Psych 209: Chapter 3 Vocab

Question 1

Basic Research

Answer 1

Research with the goal of describing, predicting, and explaining fundamental principles of behavior

Question 2

Applied Research

Answer 2

Research with the goal of trying to solve some immediate real-life problem

Question 3

Laboratory Research

Answer 3

Research that occurs within the controlled confines of the scientific labrotory

Question 4

Field Research

Answer 4

Research that occurs in any location other than a scientific laboratory

Question 5

Mundane Realism

Answer 5

Refers to how closely the experiment mirrors real-life experiences; considered to be less important than experimental realism

Question 6

Experimental Realism

Answer 6

Refers to how deeply involved the participants become in the experiment; considered to be more important than mundane realism

Question 7

Experimental Confederate

Answer 7

An individual who appears o be either another subject in an experiment, but is in fact part of the experiment and in the employ of the experimenter

Question 8

Quantitative Research

Answer 8

A category of research in which results are presented as numbers, typically in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics

Question 9

Qualitative Research

Answer 9

A category of research activity characterized by a narrative analysis of information collected in the study; can include case studies, observational research, interview research

Question 10

Empirical Questions

Answer 10

A question that can be answered by making objective observations

Question 11

Operationism

Answer 11

Philosophy of science approach, proposed by Bridgman, that held that all scientific concepts should be defined in terms of a set of operations to be performed

Question 12

Operational Definitions

Answer 12

A definition of a concept or variable in terms of precisely described operations, measures, or procedures

Question 13

Converging Operations

Answer 13

Occurs when scores on a test designed to measure some construct are correlated with scores on other tests that are theoretically related to the construct

Question 14

Serendipity

Answer 14

The process of making an accidental discovery; finding X when searching for Y

Question 15

Theory

Answer 15

A set of statements that summarizes and oragnizes existing information about some phenomenon, provides an explanation for the phenomenon, and serves as a basis for making predictions to be tested empircally

Question 16

Construct

Answer 16

A hypothetical factor that cannot be observed directly, but is inferred from certain behaviors and assumed to follow from certain circumstances

Question 17

Deduction

Answer 17

Reasoning from the general to the specific; in science, used when deriving research hypothesis from theories

Question 18

Hypothesis

Answer 18

An educated guess about a relationship between variables that is then tested empirically

Question 19

Induction

Answer 19

Reasoning from the specific to the general; in science, used when the results of specific research studies are used to support or refute a theory

Question 20

Productivity

Answer 20

With reference to theory, this refers to the amount of research that is generated to test a theory; theories that lead to a great deal of research are considered productive

Question 21

Falsification

Answer 21

Research strategy advocated by Popper that emphasizes putting theories to the test by trying to disprove or falsify them

Question 22

Parsimonious

Answer 22

Describing theory that includes the minimum number of constructs and assumptions in order to explain and predict some phenomenon adequately

Question 23

Programs of Research

Answer 23

Series of interrelated studies in which the outcome of one study leads naturally to another

Question 24

Research Teams

Answer 24

A group of researchers (professors and students) working together on the same research problem

Question 25

Pilot Study

Answer 25

During the initial stages of research is is common for some data to be collected; problems spotted in this trial stage enable the reseracher to refine the procedures and prevent the full-scale study from being flawed methodologically

Question 26

Replication

Answer 26

The repetition of an experiment; exact replications are rare, occurring primarily when the results of some prior study are expected to be erroneous

Question 27

Extension

Answer 27

Replicating part of a prior study, but adding some additional features

Question 28

Partial Replication

Answer 28

Repeats a portion of some prior study research; usually completed as part of a study that extends the results of the initial research

Question 29

Creative Thinking

Answer 29

A process of making an innovative connection between seemingly unrelated ideas or events