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PSY100 > Research Methods in Psychology > Flashcards

Research Methods in Psychology Flashcards

1
Q

Four ways of knowing about the world

A
  • INTUITION: gut feeling
  • LOGIC: thinking rationally through it
  • AUTHORITY: where is this knowledge coming from? Expert, friend
  • OBSERVATION: seeing it/empirical observation (collecting data using scientific method)
  • reliance on observation + making claims about phenomenons
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2
Q

What is science?

A
  • defined by how you study it (through scientific method)

* how you go about making claims, testing hypothesis

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3
Q

Four Canons of Science

1. Determinism

A

•universe is orderly – all events have meaningful, systematic causes, predictable
•Theories: Statements about causal relation betw 2/+ variables, principle of science
–Variables: characteristic/condition that changes/diff values for diff ppl
•we can make causal statements between variables

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4
Q

Four Canons of Science

2. Empiricism

A
  • best way of figuring out orderly principles: by collecting data/making observations
  • get it straight from the horses mouth
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5
Q

Four Canons of Science

3. Parsimony: aka “Occam’s razor”

A
  • explain observations in simplest possible way

- 2 competing theories equally good job of explaining set of empirical observations: prefer simpler

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6
Q

Four Canons of Science

4. Testability

A

theories should be testable using available research techniques
–Falsifiability: must be possible to make an observation that would prove hypothesis/theory to be false
•to find evidence/or show we lack support
-operational definitions: define how we’re gonna measure variables, definitions of theoretical constructs stated in terms of concrete, observable procedures

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7
Q

Operational Definitions

A
  • Sometimes variables are/not well-defined + easily measured
  • Well defined: weight, time
  • Not well defined: constructs – things that we can’t directly observe
  • Ppl use diff ways to operationalize
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8
Q

Constructs

A

-Internal attributes/characteristics that cannot be directly observed, but useful for describing + explaining behaviour

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9
Q

The Scientific Method

A
  • Theory: explanation based on observations, broader than hypothesis
  • Hypothesis: prediction based on theory
  • Research: operationalize variables
  • Support theory: refine with new hypothesis + research
  • Refute/fail to support: discard/revise
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10
Q

Types of Research

A
  • Diff types of control over
  • Descriptive/Observational: less
  • Correlation: more control
  • Experimental: full control
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11
Q

Descriptive Research

A

–observing + classifying behaviour
•wide range of contexts
–often the first step in a line of research/part of larger research project

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12
Q

Observational Research: Masters & Johnson

A 
•Direct observation of sexual activities
•Described the four-stage model of
sexual arousal
•Dispelled many misconceptions
regarding female sexuality
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13
Q

Descriptive Research

A
  • Naturalistic observation: Passive. don’t change behaviour
  • Participant observation: actively involved in situation
  • Lab observation: Systematic observations made within a laboratory setting
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14
Q

Descriptive Research: Potential Threats

A

•Observer bias
•Reactivity
–Experimenter expectancy effects/Hawthorne effect
•Important to have multiple observers + very strict cues

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15
Q

Surveys & Interviews: Kinsey

A
  • Interviewed thousands
  • shocking at the time
  • First to suggest orientation continuum
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16
Q

“Kinsey scale”

A

0 (exclusively heterosexual) - 6 (exclusively homosexual); used to describe sexual history or behaviour during a certain period of time

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17
Q

Surveys & Interviews:

Sexual Strategies Theory

A
  • W: older men, good looks not important, ambition + industriousness
  • M: younger, good looks more important than for W
  • Way more similarities betw M + F than differences
  • Key findings: Age of spouse; “good looks”; “ambition and industriousness”
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18
Q

Sexual Strategies Theory

A

•evolutionary theory M + W rank importance of qualities differently because of gender-specific adaptive problems
–Reproduction intensive commitment for W more cautious about having sex
•Investments in terms of people
•M want good healthy W for good offspring
•W want someone that can support them

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19
Q

Self-Report

A
  • Self-report methods: provide info about themselves
  • Self-report bias
  • Emphasize no judgements + anonymity
20
Q

Self-report bias

A

–Socially desirable responding

–“Better-than-average” effect: we inflate our responses

21
Q

Impact of Culture, Societal Views

A

• Is “hooking up” a new thing? Probably not.
-more likely to freely acknowledge it.
•Ambiguity: make sure that everyone will interpret it the same way

22
Q

Correlational Research

A

–how variables are related

–Allow researchers to make claims about associations between variables

23
Q

Correlational Research

CORRELATION ≠ CAUSATION

A
  • don’t know if one variable causes changes in another variable
  • Directionality problem
  • Third-variable problem
24
Q

Types of Relationship

A
  • Positive: move in same direction

* Negative: one goes up, other goes down

25
Q

Correlational Research

A
  • Sometimes unethical/impossible to manipulate variables/use random assignment
  • E.g Children raised by divorced vs. married parents
26
Q

Experiments

A
  • Manipulation of variable(s)
  • Random assignment
  • Control
  • Independent variable + Dependent variable
27
Q

Experiments: Confound

A

–Another difference between each of your treatment groups/conditions
–limit ability to make causal claims
-anything apart from the independent variable that varies systematically between the different conditions in a study

28
Q

Experiments: Random assignment

A

•Each participant equal chance of being assigned to each experimental condition
–ensures that diff groups are equivalent on average, on known + unknown variables

29
Q

Experiments: Random sample

A

•Each member of population interested in equal chance of being chosen to participate

30
Q

Experiments: Random sample

A

–Not a necessary component of an experiment
•Researchers often use convenience samples: ppl conveniently available
-May limit generalizability of results,but does not limit ability to make a causal claim

31
Q

Internal and External Validity

A

•Internal validity - extent findings provide evidence of causality
–Lab experiments high in internal validity because they eliminate confounds
•External validity: extent findings accurately describe what happens in real world
–Generalizability with respect to other people, places, and situations

32
Q

The third-variable problem

A

specific to correlational research: when researchers cannot manipulate variable

33
Q

A lot of sex research is “quasi-experimental”

A

•quasi-independent variable: used to define different groups in a research study, but not manipulated by the researcher (sex)

34
Q

Quasi-Experimental Studies

A

•involve a manipulated independent variable along with a quasi-independent variable

35
Q

Data Collection Methods

A

•Response performance:
–Reaction time
–Response accuracy
–Stimulus judgments

36
Q

Response performance

A

quantifying perceptual/cognitive processes in response to a specific stimulus

37
Q

Stroop Effect

A
  • Slower when there’s a mismatch: interference betw word reading + colour of the ink
  • we automatically read the word: delay indicates how long it takes to overcome that automatic reaction
38
Q

Psychophysiological Assessment

A
  • how bodily functions change in association with behaviours or mental states
  • includes assessments of brain activity, such as EEG, fMRI, and PET scans.
39
Q

EEG, fMRI, and PET scans

A
  • EEG: good at measuring time, measures brain activity with electrodes
  • fMRI: good at pinpointing areas that are active in the moment, measures blood flow by assessing changes in blood’s oxygen level
  • PET: looking at glucose, blood flow increases to most active regions, which emit more radiation
40
Q

Sex and Love and the Brain

A

•Helen Fisher - three types of love involve three separate (though overlapping) brain systems:
–Lust: Androgens (testosterone), hypothalamus, amygdala
–Attraction: Dopamine system
–Attachment: Oxytocin

41
Q

The Scientific Method

A
  • Hypothesize
  • Operationalize
  • Measure
  • Evaluate
  • Replicate/Revise/Report
  • Single study, cannot make giant claims
  • Research is cyclical process
42
Q

The Hawthorne effect/Reactivity

A

-changes in behaviour that occur when ppl know that others are observing them

43
Q

Observer bias

A

preconceived notions might become bias, interpret things differently based on biases, observations diff based on expectations

44
Q

Directionality Problem

A

is there bidirectionality, does A cause B/vice-versa

45
Q

Third variable

A

is there another variable involved

PSY100 (10 decks)

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