Research Methods WEEK 2 Flashcards
The degree to which two variables are related
Correlation
quantifies the association between the two variables ranging from -1.0 to +1.0.
Correlation CoEfficient
A correlation of 0 means
the two variables are unrelated
A high correlation of close to -1.0 or +1.0 means
a participant’s score on one variable is a good predictor of the other
Correlation does not imply —–
imply causation
A systematic way of organising and explaining observations
Theory
Keeping procedures and methods the same
Standardised procedures
A valid design has ——- validity
internal validity
applicability to situations outside the laboratory is called —— ——–
External validity
To be generaliasable a study must have both
Internal Validity (A valid design)
and
External Validity (applicable outside the lab)
A measure that produces consistent results is called a —— ——-
Reliable Measure
A measure that accurately measures and assesses the construct it is intended to measure
Valid Measure
experiments or surveys that provide data that can be quantified, tabulated summarised and analysed are referred to as what type of research:
Quantative Research
Type of research that Explores a topic through methods such as interviews observation and case studies
Qualitative Research
Type of research that describes phenomena that already exists rather than manipulating variables. Unlike experiments , cannot unambiguously establish causation
Descriptive Research
In depth observation of a group or person
Case study
In-depth observation of a phenomena in its natural setting, outside the labaratory
Naturalistic Observation
Asking a large sample of people questions through interviews and questionaires
Survey Research
Manipulation of some aspect of the an experimental situation
Independant Variable
This component of a study helps to examine the impact on the way participants respond, in order to to assess cause and effect
Dependant variables
Experiment steps (6) FODSAD
- Framing hypothesis
- Operationalising variables
- Developing a standardised procedure
- Selecting and assigning participants
- Apply statistical techniques
- Drawing conclusions
Series of principals of ethics and professional practice
Code Of Ethics
An experiment or study is …… if it can produce the same results when repeated
Replicable
Making logical and rational assessments of inormation
Critical Thinking
A tentative belief about the relationship between two variables. Predicts the findings if a theory is correct
hypothesis
Research is given high reliability if it can be
replicated or repeated
A variable that can be placed on a continuum - such as the degree of optimisim, intelligence or shyness is called a
Continuous variable
Grouping or catagories of variables, can not be placed on a continuum, ie where someone was born or currently lives
Categorical variable
A subset of people, men, kids under 5, virgos
A population
Subgroup that is likely to be representative of the population
Sample
Individuals who are used in the study
participant / subject
A representative sample contributes to the —— of a studys conclusions
generalisability
When the sample is not representative of the population as a whole this creates a
sample bias
tendancy of a test to yeild relatively similar scores for the same individual over time
Retest Reliability
a measure based on the correlations between different items on the same test (or the same subscale on a larger test). It measures whether several items that propose to measure the same general construct produce similar scores.
Internal consistency
Measures the degree to which the item measures a single construct. Asking the same question different ways
Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha)
If two people observing are making similar or different observations (reliability)
Inter-rater reliability
Hypotheses are tested using experimentation and observation in order to further understand a topic, rigorous testing of a theory, using methods other researchers can replicate
scientific approach
Three main goals of the scientific approach - DPU
Description, Prediction and Understanding
Cause and Effect
Causation
Casuation can be demonstated by proving the
manipulation of of one variable leads to a predicted change in the another
Indipendant variables are outside of the particpants …..
control ( independent of their actions)
Because the participants reactions depend on their exposure to the independant variable these responses are known as
dependant variables
The experimenter manipulates the ——-variable
independent
The variable the experimenter measures to see whether the experimental manipulation had an effect is called the ——varible
dependant
In order for a measure to be Valid it also MUST be
reliable
The way a participants perceptions of the researchers goals influence their responses are known as
demand characteristics
Variables that can produce confusing effects
Confounding variables
describing findings in a a way that summarises their essential features
Descriptive Statics
Drawing inferences from the sample to the population as whole.
Inferential statistics
the goal of inferential statistics is to see if
the manipulation of the independent variable had a meaningful impact on the participants
evaluating is a hypothesis is supported or not
Drawing conclusions
How consistent the outcome of the measuring tool is
Reliability
How well a tool measures what it is supposed to measure
Validity
Gold standard research as it can determine cause and effect
Experimental research
The variable that is being changed or manipulated
Independent Variable
The variable that is being measured or observed
Dependant variable
May influence the dependant variable without intention
Extraneous variable
Research that Describes phenomena as they already exist rather than manipulating variables (Experimental)
Descriptive Research
An indepth observation of a person or group
case study
A representative sample
Stratified sample
CAT
Computerised Axial Tomography
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
fMRU
functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging visually indicates the parts of the brain that are lighting up
