Research in Psychology Flashcards
confound variable
variable that correlates with both iv and dv in a study. ex ( happiness leads to longetivity, but eating habits might affect both happiness levels and longevitiy)
Operational Definition
Actions or operations that will be used to measure or control a variable (how are you making your abstract variable observable/concrete)
define experimental and control groups
experimental is the group that will be manipulated (like receiving a drug)
control is the group that will not be receiving anything
Advantages of Experiment
1) Precise control over variables
2) Draw conclusions about cause -effect relationship
DIsadvantages of Experiment
1) Experiments are often artificial
2) Ethical concerns
3) Practical realities
three goals of science
1) measure and describe any phenomenon or behaviour in our environment
2) understand and predict the phenomenon
3) apply and control
5 steps in a scientific investigation
1) formulate a hypothesis
2) design a study
3) collect the data
4) analyze data and draw conclusions
5) report the findings
What is the purpose of experiments?
to test a theory
theory = statement about the probable relationships among a set of abstract variables
Hypothesis
Allows us to test experimental ideas
support for a hypothesis does not prove a theory
what is the rot test
A test all experimental questions must pass
Repeatable
Observable
Testable
What is the Quasi-Experimental Design
used to estimate causal impact of X on Y.
It lacks important factors such as random assingment
Advantages of Quasi- Experimental Design
Easier to set up
Minimize threats to external validity
Disadvantages of Quasi Experimental Design
Lack of random assignment
Difficult to rule out confounds
does correlation equal to causality?
NO
correlation= association
What is illusory correlation?
perceiving a relationship between variables even when no such relationshiop exists
What is the range of correlation coefficient r?
-1.0 to +1.0
What is positive correlation?
if one goes up, the other goes up
if one goes down, the other goes down
What is negative correlation?
if one goes up, the other goes down
if one goes down, the other goes up
What is qualitative research?
People behaving in their natural settings and describing their world in their own words.
4 types of qualitative research
1) Ethnography : study of social and cultural conditions
2) naturalistic observation: observe behaviors under natural conditions
3) case history/study: detailed account of the events in a case
4) focus group interview
what is Naturalistic Observation?
Careful observation of beh. without intrvening directly with the subjects
Advantages of Naturaliztic Observation
1)Minimizes artificiality
2)good when little is known
3) study animals and human beings
Disadvantages of Naturalistic Observation
1) Unable to draw causal conditions
2) Difficult to quantify
3) Difficult to remain unobtrusive
What is case studies?
an in-depth investigation if an individual subject
Advantages of case studies
1) Study pyschological disorder
2) provide illustrations to support atheory
DIsadvantages of case studies
1) Subjectivity
2)Unable to draw causal conclusions
3) Samples not representative
is survey quantitative or qualitative?
Quantitative
Survey
can measure factors that can/ can NOT be directly measured
what is group administration (survey)
distribute and collect a written survey to some pre established group
what is the likert scale?
Survey rating scale in wihc respondents are asked to indicate whether they agree or disagree with each statement
Reliability
the extent to which an instrument produces consistent measurements
CONSISTENCY
Validity
the extent to which an instrument measures what it claims to measure
TRUTH
Advantages of Survey Research
1) Assess factors that other methods can not
2) Collect large amounts of data
DIsadvantages of Survey Research
1) Low response rates create issues
2) Surveys are correlationsal observations
3) do not measure behavior directly (social desirability)
Placebo
substance that resembles a drug but hs no actual pharmacological effect
Placebo effect
Patients given a placebo have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition
Attributable to people’s expectations
Social desirability bias
the tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself
experimenter bias
subjective bias towards a result expected by the experimenter
researchers my unintentionally infleunce the behavior of their subjects
how to prevent experimenter bias?
double binding- neither participants nor researchers know in what group participants are
name an experiment that raised ethical concerns
The Stanford Prison Experiment ( Zimbardo, 1971)
Institutional Review Board
Reviews and approves research involving human subjects
