Psychology Research Designs

Question 1

Case Study

Answer 1

Case study research involves researchers conduction a close-up look at an individual, a phenomenon, or a group in its real-world naturalistic environment. Case studies are more intrusive than naturalistic observational studies.

Question 2

Naturalistic observation.

Answer 2

a kind of field research, involves observing research subjects in their own environment, without any introduced external factors. has a high degree of external validity.

Question 3

Surveys

Answer 3

sample a group of individuals that are chosen to be representative of a larger population. naturally cannot research every individual in a population, thus a great deal of study is conducted to ensure that samples truly represent the populations they’re supposed to describe. Polls about public opinion, market-research surveys, public-health surveys, and government surveys are examples of mass spectrum .

Question 4

Case-control study

Answer 4

comparison between two groups, one of which experienced a condition while the other group did not. are retrospective; that is, they observe a situation that has already happened. Two groups exist that are as similar as possible, save that a hypothesized agent affected the case group. This hypothesized agent, condition or singular difference between groups is said to correlate with differences in outcomes.

Question 5

Observational study

Answer 5

allow researchers to make some inferences from a group sample to an overall population. independent variable cannot be controlled or modified directly. Researchers are not manipulating the measure of the independent variable, but they are attempting to measure its effect by group to group comparison.

Question 6

Field experiment

Answer 6

researchers manipulate an independent variable and measure changes in the tested, dependent variable. generalize extremely well, it’s not possible to eliminate extraneous variables. This can limit the usefulness of any conclusions.

Question 7

Experimental Research Design

Answer 7

researchers perform tightly controlled laboratory experiments that eliminate external, erroneous variables. This high level of control allows results to have a high degree of internal validity

Question 8

Internal Validity

Answer 8

refers to the degree to which an experiment’s outcomes come from manipulations of the independent variable.

Question 9

Literature review

Answer 9

paper examining other experiments or research into a particular subject. These examine research published in academic and other scholarly journals. All research starts with a search for research similar, or at least fundamentally similar, to the research question in question.

Question 10

Systematic review

Answer 10

examines as much published, verified research that matches the researchers’ guidelines for a particular line of research. This involves multiple and exhaustive literature reviews. After conducting a systematic review of all other research on a topic that meets criteria, psychology researchers conduct a meta-analysis.

Question 11

Meta-analysis

Answer 11

involve complex statistical analysis of former research to answer an overall research question.

Question 12

Hindsight Bias

Answer 12

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it.

Question 13

Critical Thinking

Answer 13

Thinking that examines assumptions, appraises the source, discerns hidden biases, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

Question 14

Peer Reviewers

Answer 14

Scientific experts who evaluate a research article’s theory, originality, and accuracy

Question 15

Theory

Answer 15

An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

Question 16

Hypothesis

Answer 16

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Question 17

Falsifiable

Answer 17

The possibility that an idea, hypothesis, or theory can be disproven by observation or experiment

Question 18

Operational Definition

Answer 18

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations)used in a research study.

Question 19

Replication

Answer 19

Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced.

Question 20

Social Desirability Bias

Answer 20

Bias from people’s responding in ways they presume a researcher expects or wishes.

Question 21

Self-Report Bias

Answer 21

Bias when people report their behavior inaccurately

Question 22

Sampling Bias

Answer 22

A flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

Question 23

Random Sampling

Answer 23

Something that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion

Question 24

Population

Answer 24

all those in a group being studied, from which random samples may be drawn

Question 25

Correlation

Answer 25

a measure of the extend to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other

Question 26

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 26

A statistical index of the relationship between two variables (from -1.00-+1.00)

Question 27

Variable

Answer 27

anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

Question 28

Illusory Correlation

Answer 28

Perceiving a relationship where none exists, or perceiving a stronger-than-actual relationship

Question 29

Regression Toward the Mean

Answer 29

the tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back toward the average.

Question 30

Experiment

Answer 30

Research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental processes.

Question 31

Experimental group

Answer 31

The group exposed to the treatment - that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Question 32

Control Group

Answer 32

The group not exposed to the treatment, contrasts with the other group, serving as a comparison for evaluating effective treatment

Question 33

Random Assignment

Answer 33

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups.

Question 34

Single-Blind Procedure

Answer 34

An experimental procedure in which the research participants are ignorant (blind) about whether they have received the treatment or a placebo.

Question 35

Double-Blind Procedure

Answer 35

An experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo.

Question 36

Placebo Effect

Answer 36

Experimental results caused by expectations alone, any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.

Question 37

Independent Variable

Answer 37

The factor that is manipulated, the variable who’s effect is being studie

Question 38

Dependent Variable

Answer 38

the outcome that is measured, the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated

Question 39

Confounding Variable

Answer 39

A factor other than the factor being studied hat might influence a study’s results

Question 40

Experimenter Bias

Answer 40

Caused when researchers may unintentionally influence results to confirm their own beliefs.

Question 41

Quantitative Research

Answer 41

Research method that relies on numerical data

Question 42

Qualitative Research

Answer 42

Research method that relies on in -depth, narrative data that are not translated into numbers

Question 43

Informed Consent

Answer 43

Giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Question 44

Debriefing

Answer 44

Post-experimental explanation of a study, including it’s purpose and any deceptions, to its participants

Question 45

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 45

Numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups, include measures of central tendency and measures of variation

Question 46

Histogram

Answer 46

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Question 47

Percentile Rank

Answer 47

The % of scores that are lower than a given score

Question 48

Skewed Distribution

Answer 48

A representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value

Question 49

Standard Deviation

Answer 49

SAA computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Question 50

Normal Curve

Answer 50

A symmetrical, bell-shaped curve, that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean.

Question 51

Inferential Statistics

Answer 51

Numerical date that allow one to generalize - to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population

Question 52

Statistical Significance

Answer 52

a statistical statement of how likely it is that a result occurred bbyy chance, assuming there is no difference between the populations being studied.

Question 53

Effect Size

Answer 53

The strength of relationship between two variables. The larger the effect size, the more one variable can be explained by the other.