Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology (year 1) > RESEARCH METHODS (definitions) - Year 1 > Flashcards

RESEARCH METHODS (definitions) - Year 1 Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards AP® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

aim

A

a statement of what the researcher(s) intend to find out in a research study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

debriefing

A

a post-interview technique - informing participants of the true nature of the study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

ethical issues

A

concern questions of right and wrong within a study

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

extraneous variables

A

a variable that does not vary systematically with the IV and therefore does not act as an alternative IV but may have an effect on the DV (e.g. setting, illnesses)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

hypothesis

A

an operationalised statement about the assumed relationship between variables (in an experiment)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

independent variable

A

something directly manipulated by an experimenter in order to test its affects on another variable (DV)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

dependent variable

A

the measured variable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

informed consent

A

participants must be given information concerning the nature and purpose of the research and their role - so that they can make an informed decision about whether to participate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

operationalise

A

making sure that variables are in a form that can be easily tested (e.g. ‘educational attainment’ needs to be specified, it might be operationalised as ‘GCSE grade in maths’)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

standard procedures

A

a set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order to be able to repeat the study, including standardised instructions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

confounding variable

A

a variable that is not the IV but DOES vary systematically with the IV. changes in the DV may be due to confounding variable rather than IV, rendering the result meaningless

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

control

A

refers to a variable that is held constant or regulated by the researcher (e.g. control group)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

external validity

A

the degree to which a research finding can be generalised: to other settings (ecological, population, historical validity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

ecological validity

A

the extent to which a finding can be generalised to other settings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

population validitiy

A

the degree to which a finding can be generalised to other groups of people

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

historical validity

A

the extent to which findings can be generalised over time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

internal validity

A

if a result was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors (such as confounding/ extraneous variables)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

mundane realism

A

how a study mirrors the real world - the research environment is realistic compared to the real world

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

validity

A

whether an observed effect (findings) is an accurate/ genuine one

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

confederate

A

an individual in a study who is not a real participant and has been instructed how to behave by the investigator

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

directional hypothesis

A

states the direction of the predicted difference in the hypothesis (e.g. girls watch 10 hours more week than boys)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

non-directional hypothesis

A

a hypothesis that simply predicts there will be a difference between the two conditions/groups studied (e.g. girls and boys will watch a different amount of tv per week)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

pilot study

A

a trial run of a study (small-scale) to test any aspects of the design, with a view to making improvements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

counterbalancing

A

an experimental technique used to overcome order effects when using a repeated measures design - ensures each condition is tested first/second in equal amounts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

experimental design

A

a set of procedures used to control the influence of factors (such as participant variables) in an experiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

independent groups design

A

ppts allocated to 2+ groups representing different levels of the IV

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

matched pairs design

A

pairs of ppts are matched in terms of key variables such as age or IQ. one member of the pair is allocated to one of the conditions and the second is allocated to the other

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

order effect

A

an extraneous variable arising from the order in which conditions are presented in a repeated measures design (e.g. a fatigue effect)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

random allocation

A

allocating ppts to experimental groups/conditions using random techniques (e.g. random number generator)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

repeated measures design

A

each ppt takes part in every condition under test (each level of IV)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

field experiment

A

experiment conducted outside a laboratory (ppts usually unaware) - the IV is still manipulated by experimenter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

laboratory experiment

A

experiment carried out in a controlled setting (e.g. a laboratory)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

natural experiment

A

the experimenter has not manipulated the IV directly - but measures the DV

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

quasi experiment

A

studies that are ‘almost’ experiments - the IV is a condition that already exists, experimenter records effect on a DV (e.g. how people age)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

demand characteristics

A

a cue that makes ppts unconsciously aware of the aims of a study or helps ppt work out what the researcher expects to find

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

investigator effects

A

aspects of an investigator that encourages/ discourages behaviours from ppts (e.g. attractiveness or views)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

single blind design

A

ppts are not aware of research aims and/or which condition of experiment they are recieving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

double blind design

A

both ppt and person conducting experiment are ‘blind’ to the aims and/or hypotheses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

bias

A

a systematic distortion

40
Q

generalisation

A

applying the findings of a study to the population (and if it can be)

41
Q

opportunity sample

A

a sample of ppts gained by selecting people who are most easily accessible at time of study (e.g. whilst coming out of a library)

42
Q

random sample

A

a sample of ppts chosen by using a random technique so that there’s an equal chance of each being selected (e.g. random number generator)

43
Q

sampling

A

the method used to select ppts (such as random, opportunity or volunteer)

44
Q

systematic sample

A

a sample obtained by selecting every ‘n’th person (where ‘n’ is a number)

45
Q

volunteer bias

A

a form of sampling bias because volunteer ppts have special characteristics (like being more motivated for example)

46
Q

volunteer sample

A

a sample of ppts relying solely on volunteers

47
Q

confidentiality

A

the communication of personal information from one person to another (keeping ppts information protected)

48
Q

deception

A

a ppt is not told the true aims of a study (and thus cannot give truly informed consent)

49
Q

privacy

A

a person’s right to control the information about themselves

50
Q

protection from harm

A

during a research study, ppts should not experience negative physical or psychological affects - down to the researcher to prevent these

51
Q

right to withdraw

A

ppts can stop participating in a study if they are uncomfortable in any way - especially important in cases where they cannot give fully informed consent

52
Q

cost-benefit analysis

A

a systematic approach to estimating the negatives and positives of research

53
Q

ethical guidelines (code of conduct)

A

a set of principles designed to help professionals behave honestly and with integrity

54
Q

ethics committee

A

a group of people within a research institution that must approve a study before it begins

55
Q

presumptive consent

A

a method of dealing with lack of informed consent or deception, by asking a group if people who are similar to the ppts if they would agree to take part in the study (e.g. asking a parent if their infant can take part)

56
Q

controlled observation

A

form of investigation where behaviour is observed but under conditions where certain variables have been organised by the researcher

57
Q

covert observations

A

observing people without their knowledge

58
Q

inter-observer reliability

A

the extent to which there is agreement between two or more observers involved in observations of behaviour

59
Q

naturalistic observation

A

an observation carried out in an everyday setting (investigator does not interfere, only observes)

60
Q

non-participant observation

A

the observer is seperate from the people being observed

61
Q

observer bias

A

observers’ expectations affect what they see or hear - reducing validity of study

62
Q

overt observation

A

observational studies where ppts are aware their behavior is being studied

63
Q

participant observation

A

observations made by someone who is also participating in the activity being observed, which may affect their objectivity

64
Q

behavioural categories

A

dividing a target behaviour (e.g. stress/ aggression) into a subset of specific behaviours

65
Q

event sampling

A

a count is kept of the number of times a certain behaviour (event) happens - observational technique

66
Q

structured observation

A

researcher uses various systems to organise observations (e.g. behavioural categories, sampling procedures)

67
Q

time sampling

A

observer records behaviours in a given time frame (e.g. how often an individual picks up a pen in a 3 minute time frame)

68
Q

interviewer bias

A

the effect of an interviewer’s expectations, communicated unconsciously, on a ppt’s behaviour

69
Q

social desirability bias

A

ppts answering questions in a way that makes themselves look better

70
Q

structured interview

A

questions are set beforehand

71
Q

unstructured interview

A

interview only has general aims (maybe some questions) and lets interviewee’s answers guide questions

72
Q

quantitative data

A

numerical data

73
Q

qualitative data

A

non-numerical data

74
Q

co-variable

A

the two measured variables in a correlational analysis, variables must be continuous (e.g. age and height - as children age they get taller)

75
Q

continuous variable

A

variable that can take on any value within a range (e.g. liking football on a scale of 1-10 rather than which team they support)

76
Q

correlation

A

the association between two variables

77
Q

zero correlation

A

two correlations are not linked at all

78
Q

positive correlation

A

two variables increase together

79
Q

negative correlation

A

as one co-variable increases, the other decreases

80
Q

correlation coefficient

A

a number between -1 and +1 referring to a correlation on a graph
(how related the findings are, e.g. +1 the line would be perfectly straight and -1 the findings are completely scattered)

81
Q

curvilinear correlation

A

a non-linear relationship between co-variables

82
Q

intervening variable

A

a variable that comes between two variables, which is used to explain the association between the two variables (e.g. more ice cream sales due to heat of day)

83
Q

linear correlation

A

correlation defined by a straight line

84
Q

content analysis

A

observational study which analyses qualitative data - behaviour goes straight into written or visual (etc) form (e.g. tv shows, diaries)

85
Q

effect size

A

the strength of the relationship between two variables (in measured form)

86
Q

meta-analysis

A

a statistic that represents a great number of findings of studies related to a topic

87
Q

histogram

A

similar chart to bar graph but the size of the bars must be proportional to frequencies represented - and no gaps between<img></img>

88
Q

negative skewed distribution

A

most scores are bunched to the right of a graph

89
Q

normal distribution

A

symmetrical ‘bell-shaped’ distribution on a graph - scores are clustered at the mid point

90
Q

positive skewed distribution

A

most scores are bunched to the left of the graph

91
Q

primary data

A

information observed/ collected from direct, first-hand experience

92
Q

secondary data

A

information used in a research study that was collected by someone else/ for another purpose

93
Q

one-tailed test

A

form of test used with a directional hypothesis (sign test)

94
Q

two-tailed test

A

form of test used with non-directional hypothesis (sign test)

95
Q

probability (p)

A

a numerical measure of the likelihood or chance that certain events will occur (sign test)

96
Q

sign test

A

a statistical test to determine the significance of a sample of related items of data (a study)

Psychology (year 1) (52 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions