Intro Scientific Method

Question 1

Data

Answer 1

observations that are then organized and summarized so that the researcher can answer the question behind the study.

Question 2

Scientific Method

Answer 2

process of making systematic observation in an objective manner so that the results of the research will be meaningful, unambiguous and uncontaminated by biases of either the participants or the researcher.

Question 3

Psychology

Answer 3

scientific study of behavior

Question 4

Challenges to Data Collection

Answer 4

not all of the objects of psychological research can be measured directly, and researchers are often challenged to make indirect measurements

Question 5

non-scientific approaches to knowing

Answer 5

intuition, superstition, authority, rational-inductive argument

Question 6

superstition

Answer 6

a belief that is not based on known laws of nature or even reason; based on subjective feelings

Question 7

Subjective

Answer 7

personal feeling, not based on observation

Question 8

Objective

Answer 8

verifiable experience

Question 9

Intuition

Answer 9

knowledge that we acquire without the use of reason. can be good for “what job should I take?” “what person should I date?”

Question 10

Authority

Answer 10

information is learned from the reports of a trustworthy and credible source. However, how and for what purpose that information is gathered is unknown and should be verified.

Question 11

Rational-Inductive Argument

Answer 11

based on the text of an author’s works and the historical context in which they were written a scholar can draw some conclusions about hat author’s motivations, belies and attitudes. Or we may become familiar with what others have said about a topic and then form our own rational arguments to defend a different idea or thesis. this can be easily biased.

Question 12

Scientific metion

Answer 12

the method of inquiry used to acquire knowledge in the sciences.

Question 13

Hypotheses

Answer 13

a prediction about what causes a certain phenomenon to occur.

Question 14

biases in scientific method

Answer 14

choice of what topic to research, how the results of research are interpreted and vulnerability to subjectivity.

Question 15

empirical questions

Answer 15

questions that can be answered by making obvservations or conducting experiments

Question 16

empirical psychology questions

Answer 16

often address, directly or indirectly the underlying causes of events, behaviors and other phenomena

Question 17

confounds

Answer 17

flaws in the design of a study that allow for competing explanations of the results.

Question 18

Independent Variable

Answer 18

The one thing the researcher manipulates in a study, everything else stays the same

Question 19

conditions/levels of the independent variable

Answer 19

different ways in which the independent variable is varied.

Question 20

experimental group

Answer 20

group of participants that the treatment is being given to

Question 21

control gorup

Answer 21

group that does not get the treatment

Question 22

dependent variable

Answer 22

what effect the independent variable has, does the independent variable cause a difference

Question 23

subject variable/attribute variable

Answer 23

a variable that cannot be changed, such as gender in a study of men vs women, can only be selected for

Question 24

subject variable to independent variables

Answer 24

a researcher has little or no control over the many factors associated with a subject variable and consequently cannot determine conclusively that a subject variable caused a result to occur,only that they are related. (CAN NOT BE CAUSAL)

Question 25

“The effect of ____ on _____.”

Answer 25

using the scientific method to identify the effect of the independent variable upon the dependent variable.

Question 26

Description Research

Answer 26

identify and denote phenomena so that later explanations of these phenomena may be proposed.

Question 27

Explanations Research

Answer 27

research attempt to offer reasons why a phenomenon occurs.

Question 28

Predicitons

Answer 28

hypotheses that can be derived and tested

Question 29

Control as a research objective

Answer 29

ultimate goal of control of outcome based on what has been learned

Question 30

applied research

Answer 30

research with results that are immediately relevant in a practical setting. (new and effective therapy techniques, teaching styles, etc.)

Question 31

basic research

Answer 31

may have no immediate practical use; explanation rather than application is the goal. insatiable curiosity, gain knowledge for knowledge’s sake

Question 32

theory

Answer 32

set of related statements that explains and predicts phenomena

Question 33

laws

Answer 33

very specific statements that are generally expressed in the form of a mathematical equation involving only a few variables.

Question 34

Principles

Answer 34

statements that predict a phenomenon with a certain level of probability.

Question 35

beliefs/assumptions

Answer 35

statements based on personal feelings and subjective knowledge about things that cannot be tested scientifically (Sigmund Freud, id, ego, superego)

Question 36

Parsimony

Answer 36

two equally accurate explanations for a phenomenon, the explanation based on the simpler assumption is preferable.

Question 37

precision

Answer 37

good theory is precisely stated,a precise theory is written to avoid ambiguity and misinterpretation

Question 38

testability

Answer 38

a sound scientific theory is testable and must be the potential in principle of proving the theory wrong.

Question 39

accuracy

Answer 39

should both fit the known facts and predict new ones.

Question 40

research criticism

Answer 40

note weather the arguments made are logical, all terms clearly defined, what manner investigation conducted, repeatable, vague or ambiguous, are there alternative explanations?