participants that is similar to the general population on characteristics that are relevant to the research question.

Question 30

subjects

Answer 30

Another word for participants, but now not widely used to describe human beings as it is seen to be demeaning.

Question 31

treatment

Answer 31

The experimental intervention that is the basis of the independent variable and therefore differentiates between participants in different conditions or phrases of an experiment.

Question 32

variable

Answer 32

An aspect of a person, animal, subject or situation that can change.

Question 33

quasi-experiment

Answer 33

A piece of research with the same features as an experiment but that does not involve the random assignment of participants to conditions or one or more variables.

Question 34

correlation

Answer 34

A measure of the nature and strength of the relationship between two variables.

Question 35

correlational method

Answer 35

See survey method.

A procedure (also known as the correlational method) involving the collection of information about different variables in order to measure those variables and the relationship between them.

Question 36

case study

Answer 36

Research (usually quite intensive) that involves a single participant or group of participants.

Question 37

field study

Answer 37

A piece of research that is conducted in a natural (non-artificial) setting.