Module 2 - Methods Flashcards
The belief or theory that reason is the key source of knowledge
Rationalism
Facts or information collected, examined, and considered for decision-making processes.
Data
Rational explanations to describe and predict future behavior.
Scientific theories
A six-step method of acquiring knowledge and methodologically answering questions.
Scientific method
A term referring to a ‘do-over’ of a study using the same methods, but different subjects and investigators
Replication
Any means to capture, record, or otherwise, describe a group. These methods are concerned with identifying ‘what is’ rather than ‘why it is.’
Descriptive methods
A research method in which a researcher becomes part of the group under investigation.
Participant observation
Observation of behavior as it happens, without an attempt to manipulate or control the subjects’ natural environment
Naturalistic observation
An experiment that takes place in ‘real-world’ settings in which a researcher manipulates and controls the conditions of the behavior under observation.
Field experiments
An in-depth analysis of a unique circumstance or individual.
Case study
A medical procedure to remove or otherwise destroy tissue.
Ablation
A part of the cerebral cortex known to play a role in the transference of certain types of memories into long-term memory stores.
Hippocampus
A part of the cerebral cortex found on the ventral part of the temporal lobes and known to play a role in behavior and memory.
Entorhinal cortex
Memories whose contents pertain to how something is done, such as the motor skills involved in walking and riding a bicycle.
Procedural memories
A method using questions to collect information on how people think or act.
Survey
All members of a group.
Population
A subset (or portion) of a population.
Sample
A sample that deviates from a true representation of a population.
Sampling error
An unfair or unequal representation of a person or thing
Bias
The influence of language, or wording, on people’s responses to survey questions
Wording effects
The tendency for people to answer the question the way they feel they are expected to answer or in systematic ways that are otherwise inaccurate.
Response bias
The tendency for participants to agree or respond “yes” to all questions regardless of their actual opinions
Acquiescent response bias
Participants respond to questions in ways that would be seen as acceptable by others.
Socially desirable bias
The tendency to describe our own behavior as better than average
Illusory superiority
A bias whereby only a motivated fraction of a population respond to a survey or participate in research
Volunteer bias
A set of principles or standards of behavior for psychologists to follow in research.
Research ethics
A concept of research ethics whereby researchers strive to do ‘good’ in a research study.
Beneficence