Research in Psychology

Question 1

confound variable

Answer 1

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)

Question 2

Operational Definition

Answer 2

Actions or operations that will be used to measure or control a variable (how are you making your abstract variable observable/concrete)

Question 3

define experimental and control groups

Answer 3

experimental is the group that will be manipulated (like receiving a drug)
control is the group that will not be receiving anything

Question 4

Advantages of Experiment

Answer 4

1) Precise control over variables
2) Draw conclusions about cause -effect relationship

Question 5

DIsadvantages of Experiment

Answer 5

1) Experiments are often artificial
2) Ethical concerns
3) Practical realities

Question 6

three goals of science

Answer 6

1) measure and describe any phenomenon or behaviour in our environment
2) understand and predict the phenomenon
3) apply and control

Question 7

5 steps in a scientific investigation

Answer 7

1) formulate a hypothesis
2) design a study
3) collect the data
4) analyze data and draw conclusions
5) report the findings

Question 8

What is the purpose of experiments?

Answer 8

to test a theory
theory = statement about the probable relationships among a set of abstract variables

Question 9

Hypothesis

Answer 9

Allows us to test experimental ideas
support for a hypothesis does not prove a theory

Question 10

what is the rot test

Answer 10

A test all experimental questions must pass
Repeatable
Observable
Testable

Question 11

What is the Quasi-Experimental Design

Answer 11

used to estimate causal impact of X on Y.
It lacks important factors such as random assingment

Question 12

Advantages of Quasi- Experimental Design

Answer 12

Easier to set up
Minimize threats to external validity

Question 13

Disadvantages of Quasi Experimental Design

Answer 13

Lack of random assignment
Difficult to rule out confounds

Question 14

does correlation equal to causality?

Answer 14

NO
correlation= association

Question 15

What is illusory correlation?

Answer 15

perceiving a relationship between variables even when no such relationshiop exists

Question 16

What is the range of correlation coefficient r?

Answer 16

-1.0 to +1.0

Question 17

What is positive correlation?

Answer 17

if one goes up, the other goes up

if one goes down, the other goes down

Question 18

What is negative correlation?

Answer 18

if one goes up, the other goes down

if one goes down, the other goes up

Question 19

What is qualitative research?

Answer 19

People behaving in their natural settings and describing their world in their own words.

Question 20

4 types of qualitative research

Answer 20

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

Question 21

what is Naturalistic Observation?

Answer 21

Careful observation of beh. without intrvening directly with the subjects

Question 22

Advantages of Naturaliztic Observation

Answer 22

1)Minimizes artificiality
2)good when little is known
3) study animals and human beings

Question 23

Disadvantages of Naturalistic Observation

Answer 23

1) Unable to draw causal conditions
2) Difficult to quantify
3) Difficult to remain unobtrusive

Question 24

What is case studies?

Answer 24

an in-depth investigation if an individual subject

Question 25

Advantages of case studies

Answer 25

1) Study pyschological disorder
2) provide illustrations to support atheory

Question 26

DIsadvantages of case studies

Answer 26

1) Subjectivity
2)Unable to draw causal conclusions
3) Samples not representative

Question 27

is survey quantitative or qualitative?

Answer 27

Quantitative

Question 28

Survey

Answer 28

can measure factors that can/ can NOT be directly measured

Question 29

what is group administration (survey)

Answer 29

distribute and collect a written survey to some pre established group

Question 30

what is the likert scale?

Answer 30

Survey rating scale in wihc respondents are asked to indicate whether they agree or disagree with each statement

Question 31

Reliability

Answer 31

the extent to which an instrument produces consistent measurements
CONSISTENCY

Question 32

Validity

Answer 32

the extent to which an instrument measures what it claims to measure
TRUTH

Question 33

Advantages of Survey Research

Answer 33

1) Assess factors that other methods can not
2) Collect large amounts of data

Question 34

DIsadvantages of Survey Research

Answer 34

1) Low response rates create issues
2) Surveys are correlationsal observations
3) do not measure behavior directly (social desirability)

Question 35

Placebo

Answer 35

substance that resembles a drug but hs no actual pharmacological effect

Question 36

Placebo effect

Answer 36

Patients given a placebo have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition
Attributable to people’s expectations

Question 37

Social desirability bias

Answer 37

the tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself

Question 38

experimenter bias

Answer 38

subjective bias towards a result expected by the experimenter

researchers my unintentionally infleunce the behavior of their subjects

Question 39

how to prevent experimenter bias?

Answer 39

double binding- neither participants nor researchers know in what group participants are

Question 40

name an experiment that raised ethical concerns

Answer 40

The Stanford Prison Experiment ( Zimbardo, 1971)

Question 41

Institutional Review Board

Answer 41

Reviews and approves research involving human subjects