Research Methods Flashcards
Basic research
Increasing the scientific knowledge base
Applied research
Research to find solutions to specific problems
Quantitative data
Numerical type data
Qualitative data
Non-numerical and descriptive
Descriptive research
Describes general or specific behaviors/attributes that are observed and measured
Doesn’t test specific relationships, allows for further study
Case study
Observing one or a few individuals in depth, rare phenomena
Provides lots of information and allows for study that would otherwise be unethical
Unrepresentative to average population
Survey method
Allows for private information and lots of data on large groups
People don’t always give accurate responses
Wording affect
Possible effects on participants caused by the order or choice of words
Self report data
Relies on individuals on rapport other symptoms, behaviors, beliefs or attitude
Naturalistic observation
Careful observation of animals or people in their natural environment
Allows for direct observation and useful first stage of research
Doesn’t give the researcher a lot of control, no cause or effect conclusions
Laboratory observation
Involves and observing behavior in a contrived and control the situation
Observer effect
When people know they’re being watched they are less likely to behave naturally
Observer/research bias
Observers who are closely involved in the research may skew observations to fit their research expectations
Hawthorne effect
Individuals may change their behavior due to attention they are receiving rather than manipulation of variables
Correlational studies
Research used to see if two variables are related and make predictions based on the relationship
Correlation is not
Causation
Correlation coefficient
Statistical measure of the relationship of variables
Close to plus or minus one is strong
Close to zero is weak
Scatterplot
A data display that shows the relationship between two numerical variables
Positive correlation
One variable increases so does the other
One variable decreases so does the other
Negative correlation
A decrease in one variable and an increase in the other variable
Illusory correlation
Perceived as a relationship but nonexistent the correlation coefficient indicates no correlation
Third variable problem
Researchers cannot rule out the possibility that a third variable causes both the other variables to increase or decrease
Experimental method
Establishes a cause-and-effect relationship and allows researchers to control the situation
Variable
Anything that can change in an experiment
Independent variable
The factor that the experimenter manipulates
If, treatment
Dependent variable
The variable that is being measured or tested
Then, outcome
Operational definition
Definition of the variable in terms of how it is going to be measured, allows replication of the experiment
Confounding variable
Differences between the experimental groups and they control group other than those resulting from the independent variable
Imperfect experimental control, limits conclusions
Population
All individuals in the group which the study applies to
Confederate
Individuals who seem to be participants but are actually part of the research team
Representative sample
A group that closely matches the characteristics of a full population
Larger, randomly drawn
Random sample
Select people to participate in the research in a way that everyone in the population has an equal chance of being included
Control group
No treatment or some kind of treatment with no effects to compare to other factors that might be causing the effect being examined
Experimental group
Group that is exposed to the independent variable
Random assignment
All members of a study have an equal chance of being placed in either a control or experimental group
Placebo condition
Allows researchers to separate the effects on a variable itself from the expectations of the participants
Drug with actual ingredient versus drug without ingredient
Single blind studies
Participants don’t know which treatment group they are in, decreases bias
Double blind study
Neither the experimenter or the participants know who is in which group
Eliminate researcher bias
Reliability
Whether or not an experiment can be repeated
Degree to which an experiment produces similar scores each time is used
Validity
The experiment is testing when it’s supposed to test
