Lecture 02 Methodology Flashcards
Four Potentially Biasing Influences
- Unrepresentative samples
- Question order
- Response options
- Question wording
Framing
The way a question or an issue is posed
- It can influence people’s decisions and expressed opinions
- e.g. 95% vs 5%
Experimental Research
Randomly assigning participants to conditions
Advantage of Correlational Research (1 answer)
Use real world setting
Disadvantage of Correlational Research (1 answer)
Can’t imply a causation
Advantage of Experimental Research (1 answer)
Can imply causation by controlling variables and random assignment
Disadvantage of Experimental Research (1 answer)
Some variables can’t be studied with experiments
Probability Level (p-value)
How likely it is that the results of their experiment OCCURRED by CHANCE and not because of the independent variable or variables
Internal Validity
Nothing besides the independent variable can affect the dependent variable
How to increase internal validity
- Control extraneous variables
- Random assignment
External Validity
The results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people
Internal and External Validity Trade-off
- Too much control, generalizable?
- Too much like real life, control all extraneous variables?
How to Resolve Internal and External Validity Trade-off
not to try to do everything in a single experiment
Psychological Realism
The extent to which the psychological processes triggered in an experiment are similar to psychological processes that occur in everyday life
Cover Story
A description of the purpose of a study, given to participants, that is different from its true purpose and is used to maintain psychological realism
How to Improve External
Validity
Field Experiments
- Participants unaware that they are in an experiment
- Participants more diverse than typical college sample
Test of External Validity
Replications
Test of Internal Validity
Meta-analysis
Basic Research
- To find the best answer to the question of why people behave as they do
- For reasons of intellectual curiosity
Applied Research
To solve a particular social problem
Cross-Cultural Research: Research conducted with
- Members of different cultures,
- Examine similarity or difference among cultures
Evolutionary Theory
A concept developed by Charles Darwin to explain the ways in which animals adapt to their environments
Natural Selection
- The process by which heritable traits that promote survival in a particular environment are passed along to future generations
- Organisms with those traits are more likely to produce offspring
Evolutionary Psychology
- To explain social behavior in terms of GENETIC factors that have evolved over time according to the principles of natural selection
Demand Characteristics
Cues in an experiment that tell the participant what behavior is expected
How to Reduce Demand Characteristics
- Standardize their instructions
- Use a computer to present them.
Mundane Realism
Degree to which an experiment is superficially similar to everyday situations
Experimental Realism
Degree to which an experiment absorbs and involves its participants
Types of Reliability
- Internal: Cronbach’s alpha
- Inter-rater
- Test-retest
Types of Validity
- Construct: Known group
- Criterion-related:
- Concurrent
- Predictive - Content (IOC)
Response sets
A psychological orientation, a readiness to answer in a particular way
- Tendency to say “yes”
- Extreme responding
- Social desirability
Scale Development Approaches (2 answers)
- Rational or Theoretical Approach
- Empirical Approach
3 Evaluations of Personality Measures (3 answers)
- Reliability
- Validity
- Generalizability
Sources of Personality Data
- Self-report data
- Observer-report data
- Test data
- Life-Outcome Data
Self-report Data Sources (2 answers)
- Interviews
- Questionnaires
Observer-report data (2 answers)
- Naturalistic observation
- Artificial observation
Test Data Sources (4 answers)
- Standardized tests
- Mechanical recording devices
- Physiological data
- Projective techniques
Life-Outcome Data
- Social clubs
- Medical history
- Driving penalties and fines
- Etc.
Research Designs in Personality (5 answers)
- Experimental methods
- Correlational studies
- Case studies
- Multifactor studies
How to do Multifactor Studies
- Contingency Tables of multiple predictors
- Interaction effect
