Module 2: The Scientific Enterprise Flashcards
Scientific method (4)
What it is and what it includes
the common language and process used to create knowledge
* Hypotheses
● Data collection
● Statistical models
Statistical model
A mathmatical model of reality that makes perdiction
Phenomena
A probem, Core concept examined in their field of study
The phenomena we study must (3)
why+ex?
include variability. There must be some systematic differences in the phenomena of interest so we can see corelation in 2 variables. For example, in a research about binge drinking, if all students were in a single group, such as moderate drinker, we would no longer have anything to compare.
Good research questions share: (5)
+explain them
FINER
Feasible (Time resource and expertise)
Interesting (curious?)
Novel (Doesnt repeat whats done before, help us close an important gap)
Ethical
Relevant (Lead improvement in life)
Typically, research questions fall into 4 main categories/ it occpies one of the four goals:
- Description
- Explanation
- Perdiction
- Application
Decriptive (5)
What it is+what it requires+ex
- Simply describe a particular phenomena
- simplest type of research
- Ans “what” type of questions
- requires optionalization
- Ex: What are the current state of binge drinking college student in the US?”
Operationalization +ex (2)
To define a concept in a way that allows it to be measure
Ex: “Problem drinking” must be stated in a form that allows it to be measured. The reseasrcher operationalized probkem drinking using a merasure called binge dirnking.”
Explanation (4)
What it ans+begins with what+ex+designed to..
- Begin to answer “Why questions”
- Begin with a simple corelation between 2 characteritic and fevlopes
- Ex: “Why are rates of binge drinking higher in…”
- Designed to find out wether there are systematic differences based on individual or group characteristics
Assimilation+ex (2)
Process by which we take in new info without needing to change existing concepts
Ex: When a child meets a family pet and learns the concept of a dog, the child then connects the animal’s charcteristic, hairy, fourleg , big tail with the concept of a dog. Later the child is introduced a cat, seeing not much difference, hairy, four leg big tail, assume this is also a dog. The child assimilate cat and dog into a single category.
Accomodation+ ex (2)
Altering existing ideas or belieds in the prescence of new and non-conforming info
Ex: When a child meets a family pet and learns the concept of a dog, the child then connects the animal’s charcteristic, hairy, fourleg , big tail with the concept of a dog. Later the child is introduced a cat, seeing not much difference, hairy, four leg big tail, assume this is also a dog. The child assimilate cat and dog into a single category. However, at some point the dog category is too limited and the child notice that dog barks and cat meows. Once the differences get too much, the chikld realizes it has to develope a new category to accomodate his schema.
Peridiction
allows us to estimate scores on one variable from info about one or more other variables
Casuality requires 3 criteria:
Covariation
Temporal relationship
Elimination of confounds (i.e., high internal validity)
Covariation+ex (3)
- 2 variables in your model must be related
- AKA corelation
- “If one tends to be in this category then they tend to…”
Positive covariation+ex (2)
Both variable change in the same direction (increase/decrease together)
- Ex as drinking increase, drinking concequences goes up
Negative covariation +ex (2)
The variable change in opposite directions; as one variable increase, the other decrease
- ex: relationship between drinking and grades. As drinking increase, grades go down.
No Covariation+ ex (2)
The change in one variable has no major impact on the other variable
- Ex: relationship between drinking and favourite colour
Temporal relationship+ ex (3)
If variable X causes variable Y, Y should only haeppen after X occurs.
The cause comes before the effect
ex: to experience drinking-related concequences, you must drink first then experience the concequence.
Ruling out confounds:
- Other explanatins that could create doubt about the relationship between the variables must be ruled out
3rd variable problem
While it seems like the 2 variables are related, they really just relate to the 3rd variable not eachother
Ex: drinking and poor grade may be related to test anxiety or depression
Social norming
A theory suggecting our behaviour is influenced by perceptions of how others think and act
Research steps: Hourglass model (7)
- identify a real world oohenomenon of inyterest
- Provide a background and theory
- Chose a design and method
- Collect data
- Analyze results
- Discuss your finding
- Draw conclusions
Most well respected form of writing is
peer reviewed research
Replication
Researchers attempt to conduct studies more than once to determine the reliability and validity of reported results
Theories have 3 goals
- Describe a relationshio between 2 or more variables
- Describe the mechanisms of the relationship why 2 variables should be related and how they impact one another
- Ans the researcher’s question
Concrete variables +ex
Variables recognized by the senses
ex: age, race, height
Deciding on a method includes selecting: (4)
- Samole of people
- Type of instrument or equipment
- Method of data collection
- Statistical analysis
Typical data analysis include 3 types of results
- Participant characteristics
- Descriptibe statistics
- statistical tests
Participant characteristics +ex (2)
what it is+what it does
- simple summary of the various characteristics of the population such as race, gender and income levels
- help us match sample characteristics of the population characteristics to help us identify any bias in the sample
Descriptive Statistics+ex (2)
- Describes the characteristics of the individual variables that we are using to represent the variables in our research model
- ex: caculaing binge drinking and report percentage / frequency
Statistical test+ex (2)
Relationship between variables
Ex: chi square test
Direct replication
repeats the original study as closely as possible
Conceptual replication
The methods are not exactly the same as the original. Includes a slight extension or generalization, build on existing findings in literature and add new into to the literature
File drawer problem
The research community only ever hear about significant results because these are the resukts that are selected for dissemination in articles and conferences.
