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Key terms Flashcards

1
Q

variable

A

any factor that can vary or change within an investigation

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2
Q

IV

A

a variable that is manipulated by the researcher that affects the DV

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3
Q

DV

A

a variable that is measured by the researcher

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4
Q

aim

A

a general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate (purpose)

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5
Q

experimental condition

A

the condition in the experiment that receives the experimental treatment

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6
Q

control condition

A

the condition in the experiment that receives no treatment

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7
Q

operationalisation

A

clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured in order to make the experiment easily repeatable

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8
Q

extraneous/confounding variables

A

any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes of your study

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9
Q

demand characteristics

A

participants guess the aim of the study and change their behaviour as a result

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10
Q

investigator effects

A

unintentional influence of experimental results by researchers

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11
Q

participant variables

A

individual characteristics of participants in an experiment

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12
Q

social desirability bias

A

when respondents give answers to questions that they think will make them look good to others. these may not be their true opinions

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13
Q

randomisation

A

the use of chance methods to reduce the researchers unconscious biases when designing an experiment

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14
Q

standardisation

A

developing and using uniform procedures in tests

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15
Q

single-blind design

A

a trial where experimenters are aware of which subjects are retrieving the treatment or independent variable, but the participants are not

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16
Q

double-blind design

A

neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment

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17
Q

experimental method

A

manipulation of variables to establish cause and effect relationships

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18
Q

laboratory experiment

A

an experiment that takes place in a controlled environment where the researcher manipulates the IV

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19
Q

field experiment

A

an experiment in a natural setting where the researcher manipulates the IV

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20
Q

natural experiment

A

an experiment where the change in IV would have happened even if the researcher had not been there like natural disasters

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21
Q

quasi-experiment

A

an experiment where the IV has not been determined by anyone (is a naturally occurring difference) such as age or gender

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22
Q

independent groups

A

participants are allocated to different groups where each group is in one condition

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23
Q

matched pairs

A

pairs of participants are matched on certain variables then split into different groups

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24
Q

repeated measures

A

all participants take part in all conditions

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25
random allocation
where people are randomly allocated to each condition to control participant variables in an independent groups design
26
counterbalancing
an attempt to control order effects in repeated measures design
27
sample
a group of people who take part in a research investigation
28
population
a group of people who are the focus of the researchers interest, from which a sample is drawn
29
volunteer sample
participants select themselves (self-selection)
30
opportunity sample
selecting people who are willing and available
31
random sample
all members of the target population have equal chances of being chosen
32
stratified sample
the composition of the sample reflects the proportions of people in the certain sub groups within the target population
33
systematic sample
every nth member of the target population is selected
34
bias
when certain groups are over or under represented
35
generalisation
the extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be applied to the population
36
ethical issues
when there is a conflict between the rights of participants and the goals of the researchr to produce valid data
37
informed consent
making participants aware of the aims of the research, the procedure, their rights and also what their data will be used for before they agree to participate
38
deception
deliberately misleading or withholding information from participants at any stage of the investigation
39
protection from harm
participants should not be placed at more risk than they would have been in their daily lives, and need to be protected from physical and psychological harm
40
confidentiality
a right of the law under the data protection act to have any personal data protected
41
privacy
participants have the right to control information about themselves
42
right to withdraw
the right to leave the study and remove their data
43
debriefing
a post research interview designed to inform the participants of the true nature of the study
44
presumptive consent
a similar group of people are asked if the study is acceptable
45
prior general consent
participants give permission to take part in a number of different studies
46
retrospective consent
participants are asked for their consent during debriefing after having already done the study
47
cost-benefit analysis
making a decision weighing up costs against gains
48
pilot study
a small-scale version of an investigation that takes place before the real experiment is conducted
49
correlation
a mathematical technique where a researcher investigates a relationship between two co-variables
50
positive correlation
as one co-variable increases so does the other
51
negative correlation
as one co-variable increases the other decreases
52
curvilinear relationships
the graph is exponential. it still shows a relationship between two variables, but it is a curve rather than a straight line
53
correlation coefficient
the strength of the relationship between variables. measured between 1 and -1
54
quantitative data
results that can be counted, usually given as numbers. it has 3 types of data: nominal, ordinal and interval
55
qualitative data
results that are expressed as words and are non-numerical
56
nominal data
data that is in categories (colours)
57
ordinal data
data that is on a non-standardised scale (1 to 10)
58
interval data
data is based on standardised numerical scales (time)
59
self report techniques
any method in which a person is asked to state or explain their own feelings and opinions
60
questionnaire
a set of written questions used to assess a persons thoughts and experiences
61
interview
a live encounter where one person asks a set of questions to assess an interviewees thoughts
62
structured interviews
made up of pre-determined set of questions that are asked in a fixed order
63
unstructured interviews
there are no structured questions. there is a general aim and certain topics to be discussed
64
semi-structured interview
this is an interview that has a list of fixed questions, but interviewers can ask follow up questions any time
65
interviewer bias
this is just researcher bias
66
open questions
do not have a fixed range of answers. produces qualitative data
67
closed questions
multiple choice questions that produce quantitative data
68
validity
the extent to which a study measures what it intends to measure
69
internal validity
whether the effects observed in an experiment are due to the manipulation of the IV and not another factor
70
mundane realism
how realistic the task is at representing a real experience of the DV
71
external validity
how well you can generalise from research participants to people, places and times outside the study
72
ecological validity
the extent to which the researcher tells us what we want to know about
73
population validity (type of external validity)
the extent to which the results of the research can be generalised to people outside the study
74
temporal validity (type of external validity)
the extent to which the results of the research that took place at a certain point in time accurately reflect the way that behaviour would occur at a different point in time
75
naturalistic observation
watching and recording behaviour in the setting within which it would normally occur
76
controlled observation
watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment. one where some variables are managed
77
overt observation
participants behaviour is watched and recorded with their own knowledge and consent
78
covert observation
participants behaviour is watched and recorded without their knowledge or consent
79
participant observation
the researcher becomes a member of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording
80
non-participant observation
the researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour he is recording
81
structured observation
the researcher uses various systems to organise observations such as sampling technique and behavioural categories
82
unstructured observation
every instance of behaviour is recorded in as much detail as possible. this is useful if the behaviours you are interested in do not occur very often
83
behavioural categories
when a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable
84
sampling methods
the way in which you're going to record the target behaviour
85
continuous sampling
making a note of everything without pause in detail to give qualitative data
86
time sampling
a target individual or group is first established then the researcher records their behaviour in a fixed time frame (every 60 seconds)
87
event sampling
a target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs
88
content analysis
a type of observational research where people are studied indirectly for example in TV shows or films. coding - initial stage that produces quantitative data. thematic analysis - form of content analysis that produces qualitative data
89
meta analysis
the process of combining the findings from a number of studies on a particular topic. the aim is to produce and overall statistical conclusion (the effect size) based on a range of studies
90
effect size
the statistical measure of the strength of the relationship between the variables in a meta-analysis
91
coherence
when the findings from two different studies match
92
triangulation
compare results from lots of different studies to see if they are all the same. this demonstrates validity
93
paradigms
a set of shared assumptions and agreed methods within a scientific discipline
94
paradigm shift
when the scientific paradigm undergoes a significant change
95
theory construction
the process of developing an explanation for the causes of behaviour by systematically gathering evidence and then organising this into a coherent account
96
falsifiability
the principle that a theory cannot be considered scientific unless it admits the possibility of being proved false
97
replicability
the extent to which scientific procedures and findings can be repeated
98
objectivity
all sources of personal bias are minimised so as not to distort or influence the research process
99
the empirical method
scientific approaches that are based on the gathering of evidence through direct observation and experience
100
peer review
psychological papers are subjected to independent scrutiny by other psychologists who work in a similar field.
101
reliability
a measure of consistency. how consistent the findings from an investigation or measuring device are

Psychology Research Methods (4 decks)

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