Research Methods

Question 1

What are the main differences from normal psychology?

Answer 1

1. The questions themsleves

2. A specific population: criminals (except when looking at jurors)

Question 2

What is an estimator variable?

Answer 2

variables present at the time of the crime that cannot be changed.
- age, lighting, sobriety, etc.

Question 3

What is a system variable?

Answer 3

a. Parameters of an investigation that can be increased or decreased to ensure optimal effectiveness of a procedure
- how evidence is collected, questioning types, etc.

Question 4

Define archival research, and list strengths and weaknesses

Answer 4

1. study of existing data and documents
   Strengths: allows us to look for a pattern, get an overview of a topic, all in a short period of time
   Weaknesses: mostly qualitative, and not a lot of info may be available on a certain topic. Also, no variables to manipulate.

Question 5

Define lab research, and list strengths and weaknesses

Answer 5

Standard experiments, manipulation of variables
Strengths: Random assignment, full control of variables
Weaknesses: very artificial, given nature of crime. often uses a niche pop like university students

Question 6

Field research

Answer 6

Use of fictitious crimes, where unsuspecting people are interviewed after observing a face crime

Question 7

Define a case study

Answer 7

a. Used when you seek to understand specific characters, such as serial killers
b. Very specific details, with a lot of specific information
c. Only a few people

Question 8

Correlation designs

Answer 8

a. An assessment of the relationship between two or more variables

Question 9

Experimental designs

Answer 9

a. Dependent and independent variables are assessed, and a causal hypothesis is made

Question 10

Longitudinal designs

Answer 10

a. Used for risk assessment or certain types of treatment

b. Can also be used to assess the effectiveness of new police procedures

Question 11

Meta-analysis

Answer 11

a. Used in the conception of the field

b. Used to identify variables of interest

Question 12

What are three major considerations in ethics of psychology research?

Answer 12

1. Risks vs. benefits ratio
2. Minimal risk assessment
3. Informed consent

Question 13

When is deception used?

Answer 13

Only if the experiment would be otherwise invalidated or the results affected

Question 14

Ethics of deception

Answer 14

1. consent for use of data must be attained once the experiment is concluded
2. Should only ever be used as a last resort: if any other approach will do, go that direction
3. It is never ethical to use deception about a reward

Question 15

Define a free-narrative interview

Answer 15

A. The participant responds to open-ended questions
B. The patient just talks without interruption by interviewer
C. Flow to questions and answers

Question 16

Define a structured interview

Answer 16

A. More standardized, where all participants are asked the same structured questions
B. Usually requires training to be an interviewer

Question 17

Define standardized tests

Answer 17

a. IQ tests, personality tests, etc.
b. Must have the ability to get administered to a large amount of people
c. Should create normalized distribution

Question 18

Define projective tests

Answer 18

a. Used to divulge information from patients that wouldn’t normally be expressed
i. Rorschach ink test
ii. TAT -> interpret the weird drawings
b. Mostly used in assessment, not clinical settings

Question 19

Define behavioral observation

Answer 19

a. Used in mental hospital to check how people act when they don’t know they are being observed

Question 20

Define psychological tests

Answer 20

a. Focus on changes in the nervous system, as well as physiological responses
b. i.e. polygraph