Research Methods Flashcards

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1
Q

Functionalism

A

A school of American psychology that focused on the utility of consciousness. Focussing on behaviour and its function rather than the underlying structure.

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2
Q

Structuralism

A

Developed by Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward Titchner.
A school of American psychology that sought to describe the elements of conscious experience

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3
Q

British Psychological Society (BPS)

A

Governing body for psychology in the UK
founded in 1901

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4
Q

American Psychological Association (APA)

A

American governing body of psychology, world wide leader.
The APA style for referencing widely used in scientific journals.

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5
Q

Psychoanalysis

A

Credited to Freud
Analysis of the unconscious structures of the mind through psychotherapy

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6
Q

Behaviourism

A

The study of behaviour

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7
Q

Social Learning Theory

A

Suggests that social behaviour is learned by observing and imitating the behaviour of others. Developed by Albert Bandura.

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8
Q

Genetic Epistemology

A

The study of the development of knowledge, especially in children and they come to know their world. Developed by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget.

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9
Q

Humanistic/positive psychology

A

Research on the potential of individuals and their growth and self-actualisation

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10
Q

Social Psychology

A

The study of the mind and behaviour in relation with other people

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11
Q

Psychometrics

A

Field of study in psychology concerned with the theory and technique of measurement, such as of intelligence and personality

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12
Q

Neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience

A

The study of the link between the brain and behaviour.

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13
Q

Cognitive Psychology

A

the study of mental processes

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14
Q

Eugenics

A

(pseudoscience)
the practice of selective breeding to promote desired traits

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15
Q

Replication Crisis

A

The lack of replicability, that is the reproduction of results from previous studies, within psychological research

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16
Q

Null hypothesis H0
Alternative hypothesis H1

A

H0: there is no relationship between the two variables
H1: there is a relationship between the two variables

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17
Q

One tailed/directional hypothesis

A

Specifies the direction of the hypothesis, e.g. alcohol will increase/decrease reaction time

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18
Q

Two-tailed/non-directional hypothesis

A

Leaves the direction of the hypothesis open, e.g. alcohol will have an effect on reaction time

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19
Q

Scientific theory

A

A comprehensive explanation supported by a vast body of evidence

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20
Q

Qualitive design

A

Research through observation, interviews, focus groups etc.

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21
Q

Quantitative research

A

research strategy focussed on quantifying the collection and analysis of data

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22
Q

Experimental design

A

Experimental designs have variables that can be manipulated or measured

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23
Q

Observational design

A

Research through observation, e.g. Study. The observation and measurement of variables

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24
Q

Independent variable (IV)

A

the thing that you manipulate/change

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25
Q

Dependent variable (DV)

A

The thing that you measure

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26
Q

Control variable

A

The thing that you keep constant

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27
Q

Within-subject / repeated measures

A

All participants are exposed to all levels/conditions of the independent variable.

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28
Q

Between-subjects / independent design

A

Different participants are exposed to different levels/conditions of the independent variable

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29
Q

Counter-balancing

A

Technique used to deal with order effects when using a repeated measures design. Half of the sample complete the first condition first and the second condition afterwards and the other half of the sample, the second condition first and then the first condition.

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30
Q

Order effects

A

Participants responses to various conditions are affected by the order of the conditions to which they are exposed

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31
Q

Experimenter bias

A

The unintentional influence of the experimenter’s expectations, beliefs or preconceived notions on the outcome of a study or research experiment.

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32
Q

Participant bias

A

The conscious or unconscious effort of the participant to appeal to the researcher in a study rather than responding naturally.

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33
Q

Hawthorne effect

A

The modification of behaviour by study participants in response to their knowledge that they are being observed or singled out for special treatment.

34
Q

Placebo effect

A

A person’s physical or mental heath improves after taking a placebo.

35
Q

Single-blind

A

The Participant do not know in what group they are in, in an experiment

36
Q

Double-blind

A

Neither the participant, nor the experimenter know the what group they are in.

37
Q

Confounds/extraneous variables

A

Variables that influence/interfere with an accurate measurement between the independent and dependent variable

38
Q

positive/negative correlation

A

positive correlation: one score increases, and so does the other
negative correlation: one score decreases, and so does the other

39
Q

sample

A

A subsection of a population

40
Q

population

A

An entire group with specific characteristics

41
Q

Reliability and Validity

A

Reliable: something produces the same results after repetition of test/experiment/analysis
Valid: Accurate measurement
You can have reliability without validity but you cannot have validity without reliability

42
Q

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST)

A

To check whether a statistical relationship in a sample reflects a real relationship in the population or is just due to chance

43
Q

p-value

A

The probability of the observed data under the null hypothesis, so if the independent variable doesn’t affect the dependent variable

psychologists typically use 0.5, or 5% as the cut-off:
p < 0.5 -> statistically significant (reject H0 in favour of H1)
p > 0.5 -> non-significant (fail to reject H0)

44
Q

Type 1 error/false positive

A

A rejected null hypothesis that is actually true

45
Q

Type 2 error/false negative

A

Acceptance of null hypothesis that is actually false in the population

46
Q

Familywise error

A

Probability of making more false positive results (type 1 error) the more tests you run simultaneously

47
Q

p-hacking

A

manipulation of p-value through “rounding off” p-value, not reporting all dependent measures/ conditions, selective reporting (file drawer problem)

48
Q

HARKing

A

Coming up with the hypothesis after the results - reporting unexpected findings as predicted

49
Q

Sharp-shooter fallacy

A

cherry picking specific data points or patterns

50
Q

File drawer problem

A

selectively reporting studies that “worked”

51
Q

Publication bias

A

Studies submitted after the results have been analysed -> only showing “appealing”, “newsworthy” studies

52
Q

Pre-registration

A

Writing down what you plan to do and your predictions before the data collection commences

53
Q

Plagiarism

A

To take credit for someone else’s work or ideas, etc. without appropriate credit

54
Q

Falsification

A

Manipulating and/or distorting existing data

55
Q

Fabrication

A

Making up data that did not previously exist

56
Q

Non-sequiturs

A

A logical fallacy in which the conclusion does not logically follow the premises of the argument

57
Q

Secondary analysis

A

the analysis of an existing data set to answer a new research question

58
Q

Cross-sectional Research

A

Studying groups at one time point

59
Q

Longitudinal research

A

Studying the same group over time

60
Q

Cohort

A

A sample which is large and intended to be representative

61
Q

Cohort effects

A

differences between cohorts due to differences in experiences, not e.g. age

62
Q

practice/test effects

A

improvement/change in result due to repetitions

63
Q

cross generational problem

A

changes in cohort specific to the specific cohort and their experiences and not generalisable

64
Q

selective survival

A

A process that results in individuals with certain characteristics disproportionately surviving to old age

65
Q

attrition/selective drop out

A

loss of participants from sample overt time - who drops out? is there a pattern of people that drop out

66
Q

accelerated longitudinal study

A

a more structured multiple cohort design that takes multiple single cohorts, each one starting at a different age and follows them for a shorter period of time than a traditional longitudinal study

67
Q

cross-lagged panel correlation analysis

A

A technique used in longitudinal, nonexperimental designs to draw inferences about the direction of a relationship between two variables

68
Q

Internal validity

A

the extent to which a study’s findings unambiguously establish a cause-effect relationship between the independent and dependent variable (usually produced in labs)

69
Q

External validity

A

the extent to which a study’s findings generalise to other settings and samples

70
Q

Ecological validity

A

validity of study’s finding in different settings/locations

71
Q

Respondent burden

A

The participants burden of having to participate in a study, e.g. high respondent burden through multiple questionnaires in a day

72
Q

Experience sampling method

A

Collection of data about a sample of daily experiences throughout specific points in a day of the participant

73
Q

Day reconstructive method

A

At the end of the day, participants recall their experiences

74
Q

Ambulatory physiological monitoring

A

Monitoring of physiological responses in the body throughout a day (heart rate, blood pressure, sweat, body temperature)

75
Q

Randomised controlled trial

A

RCTs are prospective studies that measure the effectiveness of a new intervention or treatment

76
Q

Quasi-experimental study

A

Compare treatment and control but not through random allocation

77
Q

Efficacy

A

can it work?
assessed in controlled lab/clinic setting

78
Q

Effectiveness

A

does it work in real life?
in a realistic setting

79
Q

Efficiency

A

evaluate the cost/benefit of an intervention study

80
Q

Feasibility study

A

to assess a proposed intervention, small scale study

81
Q

Adherence / compliance

A

If there is no difference between the treatment and control group is it because the intervention does not work or because it wasn’t adhered to correctly?

82
Q

Volunteer bias

A

Study participants are volunteers, therefore they may be more motivated and engaged in a study than the whole target population