PSYCHOLOGY- key science skills Flashcards
what is psychology
psychology is defined as the scientific study of human mental states and behaviour.
what is pseudoscience
a collection of beliefs or practices mistakenly regarded as being based on scientific method
what is a theory in psychology and example
a theory is a proposition or set of principles that is used to explain something or make predictions about cause and effect. the man function being to explain and predict.
example= the theory that behaviour is learnt through interaction with the environment.
what is a model is psychology and example
a model is a representation of a concept, process, or behaviour, often made to simplify or make something easier to understand.
example= the multi-stone model of memory posits that we have a sensory, short-term, and long-term memory store.
what is the structure of a hypothesis and what should it include
I- independent variable and dependent variable
P- population
A- and
D- direction
what is the independent variable
the independent variable is the variable that is manipulated. we want to know its effect of on the dependent variable
what is the dependent variable
the dependent variable is the variable that is measured. we want to understand how it is affected by the independent variable.
what is an aim is psychology
an aim is a statement outlining the purpose of the investigation
what is the scientific method
the scientific method is a procedure used to obtain knowledge that involves hypothesis formulation, testing, and re-testing through processes of experimentation, observation, measurement and recording.
what is scientific research
ideas and theories generated through observation and experiment
what is non scientific research
ideas formed without empirical evidence or the use of scientific methods or principles.
what is the population in a hypothesis
the group of people that are the focus of the research to which findings from the sample can be generalised to
what is an experiment
an experiment is when a cause and effect relationship between two variables is measured in a controlled environment
what is a controlled experiment
a type of investigation that measures the casual relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent variable, whilst controlling for all other variables
what is an extraneous variable and give examples
any variable that is not the independent variable, but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable. examples include: time of day, participant interest in the topic at hand, demographic variables (gender or educational level) and setting/environment.
what is a control group
the group of participants who receive no experimental treatement or intervention to serve as a baseline for comparison.
what is a experimental group
the group of participants exposed to a manipulated independent variable.
what is a between-subjects design
an experimental design in which individuals are divided into different groups and complete only one experimental condition.
what is a within-subjects design
an experimental design in which participants complete every experimental condition
what is a mixed-method design
an experimental design which combines different elements of within-subjects and between- subjects designs
what is a key feature of controlled experiments
aiming to ensure that the changes to the DV can be attributed to the IV rather than other variables
what is scientific research
scientific research is conducted with the aim of generalising its results to the population, rather than just the small number of participants who completed the experiment (the sample)
what does it mean to generalise
using a samples results to make conclusions about the wider research population
what does population mean
the group of people who are the focus of study and what which the sample is drawn
what is the sample/emperiment
a subset of the research population who participate in a study
what are the set of requirements that you need in order to be able to generalise the results of your experiment
representative- meaning that any relative characteristics in the population should be reflected in the sample in the same proportions.
relatively large- the larger a sample is, the more likely that is is to be representative of the population
what are the types of sampling
- convenient sampling
- random sampling
- stratified sampling
what is convenient sampling
refers to any sampling technique that involves selecting readily available members of the population
what is random sampling
random sampling is when every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample
what is stratified sampling
stratified sampling is a technique that involves selecting people from the population in a way that ensures that its stata (sub groups) are portionally represented in the sample.
what is allocation
Once the sample has been chosen, the participants are divided into the different groups required in the study. This is known as allocation.
what is extraneous variable
a variable that is not the independent variable, but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable
order effects
the tendency for the order in which participants complete experimental conditions to have an effect on their behaviour
what is a participant related variable
characteristics of a study’s participants that may effect its results
what is an order effect
the tendency for the order in which participants complete experimental conditions to have an effect on their behaviour
what is the placebo effect
when participants respond to an inactive substance or treatment as a result of their expectations or beliefs.
what are experimenter effects
when expectations of the researcher effects the results of an experiment
what is a single-blind procedure
a procedure in which the participants are unaware of the experimental condition they have beeb allocated to.
what is data
data is any information that is used within an investigation or is collected during an investigation
what is primary data
data collected first-hand by a researcher
what is secondary data
data sourced from others prior research
what is qualitative data
data that is expressed non-numerically
what is subjective data
data that relies on a researchers personal opinion or interpretation, subjective data is sometimes qualitative.
what is objective data
data that is unbiased and not subject to personal opinion or interpretation, also being quantitative.
what is accuracy
refers to how close a measurement is to the true value of the quality being measured.
what is precision
precision refers to the consistency of measurements or assessments. A precise psychological measure produces similar results when repeated under consistent conditions, indicating a high level of reliability.
what is a systematic error
consistent and predictable mistake or deviation, from the true value in measurements or observations. it occurs in a systematic and repeatable manner, impacting results consistently in the same direction.
what are ethical concepts
ethical concepts refer to the broad, moral guiding principles that people should consider when conducting research, practicing psychology , or when analysing a psychological issue or debate.
what are the 5 ethical concepts
- beneficence
- integrity
respect - justice
- non- maleficence
what is beneficence
refers to the commitment to maximising benefits and minimising the risks and harms involved in taking a particular position or course action (maximising the benefits and ensuring that research and interventions have positive effects)
what is integrity
Integrity, as an ethical concept, refers to the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. In various fields, including psychology, integrity is a fundamental value that guides ethical conduct. In the context of psychology, integrity encompasses honesty, transparency, and a commitment to ethical principles in professional practice, research, and interactions with clients or participants.
what is respect
In psychology, the ethical concept of respect involves recognizing and valuing the inherent worth, autonomy, and dignity of individuals. It encompasses treating clients, research participants, and colleagues with fairness, cultural sensitivity, and empathy. Respecting confidentiality, maintaining professional boundaries, and avoiding discrimination are integral aspects of ethical behavior in psychology.
what is justice
justice is the moral obligation to ensure that there is fair consideration of competing claims- no unfair burden
what is non-maleficence (no-harm principle
Non-maleficence emphasizes the ethical obligation to avoid causing harm intentionally and to strive to minimize potential harm when engaging in professional activities.
what are ethical guidelines
include the procedures and principles used to ensure that participants are safe and respected
what are the 6 ethical guidelines
- withdrawal rights
- use of deception
- confidentiality
- voluntary participation
- debriefing
- informed concent procedures
what is confidentiality
refers to the privacy, protection, and security of participants personal information.
what is the use of deception
act of intentionally misleading participants about the true nature of a study or procedure
what is informed consent procedures
ensure that participants understand that the nature and purpose of the experiment, including potential risks, (both physical and psychological), before agreeing to participate in the study
what is debriefing
ensures that at the end of the experiment, the participants leaves understanding the experimental aim, results and conclusions. (at the end of every study)
what is voluntary participation
ensures there is no coercion or pressure put on the participants to partake in an experiment and they freely choose to be involved.
