Intro- IRL Applications/ Mindset To Have While Studying/ Research Methods Flashcards
Empiricism
The “objective” approach.
Generalizing conceptsexperiences, and outcomes.
Keywords: systemic research
* when multiple research shows a different results, how do you organize the data
Scientific method
Describing what happens, predicting when, controlling what causes it to happen, and explaining why it happens
EX: what types of study behaviors lead students to get high scores? - give me an explanation (real world area of TOI but with CVs, not stats)
EX: what percentage of students earn passing grades?- describe this stat to me
Keywords: 5 steps empirical approach
Step 1- formulate a theory
When figuring out how to efficiently be more productive this year, I LOOKED BACK on the EVIDENCE of what didnt work and what did work (PRIOR RESEARCH) -
Look back at others research and my own ofc to make a theory (think theorizer)
Keyword: thesis structure
Theory
Explanation of how mental process or in turn, a behavior occurs
Step 2- develop testable hypoTHESIS
Theory (general) - - -> hypothesis tests an ASPECT of the theory (specific) because it targets of one the four goals of scientific method (D,P,C,E; explaining more efficiently, giving new approach to change current interpretations)
Hypothesis-> prove it right, that’s why its there
Step 3- test with research method
Descriptive, or relational, and experimental
Whichever one relates to your scientific method goal (DCPP)
Depends on how much control you need over manipulating and measuring certain factors (variables)- EX: use descriptive for deep dive observation if your variable needs to be measured/ observed.
Descriptive
Describe this statistic to me- give me THE STATS of a TOI (YOU get the stats lol)
Describes the many different things currently happening in the real world realm of TOI (EXPLAIN different popular study methods)
Through:
Case studies- in depth investigation of sample or organization
Observational studies- observe sample in a natural environment or lab
Self-reports- surveys, interviews, questionnaires
Correlational methods
This is BEFORE you manipulate -> OBSERVE different VARIABLES in a study in contrast to the other to identify a relationship between them
BUT cant explain WHY a phenomenon occurs (the cause- CHANGES in 1 variable CAUSES CHANGE in other)
Experimental methods
Investigate what CAUSES an OUTCOME
REMEMBER that its always an experiment if there is a manipulated IV and measurement of DV, regardless if the DV is self-reporting (their moods are the result- only they can tell you, you dont know if they’re lying)
EX: which study technique/the thing you change (NO “PORTIONS” OF STUDY) gave best scores possible?
Here you control the SITUATION (which study method they use)
Variables
characteristics that VARY from one categorical whole to another (CW is usually person, but here it is study method type)
variabilities in question-> CV = independent V remember? (Time)
EX: MANIPULATE how much time they get and MEASURE results
Step 4- analyze data
- Summarize raw data/FREQUENCIES - which scores were higher (method 1 or 2?)
BUT - Use proportions to objectively proves if one method is better IN GENERAL (math)
* dont change your hypothesis after analyzing data, because the new claim is NOT the one you did all the research for. When you’re wrong, you’re wrong
Step 5; report data
Report all data and interpretations (not just things that prove YOUR ypothesis- CHERRY-PICKING).
Peer-reviewed scientific journal has it all
Replication (step 4 share results)
“Confirm email address’” - expect same GENERAL results
Conduct additional research to diverse samples -> boosts confidence in findings and generalizability
Means that research is ongoing and can always be added to
To help with future replication- Report specific details of methods and analyses, and share materials used and data
Institutional review boards (IRBs)
Smart ppl saying;
- observe people without theri knowledge in public but not in PRIVATE
- their info is CONFIDENTIAL
- informed consent (in writing), researchers need to mislead them on what the study is (because pppl change their behavior when they know) but NEED to tell them after
- no big pain but little pain good, if big pain “needed” (virus) , use risk/benefit ratio
Independent variable
(In experimental method)
Manipulate it
EX: WHICH study method they use, but also randomly ASSIGN ppl to DIFF LEVELS of the IV
I seek to understand this variable the most
Dependent variable
Measure effect of IV on this one
It will increase or decrease based on the manipulation of the IV
EX: Which study method -> test score the students (in this research) are pop of interest, not a variable
Control group
(This is all happening DURING a regular experimental research, not after)
See if the scores seen in the experimental DV are really CAUSED by changing the IV (experimental or not) by manipulating IV AGAINST your TOI
This makes sure you’re not being biased because without these opposing results , you’ll have nothing to compare the validity of the experimental results with)
Control group and expirmental group (expirmnetal gorup has DV and IV/the variable changed)
EX: test if the non hypothesis study method works in this group
Keywords: “if causality exists between IV and DV”
Experimental group
Here, they experience manipulation towards your bias.
(Make sure both groups get same amount/ # of independent variables ((times you use recall before test)) even if you’re biased)
Operational definitions of IV
Give your variables definitions so they can be understood objectively.
Qualify what it means to study by using YOUR hypothesis method.
How do they operate EXACTLY
EX: what even IS “study by rereading”- well this qualifies it for use in MY research (subjective): time between reading, how many times read)
STAT- the examples above can be used as headings in data table (as many as needed)
Operational definition of DV
DEFINE the Nature of the exam (DV) to see if the study method affects it
EX: quantify the test scores
Percent of questions they got right -> operational Definition is “percentage correct “
One DV can have lots of definitions (objective and subjective ((students self-reports)))
Cognitive domain
Explores psychology from a cognitive perspective.
Biological domain
Underlying brain structure and genetics on behavior and mental functioning
Social and personality domain
Social factors and characteristic affect thoughts and feelings
Mental and physical domain
How can you develop healthy behaviors
Critical thinking questions
What’s the evidence
Will it ALWAYS tho?
Are there OTHER reasonable explanations for study’s conclusion? (Might have been based on correlation and not causation)
Correlational relationships
How 2 variables are naturally correlated in real world (pizza consumption and anger are shown by data to be correlated) but doesn’t CAUSE anger
Causal relationships
Manipulate pizza consumption and measure affect of that change on anger
* would I also need to use control group, like measure affect of burgers on anger?
Confounds (third variable)
Variables that aren’t intentionally manipulated but could have an effect on the dependent MEASURE
EX: control group has harder text to read, than experimental group, so if these guys did better, it’d be impossible to tell if they did better cuz of the hypothesis or just the confounded variable
Make sure all variables are well defined and consistent on both sides
Automaticity
Automatic processing
Your mind does things quickly without needing to think deliberately (identifying color and word meaning)
Stroop interference
Most widely sued psychological test that shows teh automaticity of language and how it impacts executive unctioing (SLIGHT conflict between our automatic processing of a color that doesnt align with the word vice versa)
Its slight, so they ask you to QUICKLY mark what you see in the test
Although its slight it reveals the chemical reaction that may happen in our brains (inherent and objective to all? Or socially conditioned- maybe humans that dont have a spoken language dont experience this)
Shows teh overdoing power of reading in the brain over thinsg that have nothing to do with it (interfere with the task of identifying color)
Manifestation error
Ppl may use research participation as real life affirmation of their manifestation
WO4
In the research questions - there will be very subtle hints of indicators of which research method -> active reading is RELATED to their getting higher quiz scores. The research method used to get these data must have been a(n) _______ method.
