research methods Flashcards
What is the circle of science?
The circle of science refers to the iterative process in scientific research where observations lead to hypotheses, experiments test these hypotheses, data analysis confirms or disproves the hypothesis, and results lead to new questions or refinements of theory.
Who is Ferdinand Bernhard?
Ferdinand Bernhard is likely a typo or confusion with “Ferdinand de Saussure,” a Swiss linguist whose theories influenced many disciplines, including psychology, particularly in structuralism.
What were his roles?
If referring to Saussure, his main role was as a linguist who founded structuralism, influencing various fields, including psychology, by highlighting how language shapes thought.
How did psychology come on its own as a scientific discipline?
Psychology became a scientific discipline in the late 19th century with the founding of laboratories, such as Wilhelm Wundt’s in 1879, which introduced experimental methods to study the human mind objectively.
What is contemporary psychology?
Contemporary psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes in the modern world, incorporating various approaches such as cognitive, biological, and social psychology, influenced by advancements in neuroscience and technology.
What is an experiment?
An experiment is a research method in which the researcher manipulates one or more independent variables to observe their effect on a dependent variable, while controlling other factors.
What are the conditions for an experiment?
The conditions include controlled variables, random assignment of participants, manipulation of independent variables, and measurement of dependent variables to ensure reliable results
What is meant by the term standardised procedure?
Standardised procedures refer to a consistent and uniform way of conducting experiments, ensuring that every participant experiences the same conditions, reducing bias and increasing reliability.
Why are dependent variables need to be caused by independent variables?
The dependent variable must be influenced by the independent variable to test the hypothesis and establish a cause-effect relationship in the experiment.
What are the main features of an experiment?
The main features include manipulation of independent variables, measurement of dependent variables, control of extraneous variables, random allocation, and standardised procedures.
What is location in an experiment?
The location refers to the physical setting or environment where the experiment takes place, which can influence participant behavior and results.
What is a laboratory experiment?
A laboratory experiment is conducted in a controlled environment where the researcher can manipulate variables and measure their effects on behavior or mental processes.
What are controls?
Controls are factors or variables that are kept constant throughout the experiment to prevent them from influencing the dependent variable, ensuring that changes are due to the independent variable.
How do you evaluate a laboratory experiment?
Evaluation involves assessing the validity, reliability, ethics, and generalizability of the experiment, considering whether it measures what it intended and whether it can be replicated.
What is validity?
Validity refers to the extent to which an experiment measures what it is intended to measure, ensuring the results are accurate and meaningful.
What is reliability?
Reliability refers to the consistency and stability of the results over time or across different researchers, indicating the experiment’s dependability.
What are ethics?
Ethics in psychology refers to the moral principles guiding research, including informed consent, confidentiality, protection from harm, and the right to withdraw.
What is a field experiment?
A field experiment is conducted in a natural setting outside of the laboratory, where the researcher manipulates an independent variable and observes its effect on the dependent variable in a real-world context.
How do you evaluate a field experiment?
Evaluation involves assessing ecological validity (real-world relevance), control over extraneous variables, and ethical considerations, as field experiments often lack full control
What are the features of a laboratory experiment?
Features include a controlled environment, manipulation of independent variables, random allocation of participants, and high control over extraneous variables.
What are the features of a field experiment?
Features include real-world settings, natural behavior of participants, manipulation of variables, and less control over extraneous variables compared to laboratory experiment
What are control groups/conditions?
Control groups are groups of participants who do not receive the experimental treatment or manipulation, used for comparison against the experimental group
What is experimental design?
Experimental design refers to the overall strategy used to conduct an experiment, including how participants are allocated and how variables are controlled and manipulated.
What is repeated measures design?
Repeated measures design is when the same participants take part in all experimental conditions, allowing for comparisons across conditions within the same individuals.
What is random allocation?
Random allocation refers to randomly assigning participants to different experimental conditions to control for bias and ensure that each participant has an equal chance of being placed in any condition.
What are participant variables?
Participant variables are individual differences (e.g., age, gender, intelligence) that may affect the results of an experiment and need to be controlled or accounted for.
What are situational variables?
Situational variables are external factors (e.g., lighting, temperature, time of day) that can influence the outcome of an experiment and need to be controlled to maintain consistency.
What are demand characteristics?
Demand characteristics are cues in an experiment that influence participants to behave in a way they think is expected, potentially biasing the results.
What are order effects and explain the two kinds?
Order effects refer to changes in participants’ performance due to the order in which experimental conditions are presented. The two kinds are practice effects (improvement) and fatigue effects (decline).
What is counterbalancing?
Counterbalancing is a technique used in repeated measures design to control for order effects by varying the order of conditions for different participants
What is a matched pairs design?
A matched pairs design is when participants are paired based on similarities (e.g., age, IQ) and each member of the pair is assigned to a different condition.
What is the placebo effect?
The placebo effect occurs when participants experience a perceived improvement in their condition due to their belief that they are receiving treatment, even when no active treatment is given.
What is a double-blind design?
A double-blind design is an experimental procedure where both the participants and the researchers do not know which condition the participants are in, reducing bias in the study.
What are questionnaires?
Questionnaires are self-report tools used to collect data from participants through a series of written questions, either open or closed-ended.
What are self-reports?
Self-reports are research methods where participants provide information about themselves, often through questionnaires, interviews, or diaries.
What are the possible ways a questionnaire can be completed?
Questionnaires can be completed in person, online, by mail, or over the phone.
What are closed questions?
Closed questions are those that offer predefined responses, such as “yes/no” or multiple-choice options, making them easier to analyze.
What are open questions?
Open questions allow participants to respond freely and in detail, providing richer qualitative data.
What is a rating scale?
A rating scale is a type of closed question where participants rate something on a scale (e.g., from 1 to 5) to indicate their opinion or feelings.
How do you evaluate questionnaires?
Evaluation involves assessing the clarity of questions, reliability of responses, sampling methods, response rates, and potential biases such as social desirability.
What kind of closed questions are there?
Types of closed questions include multiple-choice, true/false, yes/no, and Likert scale (e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree).
What kind of open questions are there?
Types of open questions include general prompts, “how” or “why” questions, and those that ask for detailed opinions or explanations.
What are advantages of questionnaires?
Advantages include being cost-effective, easy to administer to large groups, and allowing for anonymity, which may encourage honest answers
What are disadvantages of questionnaires?
Disadvantages include response bias, misunderstanding of questions, and limited depth in responses, especially with closed questions.
What are interviews?
Interviews are a research method in which the researcher asks participants questions to gather qualitative data, either in a structured, semi-structured, or unstructured format
What are the ways an interview can be conducted?
Interviews can be conducted face-to-face, over the phone, or through video conferencing.
What are different kinds of interviews?
Types include structured (pre-set questions), semi-structured (a mix of prepared and spontaneous questions), and unstructured (more open-ended conversation).
What is a structured interview?
A structured interview follows a fixed set of questions, with no deviation, ensuring consistency across participants.
What is an unstructured interview?
An unstructured interview is flexible, with no predetermined questions, allowing for a free-flowing conversation.
What are the advantages of interviews?
Advantages include the ability to gather rich, qualitative data, clarify questions, and establish rapport with participants.
What are the disadvantages of interviews?
Disadvantages include interviewer bias, social desirability bias, and the time-consuming nature of conducting and analyzing interviews.
What are psychometric tests?
Psychometric tests are standardized assessments designed to measure psychological variables, such as intelligence, personality, and aptitude.
What is the floor and ceiling effect?
The floor effect occurs when test items are too difficult, and the ceiling effect occurs when they are too easy, leading to a lack of variability in results.
What are case studies?
Case studies are in-depth investigations of a single individual, group, or event, providing detailed qualitative data.
