Methodology

Question 1

Hindsight Bias

Answer 1

the tendancy for people to exaggerate, after knowing that something occurred, how much they could have predicted before it occurred.

Question 2

What are the three types of research methods

Answer 2

• observational (description)
• correlational (prediction)
• experimental (causality)

Question 3

Observational Method

Answer 3

The technique whereby a researcher observes people and systematically records measurements or impressions of their behavior

Question 4

Ethnography

Answer 4

The method by which researchers attempt to understand a group or culture by observing it from the inside, without imposing any preconceived notions they might have.

Question 5

Inter judge reliability

Answer 5

The level of agreement between two or more people who independently observe and code a set of data; by showing that two or more judges independently come up with the same observations, researchers ensure that the observations are not the subjective, distorted impressions of one individual.

Question 6

Archival Analysis

Answer 6

A form of observational method in which the researcher examines the accumulated documents, or archives of a culture.

Question 7

Correlational Method

Answer 7

The technique whereby two or more variables are systematically measured and the relationship between them is assessed

Question 8

Correlation coefficient

Answer 8

A statistical technique that assesses how well you can predict one variable from another, for example, how well can you predict peoples weight from their height.

Question 9

Surveys

Answer 9

Research in which a representative sample of people are asked questions about their attitudes and behavior.

Question 10

Random selection

Answer 10

A way of ensuring that a sample is representative of a population by giving everyone in the population an equal chance of being selected for the sample.

Question 11

Limits of the causational method

Answer 11

Correlation does not eual causation

Question 12

Experimental method

Answer 12

the method in which the researcher randomly assigns participants to different conditions and ensures that these conditions are identical except for the independent variable

Question 13

Independent variable

Answer 13

The variable a researcher changes or varies to see if it has an effect on some other variable.

Question 14

Dependent Variable

Answer 14

The response that is hypothesized to depend on the independent variable. all participants are measured on this variable.

Question 15

Random assignment to condition

Answer 15

A process ensuring that all participants have an equal chance of taking part in any condition of an experiment; through random assignment researcher can be relatively certain that differences in the participants personalities or backgrounds are distributed evenly across conditions

Question 16

Probability level (p-value)

Answer 16

Number calculated with statistical techniques that tells researchers how likely it is that the results of their experiment occurred by chance and not because of the independent variable or variables. (the convention in science is to consider results significant if the probability level is less that 5 in 100 that the results might be due to chance factors and not the independent variables studied.

Question 17

Internal validity

Answer 17

Making sure that nothing besides the independent variable can affect the dependent variable, this is accomplished by controlling all extraneous variables and by random assigning people to different experimental conditions.

Question 18

External Validity

Answer 18

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people

Question 19

Psychological Realism

Answer 19

The extent to which the psychological process triggered in an experiment are similar to psychological processes that occur in everyday life.

Question 20

Cover story

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Field experiments

Answer 21

Experiments conducted in natural settings rather than in the laboratory

Question 22

Basic Dilemma of the social psychologist

Answer 22

the trade of between internal and external validity in conducting research; it is very difficult to do one experiment that is both high in internal validity and generalizable to other situations and people.

Question 23

Replications

Answer 23

repeating a study, often with different subject populations or in different settings

Question 24

Meta-analysis

Answer 24

A statistical technique that averages the results of two or more studies to see if the effect of an independent variable is reliable.

Question 25

Basic Research

Answer 25

Studies that are designed to find the best answer to the question of why people behave as they do and that are conducted purely for reasons of intellectual curiosity

Question 26

Applied research

Answer 26

Studies designed to solve a particular social problem

Question 27

Cross cultural psychology

Answer 27

Research conducted with members of different cultures to see whether the psychological processes of interest are present in both cultures or whether they are specific to the culture in which people were raised

Question 28

Evolutionary theory

Answer 28

A concept developed by Charles Darwin to explain in ways in which animals adapt to their environments

Question 29

Natural Selection

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

Evolutionary psychology

Answer 30

The attempt to explain social behavior in terms of genetic factors that have evolved over time according to the principles of natural selection.

Question 31

Informed consent

Answer 31

Agreement to participate in an experiment, granted in full awareness of the nature of the experiment, which has been explained in advance

Question 32

Deception

Answer 32

Misleading participants about the true purpose of the study or the events that will actually transpire

Question 33

Debriefing

Answer 33

Explaining to participants, at the end of and experiment, the true purpose of the study and exactly what transpired.

Question 34

Institutional review board (IRB)

Answer 34

A group made up of at least one scientist, one non-scientist, and one member not affiliated with the institution that reviews all psychological research at that institution and decides whether it meets ethical guidelines, all research must be approved by the IRB before it is conducted

Question 35

Social neuroscience

Answer 35

Social psychologists have become increasingly interested in the connection between biological processes and social behavior. These interests include the study of hormones and behavior, the human immune system, and neurological processes in the human brain.