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Research Methods > Semester 1 > Flashcards

Semester 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Qualitative Data

A

Analysing words and describing text
Can’t be numerically ranked i.e.; interviews

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2
Q

Quantitative Data

A

Can be quantified numerically i.e., One’s height

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3
Q

Ways of Knowing

A

Intuition
Authority
Rationalism
Empiricism

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4
Q

Theory

A

A coherent explanation or interpretation of one or more phenomena. They incorporate variables, structures, processes, functions or organising principles that have not been observed directly.

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5
Q

Hypothesis

A

A specific prediction about a new phenomenon that should be observed if a particular theory is accurate

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6
Q

Hypothetico- deductive method

A

The primary method that scientific researchers use theories

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7
Q

Variable

A

A quantity of quality that varies across people or situations i.e., people’s height

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8
Q

Quantitative Variable

A

Measure by assigning a number i.e.; number of siblings

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9
Q

Categorical Variable

A

A quality that is typically measured by assigning a category or label to each individual i.e., one’s nationality

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10
Q

Operational Definition

A

A definition of the variable in terms of how precisely it is to be measured

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11
Q

Population

A

A very large group of people that you are researching i.e., all students in Ireland

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12
Q

Sample

A

The group of people that the research is actually carried out on

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13
Q

Simple Random Sampling

A

Every person in the population has an equal chance of being selected for a sample i.e., asking voters of the voting register who they are voting for

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14
Q

Convenience Sampling

A

Sampling individuals who are nearby and are willing to participate i.e., 1rst year psych students

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15
Q

Independent Variable

A

The variable that the experimenter manipulates i.e., the presumed cause

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16
Q

Dependent Variable

A

The variable that the experimenter measures i.e., the presumed effect

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17
Q

Extraneous Variables

A

Any variable other than the dependent variable

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18
Q

Confounding Variable

A

Specific types of extraneous variables that systematically vary along with the variables under investigation and therefore provides an alternative explanation for the results

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19
Q

Lab Study

A

Conducted in a lab enviroment

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20
Q

Field Study

A

Conducted in the real world/ natural environment

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21
Q

Internal Validity

A

The degree to which we can confidently infer a causal relationship between variables

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22
Q

External Validity

A

The degree to which we can generalise the findings to other circumstances or settings

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23
Q

Features of Science

A

Systematic Empiricism
Empirical Questions
Public Knowledge

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24
Q

Features of Pseudoscience

A
  • use of vague, exaggerated or untestable claims
  • improper collection of evidence i.e., biased sampling
    -lack of openness to testing by other experts
    -absence of progress
  • personalisation of issues
    -use of misleading language
  • undisclosed interests i.e., trying to sell something
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25
Goals of psychological Science
- Describe - Predict - Control -Explain
26
Anecdotal Method
Compiling your own opinion or the opinion of your friends on a matter
27
Null Hypothesis
There is no effect on the relationship
28
Alternative Hypothesis
There is an effect on the relationship
29
Correlation Analysis
To examine relationships between data and different things
30
Causal Analysis
To determine cause and effect relationships between things
31
Descriptive Analysis
To sumarise data about something
32
Control Group
The group that does not do the intervention
33
Treatment Group
The group that does use the intervention
34
Interpretive Method
Emphasises understanding over explanation and prediction
35
Data
The variety of information from different sources that psychologists gather and employ different methods to.
36
Demographic Information
Includes personal information i.e., age, name etc
37
Physical Information
Information about ecological conditions i.e., mode of transport or facilities available at home or school
38
Physiological Data
Height, weight, blood pressure etc
39
Psychological Data
intelligence, personality, mental health disorders
40
Naturalistic Observation
The observer makes no effort to control or manipulate the situation for making an observation
41
Controlled Observation
To control certain factors that determine behavior that are not part of your study
42
Experiment
A type of studies designed specifically to answer the question of whether there is a causal relationship between two variables
43
To Manipulate
To change its level systematically so that different levels of that variable, or the same group of participants are exposed to different levels at different times
44
Single Factor, Multi Level Design
One independent variable that is manipulated to produce more than two conditions
45
Single Factor, 2 level design
A single independent variable with two conditions
46
Treatment
Any intervention meant to change people's behavior for the better
47
Treatment Condition
Receives the treatment
48
Control Condition
Does not receive the treatment
49
Randomised Clinical Trial
Type of experiment with a control and treatment condition
50
Non-Treatment Control Condition
receives no treatment whatsoever
51
Placebo Effect
A simulated treatment that lacks any active element or ingredient that should make it effective i.e., dock leaves for a nettle sting
52
Placebo Control Condition
Participants receive a placebo that looks much like the treatment but lacks the active ingredient or element thought to be responsible for the treatment's effectiveness
53
Between- Subjects experiment
Each participant is tested in only one condition i.e.. similar ages, IQ levels etc.
54
Random Assignment
Using a random process to decide which participants are tested in which conditions
55
Block Randomisation
All the conditions occur once in a sequence before any of them are repeated. Then, all of the conditions occur again
56
Matched Groups
Participants in the various conditions are matched on the dependent variable or on some extraneous variable(s) prior to the manipulation of the independent variable
57
Within Subjects Experiment
Each participant is tested under all conditions - Provides maximum control of all extraneous variables
58
Design
The set of decisions regarding how a research question will be answered in terms of the structure in which data will be collected
59
Direct Causation
A causes B
60
Reverse Causation
B causes A
61
Common Causation
A and B are both caused by C
62
Bidirectional Or Cyclic Causation
A causes B and B causes A
63
Spurious Correlation
Just because A and B follow a similar trend, doesn't mean that they are in any way related
64
Cause
An explanation for some characteristic, attitude or behavior of groups, individuals or some entities i.e., families, cities etc
65
Causal Effect
Occurs if variation in the independent variable leads to variation in the dependent variable, when all other things are equal
66
Order Effect
When participants responses to the various conditions are affected by the order of conditions to which they were exposed
67
Carryover Effect
An effect of being tested in one condition on participants behavior in later conditions
68
Practice Effect
Participants perform a task better in later stages because they have had time to practice it
69
Fatigue Effect
Participants perform a task worse in later conditions because they become tired or fatigued
70
Context Effect
Being tested in one condition can also change how a participant perceives stimuli or interpret their task in later conditions
71
Counterbalancing
Testing different participants in different orders
72
Complete Counterbalancing
An equal number of participants complete each possible order of conditions
73
Random Counterbalancing
The order of conditions is randomly determined for each participant
74
Internal Validity
The degree to which we can confidently infer a causal relationship between to variables
75
External Validity
The degree to which we can generalise the findings to other circumstances or settings like the real world environment
76
Mundane Realism
When the participants and the situation studied are similar to those that the researcher wants to generalise to and participants encounter everyday
77
Psychological Realism
When the same mental processes are used in both the la and the real world
78
Construct Validity
The research question is clearly operationalised by the study's methods
79
Operationalisation
The specification of how exactly the research question will be studied in the experimental design
80
Statistical Validity
The proper statistical treatment of data and the soundness of the researcher's statistical conclusions
81
Subject Pool
An established group of people who have agreed to be contacted about participating in research studies
82
Experimenter Expectancy Effect
Unintended effect of experimenter's expectations or hypotheses on the results obtained from their research participants
83
Double- Blind Study
A method to reduce experimenter bias in which neither the experimenter nor the participants are knowledgeable about the condition to which the participant is assigned
84
Manipulation Check
Verifying the experimental manipulation worked by using a different method if the construct the researcher is trying to manipulate
85
Pilot Test
A small scale study carried out to make sure that a new procedure has worked as planned
86
Cross Sectional Studies
Comparing two or more pre-existing groups of people
87
Longitudinal Studies
One group of people is followed over time as they age
88
Cross Sequential Studies
A smaller period of time is chosen in which different age groups of people are followed
89
Correlation Research
Measures two variables and assesses the statistical relationship between them with little or no effort to control extraneous variables
90
Positive Relationship
High scores on one variable tends to be associated with higher scores on the other
91
Negative Relationship
High scores on one variable tends to be associated with lower scores on the other
92
Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
The strength of a correlation between two variables - -1 to +1

Research Methods (7 decks)

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