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Psych 202 > Research Methods > Flashcards

Research Methods Flashcards

1
Q

What is hindsight bias?

A

Tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

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2
Q

How does overconfidence affect our beliefs and judgments?

A

Overconfidence makes us more confident than correct and leads us to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments

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3
Q

What are the key elements of the scientific method?

A

Curiosity, skepticism, humility

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4
Q

What does a theory do in scientific research?

A

It explains using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

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5
Q

What is a hypothesis?

A

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

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6
Q

What is an operational definition?

A

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

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7
Q

Which methods are considered descriptive in research?

A

Case studies, naturalistic observations, surveys/interviews

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8
Q

What does correlational research involve?

A

Research that associates different factors or variables

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9
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of case studies?

A

Strengths: allow for examination of rare or unusual behavior, provide qualitative data, suggest directions for future studies. Weaknesses: atypical cases can be misleading, cannot generalize, cannot determine cause and effect

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10
Q

What does naturalistic observation involve?

A

Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without manipulating or controlling the situation

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11
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of naturalistic observation?

A

Strengths: subjects behave normally, data collection does not disturb subjects. Weaknesses: atypical cases can be misleading, cannot isolate independent variables, cannot determine cause and effect, observations could be subjective

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12
Q

What is a case study in research?

A

An intensive examination of unusual people or organizations

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13
Q

What does a survey involve in research?

A

Self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a group, usually through questioning a random sample

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14
Q

What are the strengths and weaknesses of surveys/interviews?

A

Strengths: provide a quick overview of beliefs, include many cases. Weaknesses: response bias, wording can skew outcomes, random samples are difficult, cannot determine cause and effect

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15
Q

What are experimental methods in research?

A

Methods where researchers manipulate variables to discover their effects

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16
Q

What is correlation in research?

A

A measure of how two factors vary together, and how well either factor predicts the other

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17
Q

What is a positive correlation?

A

As one variable increases, the other increases

18
Q

What is a negative correlation?

A

As one variable increases, the other decreases

19
Q

What is the correlation coefficient?

A

A numerical value indicating the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables, ranging from -1 to 1

20
Q

What is a scatterplot?

A

A graphed cluster of dots representing values of two variables

21
Q

What is regression to the mean?

A

The tendency of extreme scores on a variable to be followed by less extreme scores

22
Q

What is random assignment in research?

A

Assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance to minimize preexisting differences

23
Q

What is the placebo effect?

A

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; effects caused by assuming an inert substance is an active agent

24
Q

What is a confounding variable in an experiment?

A

A factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect

25
Q

What is experimental validity?

A

The extent to which an experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to

26
Q

What are creative steps in research?

A

Designing studies, measuring target behaviors, and interpreting results

27
Q

What do specific findings help with?

A

They provide principles that explain everyday behaviors (e.g., detecting a faint red light to explain plane visibility at night)

28
Q

What do theoretical principles test?

A

They are tested by intentionally creating controlled, artificial environments in the lab (e.g., light visibility experiments)

29
Q

Why is animal research important?

A

Animals are fascinating to study and help us understand human behavior; animals have simpler systems

30
Q

What are ethical considerations in research?

A

Informed consent, confidentiality, debriefing, protection from harm, right to withdraw

31
Q

What is descriptive statistics?

A

Numerical data used to describe characteristics of groups, including measures of central tendency and variation

32
Q

What are the measures of central tendency?

A

Mean, median, mode

33
Q

What is a skewed distribution?

A

When results are not symmetrical and favor one side over the other

34
Q

What does a right skew indicate?

A

Mean > median

35
Q

What does a left skew indicate?

A

Mean < median

36
Q

What is standard deviation?

A

A measure of how much scores vary around the mean; calculated by finding the mean, subtracting it from each data point, squaring the differences, finding the mean of squared differences, and taking the square root

37
Q

What is a normal curve?

A

The symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many physical and psychological attributes

38
Q

What are the percentages associated with the normal curve?

A

1 standard deviation: 68%, 2 standard deviations: 95%, 3 standard deviations: 99%

39
Q

What is inferential statistics?

A

Numerical data that allows us to generalize from a sample to the population and infer probabilities

40
Q

What is the difference between descriptive and inferential statistics?

A

Descriptive statistics: describe data using central tendency. Inferential statistics: try to infer causation and predict trends based on sample data

41
Q

What does statistical significance measure?

A

The likelihood that an obtained result occurred by chance

Psych 202 (7 decks)

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