Key Words: Scientific Processes Flashcards
Abstract
Abstract: A part of a scientific report that aims to summarise the report.
Aims
Aims: The objective or purpose of the experiment.
Bias
Bias: An inclination to a certain position or thought. For example, in hostile attribution bias, hostility or negativity is more likely to be assumed from a neutral face.
Behavioural categories
Behavioural categories: An observational technique wherein participants’ possible behaviours are separated into more specific components. This allows for operationalisation of the behaviour. For example, splitting aggression into categories of “swearing” and “punching”.
Closed questions
Closed questions: A type of question that can only be answered with a limited number of answers, usually a “yes” or “no”.
Concurrent validity
Concurrent validity: Occurs if a test is similar to an older test that already has well-established validity.
Confounding variable
Confounding variable: A type of extraneous variable that is related to the independent variable in the experiment. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, the relative levels of sensitivity to anxiety-inducing stimuli would be a confounding variable.
Control variable
Control variable: Any variables that are kept constant through the experiment to prevent their effects on the dependent variable.
Counterbalancing
Counterbalancing: To make half of the participant sample experience the different conditions of the experiment in one order, and the other half of the participants complete it in the opposite order.
Demand characteristics
Demand characteristics: Changes in the participants’ behaviour to comply with the hypothesis of the researcher.
Dependent variable
Dependent variable: The variable that changes in response to manipulation of the researcher, that is being measured for the experiment. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, memory recall would be the dependent variable.
Directional hypothesis
Directional hypothesis: A hypothesis that specifies the direction of the relationship of the experiment e.g. coffee will have an effect on the reaction time of participants.
Ecological validity
Ecological validity: How well results from a test can be applied to real life.
Event sampling
Event sampling: An observational technique wherein an observer records every time a
particular behaviour or “event” occurs, usually in the form of a tally chart.
Extraneous variable
Extraneous variable: Variables other than the independent variable that have an effect on the dependent variable. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, the intelligence levels of the participants could be an extraneous variable.
Face validity
Face validity: If a test appears to be valid at first appearances, in spite of how well it works in a real world scenario.
Falsifiability
Falsifiability: The quality of being able to be proven wrong. For example, the proposition “All crows are black” could be falsified by observing one white crow. Thus, the statement is falsifiable, even if a white crow has not been hitherto observed.
Generalisation
Generalisation: To attribute information from a sample to the rest of the population.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis: The prediction of the outcome of the experiment.
Independent groups
Independent groups: An experimental design wherein different participants are involved in different conditions of the experiment. For example, using two different groups of people to test the effect of music on memory recall, with one group memorising during music playing and the other in silence.
Independent variable
Independent variable: The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effects on the dependent variable. For example, if you were testing the effects of anxiety on memory recall, anxiety would be the independent variable.
Inter-observer reliability
Inter-observer reliability: Multiple investigators gather information separately during an observation and compare their data for similarity after.
Investigation effects
Investigation effects: Unconscious changes in the investigators behaviour to comply with the hypothesis of the investigation.
Matched pairs
Matched pairs: An experimental design wherein participants in different conditions of the experiment are matched on certain variables to reduce the effect of participant variables. For example, in the Bobo doll study, children were matched on scores of aggressiveness for each condition.
Non-directional hypothesis
Non-directional hypothesis: A hypothesis that does not specify the direction of the relationship of the experiment e.g. coffee will change the reaction times of participants (whether it will increase or decrease the times is not specified).
Objectivity
Objectivity: Empirical; something that is not influenced by personal feelings.
Open questions
Open questions: A type of question that requires answers that are longer than “yes” or “no”.
Operationalisation (of variables)
Operationalisation (of variables): To clearly state and objectify a variable. For example, instead of measuring “aggression”, researchers would convert it into observable categories like “punching” and “kicking”.
Opportunity sampling:
Opportunity sampling: A sampling technique that involves obtaining a sample via anyone that is available from the population at the time of collecting the sample. For example, handing questionnaires out to people outside a shopping mall.
Paradigm
Paradigm: A basic concept; a well accepted core belief.
Paradigm shift
Paradigm shift: When previously accepted core concepts in a science are changed,
usually due to the emergence of new evidence.
Peer review
Peer review: The assessment of work by other people with similar levels of expertise in that field, to provide an unbiased expert opinion of the quality of said work.
Pilot studies
Pilot studies: Preliminary/trial studies carried out to ensure the clarity of the study itself. For example, using a pilot questionnaire on a sample of people that give feedback on the clarity of the questions.
Population
Population: The group represented by a sample.
Random allocation
Random allocation: To allocate participants to separate conditions using some sort of randomisation technique. For example, using a computer to randomly generate groups for condition A and B.
Random sampling
Random sampling: A sampling technique that involves randomly generating participants from the population by any randomisation technique. For example: random number generation from a computer, picking names out of a hat.
Reliability
Reliability: Essentially replicability; the extent to which the test can be repeated and gather similar results.
Repeated measures
Repeated measures: An experimental design wherein the same participants undergo all the conditions of the experiment. For example, when testing the effect of coffee on reaction time, all participants will be tested for reaction time with and without coffee.
Replicability
Replicability: How easily a test can be reproduced.
Sample
Sample: A smaller group that aims to be representative of a population.
Standardisation
Standardisation: Keeping the experimental methods as identical as possible.
Stratified sampling:
Stratified sampling: A sampling technique that involves establishing sub-groups (strata) within the population investigated and picking participants to create a representative sample. For example, if the population is 2⁄3 female and 1⁄3 male, the sample should also be 2⁄3 female and 1⁄3 male.
Systematic sampling
Systematic sampling: A sampling technique that involves establishing a method to pick participants evenly distributed through the population. For example, picking every 10th participant in a list of the entire population.
Temporal validity
Temporal validity: How well results from a test can be applied across time periods.
Test-retest reliability
Test-retest reliability: Completing a test multiple times and comparing the scores for
similarity.
Time sampling:
Time sampling: An observational technique wherein an observer only records specific behaviours in specific time intervals. For example observing and recording the behaviour of football fans at a stadium every 15 minutes for 30 seconds.
Validity
Validity: Essentially truthfulness; the extent to which a test measures what it aims to measure, i.e. uncontrolled extraneous variables reduce validity because they affect what is supposed to be measured.
Volunteer sampling
Volunteer sampling: A sampling technique that involves using participants that volunteer to take part in the study, provided they meet the inclusion criteria. For example, putting a request on an information board in your school and sending questionnaires to those that respond.
