Research Flashcards
Empirical studies
Systematic study using methodological observations, which can be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively. Help us avoid drawing on personal experience.
Anecdotal evidence
Make sense of people’s behaviours.
Non-systematic observations including personal experiences.
Has potential to inspire interesting research questions.
Basic research
Driven purely by curiosity and a desire to expand our knowledge.
Furthers our general information about the world around us
Feeds applied research and vise versa
Ex in regards to rehab facility…general questions like : how many people relapse? How many people successfully complete the program?
Are funds being divided and utilized properly, etc.. the answers aren’t applicable to anything but act as a catalyst for future applied research for the rehab facility.
Fills in the knowledge we dont have
Applied research
Used to answer a specific question or solve a problem that has direct applications to the world
May be used to help understand a real world problem and solve it.
Descriptive Research
Used to observe, record and describe behaviour and environments rather than explaining.
3 types of descriptive research:
Naturalistic observations
Case Studies
Surveys
Naturalistic observation
Observe behaviour in real-world settings, like children interacting at a park or in a laboratory setting.
Observer is hidden from view. Does NOT control variables or become involved in any way
Case Study
Researchers gather info on one or a small number of individuals. Ex: studying spoken vocabulary of a toddler.
Findings cannot be generalized to the population as a whole.
Correlational research
Aims to uncover the strength of a relationship between two or more variables.
Positive means both variables change in the same direction
Negative means one variable increases as the other decreases.
Third variable
Influences the correlation between variables or a variable having an unintended impact on the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Independent Variable
Variable controlled by the experimenter to observe impact it has on the behaviour of interest.
Dependent variable
The variable measured by the experimenter to observe effects of the independent variable
Cross-sectional design
Different age groups are compared
Ex. Compare group of 50 yr old drivers with group of 80 yr old drivers - may take a few months to complete
Longitudinal design
Research in which one group of subjects is followed for a long period of time.
Example: testing a group of 50 year olds repeatedly over course of 30 years until they are 80
Cross-sequential design
Research where experimenter combines the benefits of both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs by adding a new group of subjects at progressive intervals.
Can show advantages and disadvantages of cross-sectional and longitudinal.
Cohort effects
Result from the fact that certain historical events affect people born in one period of history differently than those born in another period.
Describe the scientific method and why it’s important.
A process used to create knowledge and understanding by asking questions, exploring, predicting and making observations.
Is used to describe, explain and optimize human development.
Guides developmental research and generates credible findings.
Important because through these procedures it helps avoid negative consequences, learn from historic events or experiments and create new research questions about development and provides a better understanding of human development.
Surveys
Provide a fairly quick and inexpensive way to collect information from a relatively larger group than youd find in an observational study and much more than you’d get with a case study.
Findings can be analyzed by looking at the correlation between variables.
