Intro to Psychology - Unit 1 Chapter 2

Question 1

Goals of Scientific Research: Measurement & Description

Answer 1

The use of measurement techniques to OBJECTIVELY describe behavior.
Ex: Measuring depression

Question 2

Goals of Scientific Research: Understanding & Prediction

Answer 2

Explaining WHY something happened in the context of behavior

Question 3

Goals of Scientific Research: Application & Control

Answer 3

When a scientist tries to solve a practical problem.

Question 4

Which goals of scientific research best align with what a theory is? (trick question)

Answer 4

Description & UNDERSTANDING

Question 5

What’s a Theory?

Answer 5

System of ideas that explain a set of observations

Question 6

What’s a Hypothesis?

Answer 6

A prediction statement about the relationship between 2 or more variables

Question 7

What are variables in research?

Answer 7

Things that are observed or controlled in an experiment. (X and/or Y)

Question 8

What goal of scientific research would a hypothesis best align with?

Answer 8

Prediction.

Question 9

What are the 5 steps in a Scientific Investigation?

Answer 9

1. Hypothesis
2. Method
3. Data collection
4. Analysis
5. Report Findings

Question 10

What’s the independent variable in an experiment?

Answer 10

What the experimenter manipulates.

Ex: Caffeine consumption in an experiment on caffeine consumption affecting test performance.

Question 11

What’s the dependent variable in an experiment?

Answer 11

What is affected by the independent variable or changed by it.

Ex: Test performance being changed by amount of caffeine consumption.

Question 12

What’s the experimental group in an experiment?

Answer 12

The group that’s being treated

Question 13

What’s the control group in an experiment?

Answer 13

The group that receives nothing or the placebo.

Question 14

What are extraneous variables in an experiment?

Answer 14

Variables separate from the independent and dependent variables that can affect the experiment if they are not controlled.

Ex: Lack of sleep, etc.

Question 15

What does random assignment mean/do?

Answer 15

It means that everyone has an EQUAL chance of being assigned to the experimental or control group. Because it is equal, that means it has to be done randomly.

Ex: Names in a hat, shake, assign.

Question 16

What is Sampling Bias?

Answer 16

Having a sample that doesn’t represent the population.

Question 17

What is social desirability bias?

Answer 17

People lying during an experiment or study in order to cater towards societal expectations.

Lying about alcohol consumption in a survey about alcohol usage.

Question 18

What is experimental bias and how can we avoid it?

Answer 18

The research is affected because the experimenters want a specific result. We can avoid it with a double-blind experiment.

Question 19

What are the Advantages of Experimental Research?

Answer 19

1. Determines Cause & Effect (only type of research that can achieve this)
2. Isolates Independent and Dependent Variable
3. Neutralizes effects of extraneous variables

Question 20

What are the Disadvantages of Experimental Research?

Answer 20

1. Often times includes experimental & sampling bias
2. Have to account for most/all extraneous variables
3. Focuses on Narrow variables

Question 21

Explain descriptive/correlation research

Answer 21

1. Correlation does not equal Causation
2. -1 to 1 (1 means STRONG same pattern correlation, -1 means STRONG opposite pattern correlation – 0.5 is a moderate correlation and below is mild to weak.)

Ex: More cocaine ingested = less sleep. That’s a negative correlation
More sleep = better grades, that’s a positive correlation.
Drinking water and feeding your dogs have a weak correlation, so it would be around 0.

Question 22

What are the advantages of correlation research?

Answer 22

1. Cheaper
2. Faster

Question 23

What are the disadvantages of correlation research?

Answer 23

1. Can’t determine cause & effect.
2. Samples are often unrepresentative.

Question 24

Methods of Collecting Data: Naturalistic Observation

Answer 24

Observing behavior of subjects in their natural environment without interfering with them.

Question 25

Methods of Collecting Data: Case Studies

Answer 25

Highly subjective, in-depth report on a SINGLE individual. (subjective because its difficult to apply it to the entire population)

Question 26

Methods of Collecting Data: Surveys

Answer 26

Uses questionnaires or interviews to figure out specific aspects of peoples backgrounds, opinions, or attitudes.

Question 27

Other Methods of Collecting Data: Standardized Tests, Interviews and physiological tests

Answer 27

Things like IQ tests that measure intelligence.
1 on 1s
Balance Tests, BP Tests, height tests

Question 28

What are the 4 ethical necessities that the APA requires prior to an experiment?

Answer 28

1. Cannot put subjects under harm or subject TO harm.
2. Must be informed and then must consent.
3. Confidentiality and privacy must be ensured.
4. Must debrief participants once experiment is over (ESPECIALLY if deception is involved)

Question 29

When is Deception okay in an experiment?

Answer 29

When a Placebo is involved.

Question 30

What is Schacters experiment? (Hypothesis, Independent variable, dependent variable, experimental group, control group, and extraneous variables)

Answer 30

Hypothesis: People want to be together when they are anxious. (Fear and affiliation)
IV: The speech prior to the experiment.
DV: The questionnaire answers (their emotions on whether they want to be together with others or not).
Experimental Group: The group receiving the “harsh” electric shocks
Control Group: The group receiving the “mild” electric shocks.
Extraneous Variable: Them being social people or being friends with others (was CONTROLLED through random assignment)