Module 2 - Principles Of Scientific Research Flashcards

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1
Q

Objectivity

A

Facts about the world can be observed and tested independently by the individual who describes them (achieving this is not simple)

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2
Q

Subjective

A

knowledge of the event is shaped by prior belief, expectations, experiences, and mood

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3
Q

Five Characteristics of Quality Scientific Research

A
  1. Measurements that are objective, valid, and reliable
  2. It can be generalized
  3. It uses techniques that reduce bias
  4. It is made public
  5. It can be replicated
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4
Q

Objective Measurements

A

Measure of an entirety of behaviour that, within an ALLOWED margin of error, is consistent across instruments and observers

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5
Q

Variable

A

object, concept, or event being controlled, manipulated, or measured by a scientist (different variables can be measured and manipulated with different stimuli and using different techniques)

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6
Q

Operational Definitions

A

statements that describe the procedures (or opperations) and specific measures that are used to record observations

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7
Q

Validity

A

degree to which an instrument or procedure actually measures what it claims to measure (requires testing and a lot of proven evidence)

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8
Q

Reliability

A

when it provides consistent and stable answers across multiple observations and points in time

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9
Q

Test-retest reliability

A

examines whether scores on a given measure of behaviour are consistent across test sessions

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10
Q

Alternate-forms reliability

A

examines whether different forms of the same test produce the same results (two equally dificult tests at different moments in time)

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11
Q

Inter-rater reliabiity

A

raters arrive at very similar conclusions (experiment has has clear operational definitions and criteria for the raters to produce high inter-ter reliability)

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12
Q

Generalizability

A

Degree to which one set of results can be applied to other situations, individual, or events
- allows us to predict how most people will respond to different stimuli and situations
- average effects to get a better generalization of likelihood

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13
Q

Population

A

The group that researchers want to generalize

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14
Q

Sample

A

Select group of population members

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15
Q

Random People

A

Sampling technique in which every individual of a population has an equal chance of being included

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16
Q

Convenience samples

A

Samples of individuals who are the most readily available

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17
Q

Ecological Validity

A

Meaning that the results of a laboratory study can be applies to or repeated in the natural environment (computer based or artificial situations that replicate common situations)

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18
Q

You’ve EARNED a Study Break

What kind of room doesn’t have floors?

A

A MushROOM

HAHA get it ;)

Anyways good luck with your studying! You got this!!! Grab a snack too if you need it!

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19
Q

Researcher Bias

A

Bias can be unintentionally introduced by the researchers and they are unaware if the conditions were manipulated

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20
Q

Subject biases or participant biases

A

Subject tampers with the experiment unintentionally

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21
Q

Subject biases or participant biases

A

Subject tampers with the experiment unintentionally

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22
Q

Hawthorne effect

A

Behaviour change that occurs as a result of being observed (participants are aware they’re being observed)

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23
Q

Social Desirability

A

Participants may respond in ways that increases the chances that they will be viewed favourably by the experimenter and/or other participants (computers can help respond with relative anonymity)

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24
Q

Placebo effect

A

Measurable and experienced improvement in health or behaviour that cannot contribute to a medication or treatment

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25
Q

Demand Characteristics

A

Inadvertent cues given off by experimenter or the experimental context that provides information about how the participants are expected to behave

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26
Q

4 Techniques that reduce bias

A
  1. Anonymity; each individual’s responses are recorded without any name or other personal information
  2. Confidentiality; the results will only be seen by the researchers (participants will be more vulnerable)
  3. Single-blind study; the participants do not know the true purpose of the study, or do not know which type of treatment they are receiving
  4. Double-blind study; neither the participant nor the experimenter knows the exact treatment for any individual - can be done on studies where groups have differentiating variables
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27
Q

Academic journals

A

Present the research study presenting all components

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28
Q

Peer Review

A

papers submitted for publication in scholarly journals are read and critiqued by experts in the specific field of study

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29
Q

Replication

A

Process of repeating a study and finding similar outcomes each time (even by other researchers)

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30
Q

Publication Bias

A

Successful and novel results are published and studies that showed no effects are not published

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31
Q

5 Characteristics of Poor Research

A
  1. Unstable Hypothesis - has to be precise enough to be proven false
  2. Relies on Anecdotes and Personal Experiences - individuals story about observation that is used to make an evidence claim
  3. Includes a biased selection of data - presents data that is only in support
  4. Appeals to authority rather than facts -non data or scientific evidence
  5. Makes appeals to common sense - appears to be sound but lacks supporting evidence
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32
Q

Research Designs

A

A st of methods that allows a hypothesis to be tested

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33
Q

Data

A

when scientists collect observations about the variables of interest

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34
Q

Qualitative research

A

examining an issue or behaviour without performing numerical measurements of variables

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35
Q

Quantitative research

A

examining an issue or behaviour by using numerical measurements and statistics

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36
Q

Sigmund Freud

A

Theories of personality and development

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37
Q

Naturalistic observations

A

unobtrusively observe and record behaviour as it occurs in the subjects natural environment

38
Q

Self reporting

A
  • responses are provided directly by the people who are being studied
  • ex. face to face interviews, phone surveys, paper and pencil tests and web-based questionnaires
  • Individuals speak for themselves
39
Q

Direction of correlational research

A

Pattern of data will vary based on relationship between variables (positive or negative)

40
Q

Magnitude of correlational research

A

How closely the changes in one variable are linked to changes in another variable

41
Q

The third variable problem

A

Third, unmeasured variable is responsible for a well-established correlation between two variables

42
Q

Illusory correlations

A

Relationships that exist only in the mind, rather than reality

43
Q

Experimental Designs

A

Strong evidence for cause and effect relationships

44
Q

Random assignment

A

technique for deciding samples into two or more groups in which participants are equally likely to be placed in any condition of the experiment

45
Q

Confounding variable

A

variable outside of a researcher’s control that could affect or provide an alternate explanation for the results

46
Q

Indépendant variable

A

What the experimenter manipulates

47
Q

Dependent variable

A

Observations to measurement that is recorded during the experiment and compared across all groups

48
Q

Between-subjects design

A

Compare performance of participants in different groups

49
Q

Experimental group

A

Receives treatment or stimuli

50
Q

Control group

A

Does not receive the treatment or stimuli - baseline to compare the experimental group to

51
Q

Within-subjects designs

A

Same participants respond to all types of stimuli or experience all experimental conditions

52
Q

Quasi-experimental research

A

Two or more groups that are compared are selected based on predetermined characteristics

53
Q

Converging operations

A

Researchers dont have to settle on one from of study rather they have to do what is best for their intended research

54
Q

Descriptive Research

A

X - input and Y- Outome
Goal is describe
Ex. Case study, survey and naturalistic observation

55
Q

Correlational

A
  • finding association between x and y
  • focus on association of two events (two variables)
  • strength from 0.00 to +/- 1.00
  • variables can increase together
  • one variable can increase and one can go down
    -ex. Surveys
56
Q

Experimental

A
  • Is variable x having a casual effect on variable y
  • primary goal is to examine causes
57
Q

Causation

A
  • experimenter manipulated one variable to see effect
  • strategies that permit the ability to control effects
58
Q

Statistical Inference

A

Assumption that there is no difference
- < 5% it is deemed as significantly significant otherwise there is no difference
- statistical significance doesn’t it equal clinical significance

59
Q

Meta-analysis

A

Studies of studies that have been published to test variability
(Even performed on null studies)

60
Q

Measures of behaviour in studies

A
  • Self-report
  • Third party observation
  • Physiological measure
    (All of error but some more than others)
61
Q

Research ethics board

A

committee of researchers and officials at an institution charged with the protection of human research participants and are required between colleges and universities

62
Q

Research about trauma

A

revisiting a stressful experience can be difficult, researchers learn how coping through expression can help emotional adjustment (researchers should find a way to minimize the risks ex. Keeping everything confidential and making and making the information anonymous)

63
Q

Obtaining informed consent

A

potential volunteer must be informed (know the purpose, taksks, and risks involved in the study) and give consent without pressure

64
Q

Volunteers Should Be Told… (6)

A
  • The topic of the study
  • The nature of the stimuli to which they will be exposed
  • The nature of any tasks they will complete
  • The approximate duration of the study
  • Any potential physical, psychological, or social risks involved
  • The steps that researchers have taken to minimize those risks
65
Q

Deception

A

Only partially informing participants of the true topics of the hypothesis

66
Q

Rights held by participants

A
  • Freedom to chose
  • Equal opportunities
  • The right to withdrawal
  • The right to withhold responses
  • Debreifing
67
Q

Ethical Indigenous Perspectives

A
  • studies conducted in the 20th century on Indigenous Peoples would now be viewed as unethical
  • They were dehumanized and treated as subjects stripping them of their rights, without their consent (especially children)
  • Indigenous communities have now taken lead and developed their own review protocols for work conducted within their communities to improve the practices
68
Q

Anonymity

A

data collected can not be connected to individual participants

69
Q

Confidentiality

A
  1. researchers can not share specific data or observation that can be connected with an individual 2. All records must be kept secure
70
Q

Animal’s in Research

A

Animal research is equally important to psychological research as humans
- Some research must be done on animals because of their qualities that humans can not provide

71
Q

The animal model

A

is a living, non-human, often genetic-engineered animal used during the research and investigation of human disease, for the purpose of better understanding

72
Q

How to maintain proper ethics for animal-based research

A

There are ethical standards from animal-based research that reduce harm and discomfort for these animals
- Animals are provided for with proper housing, feeding and sanitation
- Pain and stress is minimized as much as possible

73
Q

Ethical collection, storage and Reporting of Data

A
  • the data should be kept for 5-7 years typically after the journal is published for good relationship to the public nature
  • Scientists must be honest with their data regardless of the external pressures
  • Cases breaching scientific misconduct sometimes arise when individuals fabricate or manipulate their data to fit their desired results
74
Q

Descriptive Statistics

A

Set of techniques used to organize, summarize and interpret data

75
Q

Frequency

A

The number of observations that fall within a certain category, range or score

76
Q

Normal Distribution

A

Symmetrical distribution with values clustered around a central mean value (Bell curve)

77
Q

Skewed Distribution

A

Asymmetrical distribution with a large cluster on one side and a long “tail” on the other

78
Q

Central Tendency

A

A measure of the central point of a distribution

79
Q

Mean

A

The arithmetic average of a set of numbers

80
Q

Median

A

The point on the horizontal axis at which 50% of all observations are lower, and 50% of all observations are higher

81
Q

Mode

A

Which is the category with the highest frequency

82
Q

Variability

A

The degree to which scores are dispersed in a distribution
- can be caused by measurement errors and differences within the elements of the study

83
Q

High Variability

A

That there are a large numbers of cases that are closer to the extreme ends of the continuum for that set of data

84
Q

Low Variability

A

Means that the most of the score are similar

85
Q

Low Variability

A

Means that the most of the score are similar

86
Q

Standard Deviation

A

Measure of variability around the mean

87
Q

Standard Deviation

A

Measure of variability around the mean

88
Q

Hypothesis Testing

A

Statistical method of evaluating whether differences among groups are meaningful or could have been arrived at by chance

89
Q

Statistical Significance

A

The means of the groups are farther apart than you would expect them to be by random chance alone

90
Q

The null hypothesis

A

Assumes that any differences between groups are due to chance

91
Q

Experimental hypothesis

A

Assumes hat any differences are due to a variable controlled by the experimenter