Research methods in psychology Flashcards
September
Research producer
Someone who produces/does research. Like a scientist and professor. They also consume research so they can conduct their own research with it.
Research consumer
Someone who doesn’t want to work in a lab (produce research), but still consume research so they can later apply it in their life.
What do research producers and consumers have in common?
They share a commitment to empiricism, answering psychological questions with direct, formal observations, and to communicating with others about what they have learned.
Evidence-based treatments
Therapies that are supported by research.
Empiricism
Or empirical method or empirical research, involves using evidence from the senses or from instruments that assist the senses as the basis for conclusions.
How do psychologist approach their work?
First, they act as empiricists in their investigations. Second, they test theories through research and, in turn, revise their theories based on the resulting data. Third, they follow norms in the scientific community that prioritize objectivity and fairness. Fourth, they take an empirical approach to both applied research and basic research. Fifth, psychologists make their work public.
Theory-data cycle
A cycle, where the scientists collect data to test, change, or update their theories.
What does the empirical cycle look like?
Theory-Deduction-Prediction-Testing-Results-Observation-Induction-Theory
Theory
A set of statements, that describes general principles about how variable relate to one another.
Hypothesis
Or prediction, is stated in terms of the study design. This is preregistered. After the study is designed but before collecting any data, the researcher states publicly what the study’s outcome is expected to be.
Replication of a study
The study is conducted again to test whether the result is consistent.
Data
A set of observations. The information we gather with experiments and surveys.
Falsifiable
A feature of a scientific theory, in which it is possible to collect data that will indicate that the theory is wrong.
Merton’s scientific norms
Universalism, communality, disinterestedness and organized skepticism.
Universalism
Scientific claims are evaluated according to their merit, independent of the researcher’s credentials or reputation. The same pre-established
criteria apply to all scientists and all research.
Communality
Scientific knowledge is created by a community and its findings belong to the community.
Disinterestedness
Scientists strive to discover the truth, whatever it is; they are not swayed by conviction, idealism, politics, or profit.
Organized skepticism
Scientists question everything, including their own theories, widely accepted ideas, and ‘ancient wisdom’.
Weight of the evidence
A conclusion drawn from reviewing scientific literature and considering the proportion of studies that is consistent with a theory.
Applied research
Research whose goal is to find a solution to a particular real-world problem.
Basic research
Research whose goal is to enhance the general body of knowledge, without regard for direct application to practical problems.
Translational research
The use of lessons from basic research to develop and test applications to health care, psychotherapy, or other forms of treatment and intervention. Translational research represents a dynamic bridge from basic to applied research.
What is the whole publications process for scientists?
The publication process is part of worldwide scientific
communication. Scientists publish their research in journals, following a peer-review process that leads to sharper thinking and improved communication. Even after publication, published work can be approved or criticized by the scientific community
Journalism
A secondhand report about the research, written by journalists or laypeople.
What is the main problem with reading research written from journalists?
The journalist may tried to make the research more fun, engaging or interesting, resulting in the original story being exaggerated to the point it’s incorrect.
What happens to a theory when the data do not support the theory’s hypotheses? What happens to a theory when the data do support the theory’s hypotheses?
When the data do not support the theory’s hypotheses, the theory needs to be revised or the research designs needs to be improved. When it does support the theory, it strengthens the researcher’s confidence in the theory.
When scientists publish their data, what are the benefits?
Their work will be self-corrected by other researchers who read it.
What are two general problems with basing beliefs on experience?
How does empirical research work to correct these problems?
Experience has no comparison group, which leads us to not able to see if other methods are better or not. Experience is also confounding. Empirical research allows us to test things in such a way, where we can immediately tell if our independent variable has been changed.
Why do we use a comparison group when conducting a research?
It allow us to see what would happen with and without the thing we are interested in.
Confounds
When you think one thing caused an outcome but in fact other factors has changed too, so you are confused what has truly caused the outcome.
Confederate
An actor playing a specific role for the experimenter.
What does it mean with the statement “The results of research are probabilistic”?
It means that its findings do not explain all cases all of the time.
Availability heuristic
Things that pop up in our mind easily tend to guide our thinking.
Present/present bias
Confirmation bias
The tendency to look only at information that agrees with what we want to believe.
Bias blind spot
The belief that we will never fall prey to the other types of bias.
When would it be sensible to accept the conclusions of authority figures? When might it not?
When authorities base their conclusions on well-conducted research (rather than experience or intuition), it may be reasonable to accept them.
