Preliminary

Question 1

A method of procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, experiment, formulation, testing, and modification of hypothesis.

Answer 1

The Scientific Method

Question 2

Scientific method offers an objective methodology for scientific experimentation that results in ______ interpretations of the world and refines knowledge.

Answer 2

unbiased

Question 3

Basic Steps in the Scientific Method

Answer 3

Observe a natural phenomenon and define a question about it

Make a hypothesis, or potential solution to the question

Test the hypothesis
If the hypothesis is true, find more evidence or find counter-evidence

If the hypothesis is false, create a new hypothesis or try again

Draw conclusions and repeat– the scientific method is never ending, and no result is ever considered perfect

Question 4

Psychology’s Four Goals

Answer 4

Description
What is happening?

Explanation
Why is it happening?

Prediction
Will it happen again?

Control
How can it be changed?

Question 5

DESCRIPTIVE METHODS

Answer 5

Naturalistic Observation
Laboratory Observation
Case Study
Surveys

Question 6

Watching animals or humans behave in their normal environment
Each naturalistic setting is unique, and observations may not hold.
Major advantage: realistic picture of behavior

Answer 6

Naturalistic Observation

Question 7

tendency of people or animals to behave differently when they know they are being observed.

Answer 7

Observer effect

Question 8

a naturalistic observation in which the observer becomes a participant in the group being observed (to reduce observer effect)

Answer 8

Participant observation

Question 9

tendency of observers to see what they expect to see

Answer 9

Observer bias

Question 10

people who do not know what the research question is (to reduce observer bias)

Answer 10

Blind observers

Question 11

Watching animals or humans behave in a laboratory setting
Descriptive methods lead to the formation of testable hypotheses
Advantages - Control over environment. Allows use of specialized equipment.
Disadvantages: Artificial situation may be result in artificial behavior

Answer 11

Laboratory Observation

Question 12

Study of one individual in great detail
Advantage: tremendous amount of detail
Disadvantage: cannot apply to others

Answer 12

Case Study

Question 13

Famous case study: ________ (iron rod that shot through his skull)

Answer 13

Phineas Gage

Question 14

Researchers ask a series of questions about the topic under study
Given to representative sample
Representative Sample: randomly selected sample of subjects from a large population of subjects
Population: the entire group of people or animals in which the researcher is interested.

Answer 14

Surveys

Question 15

Measures of two variables go into a mathematical formula and produce a correlation coefficient ( r), which represents two things:
Direction of the relationship
Strength of the relationship

Answer 15

Correlation

Question 16

A deliberate manipulation of a variable to see whether corresponding changes in behavior result, allowing the determination of cause and effect relationships.

Answer 16

Experiment

Question 17

Definition of a variable of interest that allows it to be directly measured
ex: aggressive play

Answer 17

Operational Definition

Question 18

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter.

Answer 18

Independent variable

Question 19

The variable in an experiment who is not subjected to the independent variable and who may receive a placebo treatment (controls for confounding variables).

Answer 19

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Question 20

The process of assigning subjects to the experimental or control groups randomly, so that each subject has an equal chance of being in either group

Answer 20

Random Assignment

Question 21

The phenomenon in which the expectations of the participants in a study can influence their behavior

Answer 21

Placebo Effect

Question 22

Tendency of the experimenter’s expectations for a study to unintentionally influence the results of the study

Answer 22

Experimenter Effect

Question 23

Neither the experimenter nor the subjects know which subjects are in the experimental or control group (reduces placebo effect and experimenter effect)

Answer 23

Double-blind Study

Question 24

Subjects do not know whether they are in the experimental or the control group (Reduces placebo effect)
The participants are “blind” to the treatment they receive

Answer 24

Single-blind Study

Question 25

studies that aim to evaluate interventions but that do not use randomization. Similar to randomized trials

Answer 25

Quasi Experiment

Question 26

Emphasize internal validity
Assess cause & effect (in relatively artificial environment)
Test clear, a priori hypotheses

Answer 26

TRUE EXPERIMENTS

Question 27

Emphasize external validity
Describe “real” / naturally occurring events Clear of exploratory hypotheses

Answer 27

QUASI-EXPERIMENTS

Question 28

– a deliberate manipulation of a variable to see
whether corresponding changes in behavior result,
allowing the determination of cause-and-effect
relationships

Answer 28

Experiment

Question 29

– definition of a variable of interest that allows it to be
directly measured
– definition: aggressive play

Answer 29

Operational Definition

Question 30

– the variable in an experiment that is manipulated
by the experimenter

Answer 30

Independent variable (IV)

Question 31

– the variable in an experiment that represents the
measurable response or behavior of the subjects in
the experiment

Answer 31

Dependent variable (DV)

Question 32

– subjects in an experiment who are subjected to the
independent variable

Answer 32

Experimental group

Question 33

– subjects in an experiment who are not subjected to
the independent variable and who may receive a
placebo treatment (controls for confounding
variables).

Answer 33

Control group

Question 34

– the process of assigning subjects to the
experimental or control groups randomly, so that
each subject has an equal chance of being in
either group

Answer 34

Random assignment

Question 35

– the phenomenon in which the expectations of the
participants in a study can influence their behavior

Answer 35

Placebo effect

Question 36

– the phenomenon in which the expectations of the
participants in a study can influence their behavior

Answer 36

Placebo effect