Research Methods Flashcards
What is a frequency claim? What validity does it have?
What percentage/how many people do this - external
What is an association claim? What validity does it have?
What extent are 2 variables correlated - external
What is a causal claim? What validity does it have?
What is the direction of the relationship - internal
What is internal validity?
How scientific it is
What is external validity?
How generalizable to real life it is
What is observational study? What are the three types?
Type of correlational study; scientific people watching
1. naturalistic - observe behaviour in natural environment
2. participant - join group and observe from within (group can know you’re researcher or not)
3. structured - bring into lab and watch reactions
What are the pros and cons of observational studies?
Pro - very externally valid
Con - NOT internally valid (therefore can not make causal claim)
What does correlational studies (e.g. observational) question?
If two variables have a relationship/are related
What are problems with correlational studies?
Directionality problem - don’t know which caused which
Third variable problem - could have secret 3rd variable causing other 2
What is a quasi-experiment? When is it used?
Semi-experiment; used for subject variables (e.g. age, gender, race, etc)
Why can you not make causal claims with quasi-experiments?
Groups can not be randomly assigned
What is a field experiment? What type of validity does it have?
Experiments done outside of lab; higher internal validity than correlational but lower than lab experiments
What is a lab experiment? What type of validity does it have?
Random assignment to conditions ensures DV is result of IV; internal
What is self selection bias? How do you reduce it?
Subjects not representative of general pop because get to choose to participate in experiment; give vague info about experiment
What is self presentation bias? How do you reduce it?
Subjects present socially correct (not authentic) self; give anonymity, increase engagement and replicate experiments
What is experimental demand?
Participants behave in the way they think the experimenter wants
What are important aspects of research ethics?
Informed consent and thorough debriefs (especially if cover story)
What is the replication crisis? Why is it happening? What are solutions?
Failure to replicate findings; high pressure to publicize causes people not to check other experiment’s findings; preregistering and open materials/data
