Research Methods

Question 1

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 1

A prediction, more specific

Question 2

What does theory mean?

Answer 2

An explanation for something, more general

Question 3

What is the scientific method?

Answer 3

scientist conduct research which consists of 5 processes

Question 4

What is the first step of the scientific method?

Answer 4

Define the problem
- Informal observation and research

Question 5

What is the second step of the scientific method?

Answer 5

Hypothesis and Theory (create)

Question 6

What is the third step of the scientific method? What are the 3 components?

Answer 6

Testing hypothesis
1. measurement/observation
2. Sampling
3. Design/data

Question 7

What is the fourth step of the scientific method?

Answer 7

Analysis/decisions
- determine if the data supports the hypothesis

Question 8

What is the fifth step of the scientific method?

Answer 8

Dissemination/publication
- present and publish

Question 9

What is reliability?

Answer 9

The test of measure gives us a consistent result over time or between different raters

Question 10

What is validity?

Answer 10

The extent to which a concept, conclusion, or measurement is well-founded and likely corresponds accurately to the real world.

Question 11

What is correlation research?

Answer 11

Studies that measure 2 or more variables and their relationship to one another

Question 12

What is descriptive research?

Answer 12

The researcher defines a problem and variable of interest but doesn’t make a prediction and doesn’t control or manipulate anything

Question 13

What are experimental designs?

Answer 13

Has independent and dependent variables, control of outside variables, and equivalent experimental conditions

Question 14

What is an experimental group?

Answer 14

The group of subjects that are exposed to the variable being tested.

Question 15

What is a control group?

Answer 15

A group in an experiment that doesn’t receive the variable being tested and is used to compare results to the experimental group

Question 16

What is an indepenedent variable?

Answer 16

A variable whose variation does NOT depend on that of another

Question 17

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 17

A variable whose value depends on that of another

Question 18

What is generalizability (external validity)?

Answer 18

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized and applied to other populations, situations, and settings beyond the specific context of the research

Question 19

What is internal validity?

Answer 19

The degree to which a study’s design and methodology can establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables without other factors influencing the results

Question 20

What is the IRB? What do they do?

Answer 20

Institutional Review Board
- Makes sure experiments are ethical

Question 21

What does informed consent mean?

Answer 21

A process that involves proving clients with information about psychological services and obtaining their agreement to participate

Question 22

What is deception?

Answer 22

The act of intentionally misleading someone by giving them false information or withholding the truth (allowed to use as long as it doesn’t hurt someone physically or mentally)

Question 23

What is debriefing?

Answer 23

The explanation of the purpose of the study following the data collection.