Module 3: Research Strategies: How Psychologists Ask and Answer Questions

Question 1

scientific method

Answer 1

self-correcting process for evaluating ideas with observations and analysis

Question 2

theory

Answer 2

explains behaviors or events by offering ideas that organize what we have observed

Question 3

hypothesis

Answer 3

testable predictions

Question 4

why can hypotheses be bad?

Answer 4

cause bias observations, we see what we expect

Question 5

operational definition

Answer 5

carefully worded statement of exact procedures used in research study to avoid biases

Question 6

replicate

Answer 6

to repeat essence of a research study to see if basic findings extends to different participants/circumstances

Question 7

theory is useful if

Answer 7

1. organizes a range of self-reports and observations
2. implies predictions that anyone can use to check theory or derive practical applications
3. stimulate further research that leads to revision of theory

Question 8

descriptive methods

Answer 8

describe behavior

Question 9

correlational methods

Answer 9

associates different factors

Question 10

experimental methods

Answer 10

manipulates factors to discover effects

Question 11

case study

Answer 11

examines one individual or group in depth in hope of revealing universal principles

Question 12

negative of case study

Answer 12

can be misleading due to unrepresentative info

Question 13

naturalistic observations

Answer 13

describes (does not explain) behavior in natural environments

Question 14

survey

Answer 14

descriptive technique for obtaining self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group

Question 15

random sample

Answer 15

every person in the group has equal chance of participating

Question 16

correlate

Answer 16

measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and how well either predicts the other

Question 17

correlation coefficient

Answer 17

statistical index of relationship between two things

Question 18

scatterplot

Answer 18

graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents values of two variables

Question 19

illusory correlation

Answer 19

when we believe that two things have a relationship but they do not

Question 20

regression toward the mean

Answer 20

tendency for extreme scores to fall back toward average

Question 21

decline effect

Answer 21

ESP subjects lose psychic powers after successful first test result but before second test taken

Question 22

experiment

Answer 22

research method in which researcher manipulates one or more factors to observe effect on behavior/mental process

Question 23

experimental group

Answer 23

people receive treatment

Question 24

control group

Answer 24

people do not receive treatment

Question 25

random assignment

Answer 25

way of assigning people to groups to control other relevant factors

Question 26

double-blind procedure

Answer 26

neither the participant nor administrator knows who is receiving drug or placebo

Question 27

placebo effect

Answer 27

experimental results caused by only thinking

Question 28

independent variable

Answer 28

factor that is manipulated

Question 29

confounding variables

Answer 29

factors other than IV which might produce an effect

Question 30

dependent variable

Answer 30

factor that is measured

Question 31

informed consent

Answer 31

giving enough info to participant of a study to allow them to decide if they want to participate or not