CHAPTER 3 - Research Methods Flashcards
What are the steps of the research method?
Select the group, operationalize the independent and dependent variable, select control and experimental group, randomly sample from the population, randomly assign individuals to groups, measure results, test hypothesis.
More specific information refer to page 44 psyc/soc book.
What is the independent variable?
The one that is manipulated.
What is the dependent variable?
The one that is measured.
What is reproducibility?
The experiment can be reproduced by other researchers.
What is replicability?
Experiment gives consistent results.
What is reliability?
The instrument produces consistent and stable results.
What is validity?
Measures what it is supposed to measure.
What is an operational definition?
An specification of what the researchers mean by each variable.
What is the difference between experimental and control groups?
Experimental receives treatment and control is the reference. Control groups should be homogeneous and as similar as the experimental.
What is the placebo effect?
Believing something is taking effect.
What is double blind?
Researchers and groups none of them know they are receiving the treatment.
What is sampling bias?
When members of the population do not have the same chance of being sampled.
What is selection bias referred to as?
Selecting on purpose what studies include or study.
What is attrition?
When participants drop out from the study.
What is a between subjects design?
The comparison is made between subjects from one group to another group.
What is a within subjects design?
The comparison is of the same group at different time points.
What is a mixed method?
When you combine within and between subjects design.
What are the two hypotheses and what do they mean?
The null: there is no causal relationship between variables. The experimental: there is a correlation.
How do you determine a significant difference?
P value of 0.05 or less.
What is external validity?
The ability to apply the findings to the real world.
What is internal validity?
Flaws in the process of the experiment that leave doubts about the conclusions found.
How can demand characteristics threaten internal validity?
It gives cues of the hypothesis and lets the subject know how they are expected to behave.
How does impression management affect internal validity?
Participants behave as they think they are expected due to social norms.
How do you improve statistical power?
Increase the sample size; the larger the group, the higher the power.
What ethical considerations should be taken into account?
Disclosure of what is done to participants, reminding participants that they have the right to terminate when they want, and debriefing after the experiment.
What are correlational studies?
Pearson correlation - uses scale -1 to +1, negative and positive correlation respective and 0 no correlation.
What are ethnographic studies?
Researchers immerse completely, depth of analysis, difficult to replicate and the presence might affect results.
What are twin studies?
Effect of nature and nurture, high attrition.
What are longitudinal studies?
Long term analysis, costly.
What are case studies?
Analyses just one case - results not generalizable.
What are phenomenological studies?
Self observation of researcher or small group - external validity affected.
What are surveys?
Easy and quick - cost effective.
What are archival studies?
Analyze already collected data - historical.
What are biographical studies?
Account for individual life experiences.
What are observational studies?
Do not manipulate the situation or results.
True or false: you can draw conclusions from non-experimental designs.
False, the only one is the experimental method.
What is type 1 error?
False positive - rejects the null hypothesis.
