L2 Research Method Flashcards
1
Q
Scientific Approach to Behavior (assumption and method)
A
- Assumption
- behaviors/emotions/thoughts are governed by discernible laws or principles
- psychologist: to verify these laws (PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISM) - Scientific method
- a system of gathering data so that bias and errors in measurement are minimized
2
Q
goal of scientific studies
A
- Measure & Describe
e.g. before testing if women are more emotional than men, we need some means to measure “emotionality” - understand & predict
- the relationship between certain variables (any measurable conditions) - Apply & Change
- to promote well-being (e.g. to let both genders understand each other more!)
3
Q
what is theory and hypothesis
A
- Theory - explains, organizes and predicts the variables
e.g. women are more emotional than men - hypothesis
- derived from experiences, observations & existing theories
e.g. women are more likely to exhibit depressions
4
Q
5 steps scientific method
A
- formulate hypothesis (draw a testable statement or prediction, either be verified or falsified)
- design the design
- select appropriate research methods - gather data
- try to have a representative sample - analyze the data and draw the conclusion
- try to be objective - report the findings
- try to be precise and replicable
5
Q
population vs sample
A
- population: entire set of individuals to which generalizations will be made based on a sample
- sample: subset of a population selected as participants in an experiment
6
Q
types of psychological research
A
- experiment approach: Experiments
- Non-experimental / descriptive approach:
- correlation studies
- survey
- naturalistic observations
- case studies
7
Q
concepts of experiment
A
- under a well-controlled setting, the researchers change or control something to observe any changes accordingly
- detection of cause-and-effect relationships
- contains an experimental group and a control group
8
Q
Independent variable vs dependent variable
A
- IV: its condition influences another variable
- CAUSE - DV: its condition is influenced by another variable
- EFFECT, e.g. coffee enhances attention
9
Q
Concepts: Hypothesis and Operational Definition
A
- Hypothesis
- how does the IV affect DV
- e.g. coffee enhances attention
IV (cause): coffee
DV (effect): attention - Operational definition
- what types of measure we use to reflect that variable
- IV: what coffee do you use?
- DV: what measure is used to reflect attention? time spent on a speed test?
10
Q
Concept: Manipulation
A
- experimental approaches
- manipulation
- how do you create the “cause”in the experimental condition
- two groups are alike, except they differ in the “manipulation”
EXPERIMENTAL: with the manipulation
CONTROL: without the manipulation
11
Q
Concept: Confounding variable
A
- experimental approaches
- confounding variables
- variables that are not IV (testing) but may still affect the DV (e.g. some participants have better attention ability)
- solutions
RANDOMIZATION!- all participants have equal chance to be assigned to any condition or group
12
Q
“See Aggression, Do Aggression” - Bobo dolls experiments
A
- Observational Learning (modelling)
- IV: Watching a model acting aggressively or not
- two conditions:- experimental conditions: an aggressive model
- control: a non-aggressive model
- DV: aggression level
- e.g. number and duration of hits on the bobo doll etc - participants - young children (age 3-6)
5.Hypothesis
- an aggressive model vs not (more aggressive in 1st >2nd condition) - Procedure
- children sat in the corner of a room and watched an adult model playing for 10 mins- in experimental group, the model acted aggressively to the Bobo doll
- in control group, the model acted quietly in the room and ignored the Bobo doll
- each child was then left alone in a room for 20 mins - their behaviors were recorded
- result
- Experimental condition > control condition
13
Q
Male toilet vs personal space invasion
A
- question: does personal space invasion affect men’s toileting
- hypothesis: men with shorter personal distance with strangers would be “disturbed” in the toileting behaviors
- Operational definitions
- IV: Personal Space invasion: distance of the target participants with the strangers
- DV: toileting behaviors- micturition delay” time between participant unzip his zipper and urination began
- micturition persistence: time between the onset and completion of urination
- conditions:
- close distance
- moderate distance
- control
( experimenter did the time keeping in stall) - results
- persistence: close < moderate < control
- delay of onset: close > moderate > control - confounding variables
- amount of urine in the bladder, how much water they drink etc
14
Q
Non-experimental approach
A
- correlation
- two variables are related to each other
e.g. education level and income / physical attractiveness and social popularity / stress and depression / GDP and happiness
15
Q
Correlation
A
- Two variables are related to each other
- correlational coefficient (r): indicates the degree of relationship between two variables
- direction: sign (+ and -)
- magnitude / strength: absolute value- +1 or -1 Strong relationship
- 0 no relationship
- there exists correlation that actually do not make sense
- association but not explanation / causation
16
Q
Descriptive research
A
- survey
- seeking people’s responses to a prepared set of items or questionnaires - naturalistic observation
- un-intrusively observe people’s behaviours
e.g. participant observation - benefits of a psychology case study
- allows for in-depth investigation of one person, group or event
- the information from one case can be generalized to others
- lets researchers examine something impossible to conduct via experiment
17
Q
example of a survey: no touching
A
- procedure
- 1,300 men and women were asked the questions where they were comfortable being touched and by whom,
- regardless of nationality, closeness of the relationship correlated with the range of areas that can be touched
18
Q
summary of different methods
A
- experiment
- pros- precise control on variables
- cause-and-effect
- cons - too artificial
- ethical concern
- survey
- pros- gather data easily from large sample
- cons - self-report data often unreliable
- gather data easily from large sample
- naturalistic observation
- pros- good start when little is known
- cons - cannot explain why certain behaviors are observed
- good start when little is known
- case study
- pros- suitable for study certain phenomena ( e.g. clinical)
- cons - clinical samples often unrepresentative
- suitable for study certain phenomena ( e.g. clinical)
19
Q
biases and errors
A
- sampling error (most kinds of design)
- unrepresentative sample - placebo effect (in participants)
- participants have false expectations on empty or fake treatment - experimenter bias (in researchers)
- experimenters hold expectations or preferences on the results - social desirability bias
- participants give socially-approved answers - responses set
- participants choose all the same answer
20
Q
unrepresentative sample
A
- proportion between each sector in population and sample is not similar (or the same)
21
Q
Solutions of bias and errors
A
- DOUBLE-BLIND controlled experiment
- both experimenters and participants are kept unknown of the group arrangement
22
Q
Research ethics
A
- informed consent
- participants should be given full information about the study before they decide to participate
- participation should be voluntary and any withdrawal during the study should be allowed - minimal risk
- the potential of possible harms to the participants have to be minimized (to those you encounter in normal day activities) - deception and debriefing
- if the participants are deceived of anything in the study, they must be debriefed afterwards - confidentiality
- all information obtained int he study are highly confidential and is restricted to the use for research purposes
