Scientific Methods

Question 1

René Descartes

Answer 1

argued that the senses aren’t meant to provide knowledge of the essential nature of external objects; rather, they help us to not harm the body and are needed for measurement in natural philosophy; began the rationalist school of thought, which argued for a logic-based epistemology

Question 2

Galileo

Answer 2

argued for empiricism (an epistemological approach based on observations), believed that considering senses and experiences is important in determining knowledge, even when they seem unreasonable

Question 3

scientific approach

Answer 3

• an attitude towards knowledge that says nothing is off-bounds and everything can be questioned
• a method for adding and testing knowledge

Question 4

scientific attitude

Answer 4

based on the balance between being open-minded and skeptical, all ideas are open to remission, criticism, and rethinking as we believe that our current understandings are incomplete

Question 5

research designs

Answer 5

the specific method(s) a researcher uses to collect, analyze, and interpret data

Question 6

3 types of research designs

Answer 6

• descriptive
• correlational
• experimental

Question 7

descriptive research

Answer 7

provides a snapshot of current state of affairs, a fundamental element is a clear and measurable definition of the disease or condition in question, includes: case studies, historical studies, ethnographic studies, surveys, and naturalistic observations

Question 8

CEW Kitchen

Answer 8

works as an assistant psychologist, conducting formal interviews with kids and youth staff

Question 9

Margaret Mead

Answer 9

went to Samoa to study the differences between male and female behaviour

Question 10

case studies

Answer 10

single-participant studies that struggle with generalizability

Question 11

Phineas Gage

Answer 11

survived a metal bar going thru his frontal lobe and struggled with personality and memory changes, encouraged study of localization of brain function

Question 12

Anna O

Answer 12

1st case of psychoanalysis, led to idea of catharsis

Question 13

Chris Sizemore

Answer 13

early case study of dissociative identity (multiple personality) disorder

Question 14

correlational research

Answer 14

designed to explore relationships among variables and to allow future prediction of future events from present knowledge, CANNOT show causation

Question 15

experimental research

Answer 15

assesses the effects of a variable on another

Question 16

independent variable(s)

Answer 16

the causing variable(s) created by the experimenter, causes changes in the dependent variable

Question 17

dependent variable

Answer 17

the variable that’s expected to be influenced by manipulation

Question 18

advantages of experiments

Answer 18

• assurance that the independent variable (experimental manipulation) occurs prior to the measured dependent variable
• the creation of initial equivalence between the conditions of the experiment

Question 19

initial equivalence

Answer 19

controls and eliminates the influence of common-causal variables among the participants in each experimental condition before being manipulated, most common is random assignment to conditions

Question 20

weaknesses of experiments

Answer 20

• don’t know if results produced in labs will hold up IRL
• some key social variables can’t be experimentally manipulated

Question 21

4 types of validity

Answer 21

• external
• internal
• construct
• statistical

Question 22

threats to external validity

Answer 22

whether a study’s results are valid generally for external groups; the best conclusions are supported by numerous researchers using diff methods and samples

Question 23

threats to internal validity

Answer 23

whether smth else besides the independent variable is actually the cause of change in the dependent variable (like Placebo effects and experimenter bias)

Question 24

threats to construct validity

Answer 24

whether a study’s measures actually measure the construct they’re supposed to

Question 25

threats to statistical validity

Answer 25

the extent to which we’re certain the researcher drew accurate conclusions about the significance of their findings, as they have to determine their confidence level (certainty that results weren’t caused by chance), smaller sample sizes create uncertainty

Question 26

basic research

Answer 26

research that answers fundamental questions or acquires a better knowledge of how processes occur

Question 27

applied research

Answer 27

investigates issues that have implications on everyday life and tries to solve everyday problems

Question 28

research needs to be:

Answer 28

• reliable (outcomes are consistent when experiments are replicated)
• valid (instruments used must measure exactly what they’re designed to)

Question 29

research designs include:

Answer 29

• historical research
• ethnographic studies
• observation
• case studies
• surveys
• correlational studies
• experiments