Research Enterprise in Psychology Flashcards
Abstract
Brief summary of a journal article.
Anecdotal Evidence
Personal stories pertaining to an event. Prone to bias and provides and extremely small sample size.
Between-subject Design
An experiment using two or more groups
Case Study
In depth research on a certain topic, usually using other studies to provide a gain a more complete understanding.
Correlation
Exists when 2 variables relate to each other
Correlation Coefficient
The strength of a relationship between 2 variables
Data Collection Techniques
Methods used to collect and store data used in research
Deception
Exists when experimenters lie to or trick participants into a study. This can cause distress and trust issues, but some scientists argue that certain studies could not be done without it.
Dependent Variable
The variable that is influenced in the study.
Descriptive Statistics
Used to organize and summarize data
Double-blind Procedure
When neither the experimenter nor the participants know who will be in which group.
Evidence-based Decision Making
Combines all evidence gathered to make a decision about a subject
Experiment
Research method where carefully controlled variables are observed
Experimental Group
Group of subjects who are given special treatment
Experimenter Bias
An experimenter unintentionally influencing a subject via nonverbal cues or actions
Extraneous Variables
Any variable other than the independent or dependent variable that influences the study
eg// personal characteristics
Hypothesis
Tentative statement about the relationship between variables
Independent Variable
The variable that influences the other variables in a study
Inferential Statistics
Statistics used to interpret data and draw conclusions
Interaction
Influences between variables
Journal
Publication of scientific studies focused on certain topics
Mean
Average. Most useful and most sensitive score.
Median
The exact middle score.
Mode
The most frequent score.
Naturalistic Observation
Observations done in a natural environment to reduce outside influence
Negative Correlation
2 variables that relate in different ways/directions.
eg// when happiness increases, suicide rates decrease
Operational Definition
Actions/measures taken to control a variable.
Participants
Subjects of a study
Placebo
Fake, empty or faulty treatment
Placebo Effect
Exists when a subject notices change when given fake, empty or faulty treatment.
Population
The group the sample is taken from
eg// population: north americans, sample: north americans in the study
Positive Correlation
2 variables that relate to each other in the same way.
eg// when you study more, you do better on exams
Random Assignment
When subjects are randomly placed into control or experimental groups
Random Sampling
Picks participants randomly from a population.
Replication
Rerun of an experiment. Helps to confirm facts and reduce mistakes made.
Research Methods
Ways of gathering and analyzing data
Response Set
The tendency to answer all questions in a set in a similar way regardless of if they are related or not
Sample
The people in a population actually involved in the study
Sampling Bias
Exists when the sample does not correctly represent the population.
eg// population: north americans sample: white north americans
Social Desirability Bias
The tendency to answer questions/ act in ways that are socially acceptable
Standard Devation
The amount a score can vary represented by a numerical value
Statistical Significance
Exists when the probability of the data occurring by chance is relatively low or non existent.
Statistics
A collection of numerical data
Surveys
A data collection technique based on question asking
Theory
Ideas strung together in a testable way to explain a set of observations
Variability
Inconsistency between variables
Variables
Controlled aspects to an experiment
Within-subjects Design
An experiment with one group that works as its own control.
Neal Miller
Did work with ethics in psychology
Robert Rosenthal
Discovered experimenter bias and explained how it could effect study results via nonverbal signals.
David Wolfe
Studied teens in abusive relationships and saw that previous maltreatment and current abuse positively correlated. This research helped at risk teens.
Identify 3 goals of the scientific enterprise
- Measurement/ description
- develop techniques to observe behaviour - Understanding/ prediction
- you can only fully understand events once you know why they happen - Application/ control
- apply research to practical problems such as those in schools, businesses and hospitals
List 5 steps in scientific investigations
- Formulate a testable hypothesis
- Select research method and design the study
- Collect the data
- Analyze the data and draw conclusions
- Report findings
List 2 advantages to the scientific approach
- Precision and clarity
2. Relative intolerance for error
Why is is advantageous to sometimes only use one group who works as their own control?
Having one group gets rid of any extraneous variables such as personal ability
Frequency Distribution
Arrangement of scores indicating frequency of a score or group of scores
Symmetrical Frequency Distribution
Mean, median and mode all match up
Negatively Skewed Distribution
All scores pile up on the higher end of the scale
Positively Skewed Distribution
All scores pile up on the lower end of the scale
Percentile Score
Percent of people who score at or above a certain score
eg// being in the 40th percentile means 40% of people scored at or below your score.
Describe the organization of a journal article
- Abstract
- concise summary of article - Intro
- overview of the study and relevant theories and past research
- goes into specific hypothesis - Methods
- describes research methods used and provides necessary info for study replication - Results
- Discussion
- authors conclusions based on data - References
