Chapter 3. Research Methods Flashcards
Affective bias
A form of wishful thinking in which our perceptions are influenced by our desires, motives, and emotions
Attrition
A threat to a study’s internal validity caused by the loss of participants over the course of the study
Beneficence
An ethical principle that involves balancing the benefits of one’s actions against the risks or costs involved
Case study
A research design that provides a detailed description of a person, group, or phenomenon
Confirmatory bias
A form of selective thinking in which our perceptions are influenced by our beliefs, thoughts, and expectations
Correlation coefficient (r)
A statistical measure of the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables
Correlational study
A research design that examines the relationships between variables
Critical thinking
A tendency to be skeptical and seek plausible alternative explanations for phenomena rather than rely on others’ beliefs or opinions
Cross-sectional study
A type of research design that examines the association between variables at the same point in time
Debriefing
A feature of a study in which researchers describe the nature, results, and conclusions of the study and answer questions about the study that participants might have
Deception (in research)
A feature of a study in which researchers deliberately provide false or incomplete information to participants in order to mislead them; can only be used under limited conditions
Double-blind study
A research design in which neither participants nor researchers know which participants are receiving treatment and which are serving as controls
Effect size
In meta-analysis, a number that reflects the weighted mean difference between treatment and control groups at the end of a treatment outcome study
Empirical data
Information acquired through our senses, especially direct observation and careful measurement
Experiment
A research design that allows researchers to conclude causal relationships between variables; essential features include random assignment, the systematic manipulation of one variable, and holding all extraneous factors constant
External validity
The degree to which the results of a study generalize to other people and situations
Falsifiability
The capacity for an idea to be proven wrong; an essential feature of all scientific hypotheses
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
A neuroimaging method that measures brain activity by detecting blood oxygen concentrations during a mental task
Hypothesis
A specific, falsifiable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables
Idiographic assessment
Data collection that evaluates a person’s unique abilities, experiences, and behaviors
Informed consent (in research)
An ethical requirement for all research studies; involves making sure that participants are aware of the purpose and nature of the study, agree to participate freely, and know that they can withdraw at any time
Internal validity
The degree to which we can conclude that the manipulation of the independent variable in a study (e.g., treatment) caused a corresponding change in the dependent variable (e.g., outcome)
Longitudinal study
A type of research design that examines the association between variables at different points in time; specifies the temporal relationship between the variables
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
A neuroimaging method in which a strong magnetic field is used to create a static, detailed image of the body
Mediator (variable)
A variable that can help explain how two other variables are related; usually a continuous variable
Meta-analysis
A statistical technique that is used to combine the results of multiple research studies into a single, overall numerical result called an effect size
Moderator (variable)
A variable that affects the direction or strength of two other variables; usually a categorical variable
Nomothetic assessment
Data collection that evaluates how groups of people typically think, feel, or act
Nonequivalent groups study
A type of quasi-experimental study in which researchers compare treatment and control groups, but participants are not randomly assigned to these groups
Nonmaleficence
An ethical principle that means avoiding harm or inflicting the least discomfort possible to reach a beneficial outcome
Open-label study
A research design in which participants and researchers know which participants are receiving treatment and which are serving as controls
Operational definition
A precise description of how a variable in a research study will be measured
Parsimony
A scientific principle that dictates that simpler explanations should be selected over more complex explanations
Placebo effect
People’s tendency to alter their behavior simply because they know they are receiving treatment; a threat to the internal validity of a study
Precision
Care in the manner in which scientists collect data and draw conclusions from their observations
Pretest-posttest study
A type of quasi-experimental study in which the same group of participants is assessed before and after treatment
Pseudoscience
Statements, beliefs, and practices that people claim to be evidence based but are incompatible with scientific thinking; based largely on biases, opinions, and appeals to authority
Quasi-experimental research
A research design that involves the manipulation of an independent variable without the random assignment of participants to groups
Random assignment
A research method in which each participant has an equal chance of being part of each experimental condition; an essential feature of an experiment
Random selection
A manner of recruiting participants for a research study in which each person in a given population has an equal chance of being included
Randomized controlled trial
A special type of experiment used to test the efficacy of treatment; participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups
Replication crisis
Refers to the finding that the results of many scientific studies are difficult or impossible to reproduce
Reproducibility
Scientific principle that the results of research studies must be replicated before they are accepted
Science
A set of principles and procedures that are used to guard against biased thinking; relies on the careful, systematic collection of data to understand ourselves and the world
Selection bias
A systematic difference between participants in the treatment and control groups that can emerge when participants are not randomly assigned; a problem often seen in nonequivalent group studies
Single subject study
A type of quasi-experimental study in which one participant’s behavior is assessed over time, usually with and without treatment
Theory
An integrated set of ideas that explain and predict broad aspects of behavior or development
Threats to internal validity
Characteristics of research studies that limit our ability to make causal inferences: maturation, environmental factors, repeated testing, attrition, and selection bias
Treatment as usual (TAU)
The most stringent type of control group in which participants are referred to practitioners in the community and receive whatever treatment they provide
