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year 12 phycology > key science skills > Flashcards

key science skills Flashcards

1
Q

psychology

A

the scientific study of human mental state and behaviour

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2
Q

Model

A

a representation of a concept, process or behaviour made to simplify and represent

*often a visual representation of a theory
*ensures that scientific ideas are more easily accessible to the public

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3
Q

Theory

A

proposition or set of principles that is used to explain something or make predictions

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4
Q

Aim

A

a statement outlining the purpose of the investigation

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5
Q

Hypothesis

A

a testable prediction about the outcome of an investigation

I.P.A.D
iv, dv, direction and population

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6
Q

Operationalising (variables)

A

specifying exactly how the variables will be measured and manipulated in a controlled experiment

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7
Q

Controlled variables

A

things that can affect the dependent variable in an experiment besides the independent variable

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8
Q

Independent Variable (IV)

A

The variable that is manipulated, want to know its effect on DV

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9
Q

Dependent Variable (DV)

A

the variable that is measures, want to understand how it is affected by the IV

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10
Q

Controlled experiment

A

allows a researcher to strictly manipulate variables of interest in a controlled environment

-infure a causal relationship
-There are controlled and experimental groups

*control group- group of participants who receive no experimental treatment or intervention in order to serve as a comparative baseline

Experimental group- the group of participants who are exposed to a manipulated independent variable

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11
Q

within subject design

A

an experimental design in which participants complete every experimental condition.

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12
Q

pros and cons of within subject design

A

pros: eliminates participant differences, cost effective, time effective

cons: produce order effects, participants dropping out significantly impacts the study

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13
Q

Between subject design

A

an experimental design in which individuals are divided into different groups and complete only one experimental condition.

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14
Q

pros and cons of between subject design

A

Pros: less time consuming, eliminates the possibility of order effects

Cons: participants related differences, more participants are required, experimenter effect may occur

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15
Q

Mixed subject design

A

an experimental design which combines elements of both within and between subject design

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16
Q

pros and cons with mixed subject design

A

Pros: allows experimenters to compare results, creates a baseline/ control group

Cons: demanding for researchers and assistants, costly, time consuming

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17
Q

Case studies

A

an in depth investigation of a individual group or participants phenomenon that contains a real or hypothetical situation.

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18
Q

Correctional studies

A

a non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any manipulation of them

aims to find a relationship between variables

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19
Q

what are the three different coronations

A

Positive: variables change together in the same way

Negative: variables change in opposite directions

Zero correlation: no relationship between variables (no noticeable correlation)

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20
Q

Classification

A

the arrangement of phenomena, objects or events into manageable sets based on common features and characteristics
- Used to create labels

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21
Q

Identification

A

a process of recognition of phenomena as belonging to a particular set or possibly being part of a new or unique set

*Used by psychologists to the ascribe phenomena to a particular classification

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22
Q

Fieldwork

A

refers to any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory

-collecting firsthand information (primary data)
-real world, authentic setting (no manipulation)

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23
Q

Direct observation

A

a researcher watches and listens to the participants of the study with no direct intervention (it may use deception)

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24
Q

Qualitative interview

A

researcher asking questions to gather in- depth information about a particular topic, theme or idea, asking open-ended questions

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25
Q

Questionnaires

A

a set of questions or prompts given to participants to answer digitally or with pen and paper

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26
Q

Focus groups

A

a researcher conducting a discussion with a small group of people on a specific topic, it may induce conformity and therefore group shift and group think

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27
Q

Yarning circles

A

traditional approach to group discussion which involves talking, exchanging ideas, reflection and deep considered listening without judgement,

  • Researcher must become an active member of the discussion,
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28
Q

Literature review

A

refers to the process of collating and analysing secondary data related to other people’s scientific findings and/or viewpoints

-identify weaknesses/ limitations in others research
-can build on current understanding
-

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29
Q

Simulation

A

refers to the process of using a model (tangible) to study the behaviour of a real or theoretical system

  • Used when it would be too complex, impractical or dangerous to test the relationships
    between the variables in reality
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30
Q

Population

A

refers to the group of people who are the focus of the research and from which the sample is drawn

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31
Q

Sample

A

refers to a subset of the population who participate in a study, drawn from the population

Sample= research participants

-highly representative of the research population
-include as much diversity as possible
-Allows a study’s results to be more accurate and generalisable (only if it is representative)

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32
Q

Convenience sampling

A

refers to any sampling technique that involves selecting readily available members of the population, rather than using a random or systematic approach

33
Q

pros and cons of convenient sampling

A

pros: time effective, cost effective, and the least amount of work

cons: less generalisable, most likely to be unrepresentative

34
Q

Random sampling

A

refers to any sampling technique that uses a procedure to ensure every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected

35
Q

pros and cons of random sampling

A

Pros: may produce a representative sample if it is large enough

Cons: time consuming, may not be entirely representative

36
Q

stratified sampling

A

involves selecting people from the population in a way that ensures that its strata (subgroups) are proportionately represented in the sample

37
Q

pros and cons of stratified sampling

A

pros: most likely to produce a representative sample

Cons: can be time consuming, expensive, demanding on the researcher

38
Q

Allocation

A

refers to the process of assigning participants to experimental conditions or groups

  • Either random or non-random allocation
39
Q

Extraneous variable

A

any variable that is not the independent variable (IV) but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable

eg. demand characteristics, placebo effect, non standardised instructions, demand characteristics, situational variables, order effect and partisepent related differences

should be controlled or at least monitored

40
Q

Participant related differences

A

Characteristics of a study’s participants that may effect the results,
eg: age, intelligence, gender

41
Q

how to prevent participant related differences

A

Using a larger sample size increasing the samples representativeness.

Using random or stratified sampling

42
Q

Order effects

A

The order in which participants complete the experimental condition to have an effect on their behaviour

specific to within-subjects design)

43
Q

what are the two types or order effects

A

1.Practice effects: participants perform better in later conditions

  1. Fatigue effects: participants perform worse in later conditions due to being tired or bored
44
Q

how to reduce order effects

A

Using a between subjects design as participants then only complete one experimental condition.

Using counterbalancing for a mixed/ within subjects design

45
Q

Placebo effect

A

Expectancy effect where participants expectations about the treatment/condition cause changes in their behaviour

46
Q

how to reduce placebo effects

A

Placebo- an inactive treatment/condition, equalises level of expectancy or participants are less likely to have expectations

47
Q

Experimenter effects

A

Refers to when the expectations of the researcher affect the results of an experiment.

  • May inadvertently bias the way they
    collect/record data (unconscious)
48
Q

how to reduce experimenter effects

A

Double blind procedure- in which both the participants and the experimenter don’t know which conditions the groups are allocated to

49
Q

Situational variables

A

Any environmental factor that may affect the dependent variable

eg: lighting, temperature, time of day

50
Q

how to reduce situatinal variables

A

Standardised testing conditions and procedures- ensuring that each participant in an experiment receives the exact same instructions and follows
the same procedures
(situational variables can only be reduced not eliminated)

51
Q

Non-standardised instructions & procedures

A

When directions and procedures differ across participants or experimental conditions

  • Introduces unwanted situational variables
52
Q

how to reduce none- standardised instructions and procedures

A

Standardised testing conditions and procedures- ensuring that each participant in an experiment receives the exact same instructions and follows the same procedures

53
Q

Demand characteristics

A

Cues in an experiment that may signal to a participant the intention of the study and influence their behaviour

  • May cause participants to conform to the experiments hypothesis
54
Q

how to reduce demand characteristics

A

Double blind procedure- in which both the participants and the experimenter don’t know which conditions the groups are allocated to

55
Q

Secondary data

A

data sourced from others/prior research
-Has already been collected in the past, not directly
sourced

  • Eg: literature reviews, newspapers, websites
56
Q

primary data

A

data collected first-hand by a researcher
- AKA raw data,

eg. interviews, questionnaires, experiments

57
Q

Qualitative data

A

data that is expressed non-numerically

May be collected through open ended
questionnaires and interviews

58
Q

Quantitative data

A

data that is expressed numerically

May be collected via closed ended surveys, rating
scales or multiple-choice questions

59
Q

Objective data

A

factual data that is observed and measured independently of personal opinion

60
Q

Subjective data

A

informed by personal opinion, perception, or interpretation (biased)

-Comes from self-reports and qualitative descriptions

61
Q

Percentages

A

Calculated by multiplying the ratio of a total by 100

62
Q

Percentage change

A

subtracting the new number from the old number and

63
Q

Measures of central tendency

A

Descriptive statistics that summarise a data set by describing the centre of the distribution of the data with a single value

mean, median and mode

64
Q

Mean

A

describes the numerical average of a data set as a single value

+tell a researcher what the typical response or score is
-Likely to be influenced by extreme values and outliers

65
Q

Median

A

the middle value in a data set ordered from lowest to highest

+able to identify a typical response in a data set with outliers
-Ignores all but the middle of a distribution

66
Q

Mode

A

the most frequently occurring value in a data set

+helps researchers to understand the centre of the data set when the mean/median cannot be calculated
-Doesn’t take all the scores in the data set into consideration

67
Q

Measures of variability (spread)

A

Statistics that summarise and describe the spread and distribution of a data set, they help to indicate how widely participants responses vary in a data set

68
Q

range

A

value obtained by subtracting the lowest value from the highest value

  • Used to summarise the overall dispersion (distribution) of scores
69
Q

Standard deviation

A

shows how much data ‘deviates’ from the mean

  • Allows comparisons to be made between different data sets based on their dispersions
  • A smaller SD indicates a more accurate and precise data set that is likely to be free from error
70
Q

Accuracy

A

refers to how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured

  • Described as more accurate or less accurate
71
Q

Precision

A

refers to how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other

*gives no indication of how clow the measurements are to the true value
*does the tool consistently provide the same results when measuring the same ‘thing’

72
Q

Systematic errors

A

errors in data that differ from the true value by a consistent amount

73
Q

Random errors

A

errors in data that are unsystematic and occur due to chance

oMay occur due to poorly controlled or varying measurement procedures
oCan be impacted by participant differences or environmental factors

74
Q

Repeatability

A

Extent to which successive measurements would produce the same results when carried out under identical conditions

same conditions

75
Q

Reproducibility

A

Extent to which successive measurements would produce the same results when carried out under different conditions

different conditions

76
Q

Validity

A

Refers to the extent to which psychological tools and investigations truly support their findings or conclusions

77
Q

Internal validity

A

the extent to which an investigations measures or investigates what it claims

*Without internal validity conclusions cannot be drawn
*Researcher must consider: minimising extraneous variables, bias, representativeness of the sample, impact of potential confounding variables

78
Q

External validity

A

the extent to which the results of an investigation can be applied to similar individuals in different settings

Can only be considered when internal validity is present
- Can be improved through a stratified sampling procedure, using a larger sample size, and having a representative sample

year 12 phycology (6 decks)

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