Psychological Research

Question 1

Scientist

Answer 1

Understanding human and animal, thoughts and behaviours.

Question 2

Hypothesis

Answer 2

Tentative belief/ prediction about the way two (or more) variables interact/impact each other

Question 3

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 3

Is the in-depth observation of a phenomenon in its natural setting; it is useful describing complex phenomena as they exist outside the laboratory

• Researcher also a participant (carefully observes behaviour without intervening)
• Advantages: In-depth observation of behaviour in natural setting, not contrived
• Can provide new insights
• Disadvantages: Reactivity→difficult to remain unobtrusive

Question 4

Case Study

Answer 4

• Case study: in depth observation of one participant or a small group of participants (using interview, direct observation, records, psychological tests)

• Advantages: can provide rich, compelling data to support a theory
• Disadvantages: Representative of general population
• Subjectivity: investigators may see what they expect to see

Question 5

Survey Research

Answer 5

• Survey Research: Involves asking a large sample of people questions, usually about their attitudes or behaviours, through interviews or questionnaires.

• Advantages: data on difficult to observe behaviour – data from a larger sample
• Disadvantages: Self report data can be unreliable (intentional deception, social desirability, response sets, reliance on memory)

Question 6

Correlational Research

Answer 6

• Correlational research: Assesses the degree to which two variables are related. Quantifies the association between two variables, and ranges from -1.0 to +1.0. A correlation of 0 means that two variables are unrelated. Whereas a high correlation (positive or negative) means participants scores on one variable are good predictors of their scores on the other. Can shed important light on the relationships among
variables, but correlational does not imply causation.
- Useful for studying variables that a researcher can’t manipulate (personality, sex, gender, age)
- Can demonstrate that a relationship exists, but can’t demonstrate causality
- Positive correlation: people with high scores on a variable tend to have high scores on the other variable
- Negative correlation: the more hours people spend practicing, the fewer errors they make when they perform
- No correlation: A high score on one dimension predicts nothing about a person’s score on the other dimension→ the number of dreams people have about plane crashes has nothing to do with the number of plane crashes

Question 7

Experiment

Answer 7

• Experiment: A research design in which investigators manipulate some aspect of a situation and examine the impact of this manipulation on the way participants respond
- manipulates one variable (independent variable) to see its effect on another variable (dependent variable)

Question 8

Reliability

Answer 8

• Reliability: A measure’s ability to produce consistent results. Like stepping on a scale the same person shouldn’t get two very different results a few minutes later.

Question 9

Validity

Answer 9

• Validity: The extent to which a test measures the construct it attempts to assess, or a study adequately addresses the hypothesis it attempts to assess. E.g. IQ tests are supposed to measure intelligence.

Question 10

Test-retest reliability

Answer 10

• Test-retest reliability: Does the test give similar values if the same participant takes it two or more times?

Question 11

Internal Consistency

Answer 11

• Internal consistency: Different times that measure the same variable should produce similar answers- be consistent

Question 12

Inter-rater reliability

Answer 12

• Inter-rater reliability: Two testers who rate the same person on the same variable, should give similar ratings to the participant.

Question 13

Independent Variables

Answer 13

• Independent variables: The variables an experimenter manipulates, or the effects which the experimenter assesses (Causes)

Question 14

Dependent Variables

Answer 14

• Dependent Variables: The responses the experimenter measures to see if the experimental manipulation has had an effect. (effects)

Question 15

Cofounding Variables

Answer 15

• Cofounding variables: Ruling out other explanations

Question 16

Participant Bias

Answer 16

• Participant bias: The tendency of people who know they are participants in a study to behave in a way other than they normally would

Question 17

Demand Characteristics

Answer 17

• Demand characteristics: Participants respond in a way they think the experimenter wants them to respond

Question 18

Placebo Effects

Answer 18

• Placebo effects: Participants condition improves because they believe the procedures will help them

Question 19

Experimenter Bias

Answer 19

• Experimenter bias: The tendency of experimenters to let their expectancies alter the way they treat their participants

Question 20

Self-fulfilling prophecy

Answer 20

• Self-fulfilling prophecy: A false definition of a situation that evokes behaviour that in turn makes the false conception become true

Question 21

Controlling bias

Answer 21

• Controlling Bias:

• Single-blind study: Either experimenter or participant unaware of purpose of the study
• Double-blind study: Both experimenter and participant blind to the purpose of the study