Key Science Skills-PSYCH Flashcards
Primary Data
data collected first-hand by a researcher (experimentation, observation, survey)
Secondary Data
data sourced from others prior research, not collected directly by the current researcher (accessing publicly available data)
Subjective Data
data that is informed by personal opinion, perception/interpretation.
Objective Data
factual data that is observed and measured independently of personal opinion.
Qualitative Data
data that is expressed non-numerically (verbal description, open-ended questionnaires/interviews)
Quantitative Data
data that is expressed numerically such as test scores/measurements of weight (rating scales/multiple choice questions)
y-axis
DV
x-axis
IV
Percentage
standardising numerical data in terms of the number 100
Mean (single value)
a measure of central tendency that describes the numerical average of a data set
Median
a measure of central tendency that is the middle value in a data set ordered from lowest to highest
Mode
a measure of central tendency that is the most frequently occurring value in a data set
standard deviation
a measure of variability (describes the spread of data around the mean)
Range
the difference between your highest and lowest value
Accuracy
how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity
Precision
how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other
Repeatability
when studies produce the same results when carried out under identical conditions within a short period of time
Reproducibility
when studies produce the same results when repeated under different conditions
Generalisation
the tendency to respond in the same way to different but similar stimuli
Conclusion
Is a statement that summarises the findings of a study (inc whether or not the hypothesis was supported)
External Validity
when the results of an investigation can be applied to similar individuals in different settings (different time/environment)
Internal Validity
when the investigation truly measures/investigates what it claims to
Random Errors
unsystematic and occur due to chance
Systematic Errors
differ from the true value by a consistent amount
Personal Errors
mistakes, miscalculations and observer error
Uncertainty
lack of exact knowledge relating to something being measured due to potential sources of variation in knowledge
Outliers
a score that significantly differs from all others obtained
Ethical Guidelines
Debriefing, Voluntary Participation, Use of Deception, Informed Consent Procedures, Withdrawal Rights
Ethical Concepts
Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Justice, Integrity, Respect
Aim
statement outlining the purpose of the investigation
Hypothesis
a testable prediction about the outcome of an investigation
sample
the subset of the research population who participate in a study
What should a Hypothesis include?
state variables, population, and prediction
Population
the group of people who are the focus of the research and from which the sample is drawn
random sampling
any sampling technique that uses a procedure to ensure every member of the population has the same chance of being selected.
stratified sampling
any sampling technique that involves selecting people from the population in a way that ensures that its strata (subgroups) are proportionally represented in the sample.
IV (cause/manipulated)
variable that is assumed to have a direct effect on the DV
DV (effect/measured)
referred to as the effect or outcome
Confounding Variable
variables other than the IV that a researcher holds a constant (controls) in an investigation, to ensure that changes in the DV are solely due to changes in the IV
Extraneous Variable
any variable that is not the independent variable but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable
controlled experiments
the casual relationship between two variables is tested in a controlled environment.
Pro of controlled experiments
allows us to determine cause and effect between variables)
Con of controlled experiments
lack external validity
case studies
Is an in-depth investigation of an individual, or group that contains a real or hypothetical situation and includes the complexities that would be encountered in the real world.
pros of case studies
Ability to see a relationship between phenomena, context, and people.
cons of case studies
Difficulty generalizing findings from one case study to other settings.
theory
is a proposition/set of principles that is used to explain something/make predictions about relationships between concepts.
What are the Experimental Designs?
Within Groups, Between Subjects, Mixed Design
Within Groups
involves all participants in the sample completing both the experimental and control conditions
Between Subjects
is when participants are randomly allocated to either the control/the experimental condition
Mixed Design
involves a combination of a between-subjects design and a within-subjects design
Correlation Studies
Is a type of non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any active control or manipulation of them
Other Techniques:
classification, identification, fieldwork, literature review, modeling and simulation, product process, and system development.
