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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
Q

Goals of psychological Science

A
  • Describe
  • Predict
  • Control
    -Explain
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26
Q

Anecdotal Method

A

Compiling your own opinion or the opinion of your friends on a matter

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27
Q

Null Hypothesis

A

There is no effect on the relationship

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28
Q

Alternative Hypothesis

A

There is an effect on the relationship

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29
Q

Correlation Analysis

A

To examine relationships between data and different things

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30
Q

Causal Analysis

A

To determine cause and effect relationships between things

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31
Q

Descriptive Analysis

A

To sumarise data about something

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32
Q

Control Group

A

The group that does not do the intervention

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33
Q

Treatment Group

A

The group that does use the intervention

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34
Q

Interpretive Method

A

Emphasises understanding over explanation and prediction

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35
Q

Data

A

The variety of information from different sources that psychologists gather and employ different methods to.

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36
Q

Demographic Information

A

Includes personal information i.e., age, name etc

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37
Q

Physical Information

A

Information about ecological conditions i.e., mode of transport or facilities available at home or school

38
Q

Physiological Data

A

Height, weight, blood pressure etc

39
Q

Psychological Data

A

intelligence, personality, mental health disorders

40
Q

Naturalistic Observation

A

The observer makes no effort to control or manipulate the situation for making an observation

41
Q

Controlled Observation

A

To control certain factors that determine behavior that are not part of your study

42
Q

Experiment

A

A type of studies designed specifically to answer the question of whether there is a causal relationship between two variables

43
Q

To Manipulate

A

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
Q

Single Factor, Multi Level Design

A

One independent variable that is manipulated to produce more than two conditions

45
Q

Single Factor, 2 level design

A

A single independent variable with two conditions

46
Q

Treatment

A

Any intervention meant to change people’s behavior for the better

47
Q

Treatment Condition

A

Receives the treatment

48
Q

Control Condition

A

Does not receive the treatment

49
Q

Randomised Clinical Trial

A

Type of experiment with a control and treatment condition

50
Q

Non-Treatment Control Condition

A

receives no treatment whatsoever

51
Q

Placebo Effect

A

A simulated treatment that lacks any active element or ingredient that should make it effective i.e., dock leaves for a nettle sting

52
Q

Placebo Control Condition

A

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
Q

Between- Subjects experiment

A

Each participant is tested in only one condition i.e.. similar ages, IQ levels etc.

54
Q

Random Assignment

A

Using a random process to decide which participants are tested in which conditions

55
Q

Block Randomisation

A

All the conditions occur once in a sequence before any of them are repeated. Then, all of the conditions occur again

56
Q

Matched Groups

A

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
Q

Within Subjects Experiment

A

Each participant is tested under all conditions
- Provides maximum control of all extraneous variables

58
Q

Design

A

The set of decisions regarding how a research question will be answered in terms of the structure in which data will be collected

59
Q

Direct Causation

A

A causes B

60
Q

Reverse Causation

A

B causes A

61
Q

Common Causation

A

A and B are both caused by C

62
Q

Bidirectional Or Cyclic Causation

A

A causes B and B causes A

63
Q

Spurious Correlation

A

Just because A and B follow a similar trend, doesn’t mean that they are in any way related

64
Q

Cause

A

An explanation for some characteristic, attitude or behavior of groups, individuals or some entities i.e., families, cities etc

65
Q

Causal Effect

A

Occurs if variation in the independent variable leads to variation in the dependent variable, when all other things are equal

66
Q

Order Effect

A

When participants responses to the various conditions are affected by the order of conditions to which they were exposed

67
Q

Carryover Effect

A

An effect of being tested in one condition on participants behavior in later conditions

68
Q

Practice Effect

A

Participants perform a task better in later stages because they have had time to practice it

69
Q

Fatigue Effect

A

Participants perform a task worse in later conditions because they become tired or fatigued

70
Q

Context Effect

A

Being tested in one condition can also change how a participant perceives stimuli or interpret their task in later conditions

71
Q

Counterbalancing

A

Testing different participants in different orders

72
Q

Complete Counterbalancing

A

An equal number of participants complete each possible order of conditions

73
Q

Random Counterbalancing

A

The order of conditions is randomly determined for each participant

74
Q

Internal Validity

A

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

75
Q

External Validity

A

The degree to which we can generalise the findings to other circumstances or settings like the real world environment

76
Q

Mundane Realism

A

When the participants and the situation studied are similar to those that the researcher wants to generalise to and participants encounter everyday

77
Q

Psychological Realism

A

When the same mental processes are used in both the la and the real world

78
Q

Construct Validity

A

The research question is clearly operationalised by the study’s methods

79
Q

Operationalisation

A

The specification of how exactly the research question will be studied in the experimental design

80
Q

Statistical Validity

A

The proper statistical treatment of data and the soundness of the researcher’s statistical conclusions

81
Q

Subject Pool

A

An established group of people who have agreed to be contacted about participating in research studies

82
Q

Experimenter Expectancy Effect

A

Unintended effect of experimenter’s expectations or hypotheses on the results obtained from their research participants

83
Q

Double- Blind Study

A

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
Q

Manipulation Check

A

Verifying the experimental manipulation worked by using a different method if the construct the researcher is trying to manipulate

85
Q

Pilot Test

A

A small scale study carried out to make sure that a new procedure has worked as planned

86
Q

Cross Sectional Studies

A

Comparing two or more pre-existing groups of people

87
Q

Longitudinal Studies

A

One group of people is followed over time as they age

88
Q

Cross Sequential Studies

A

A smaller period of time is chosen in which different age groups of people are followed

89
Q

Correlation Research

A

Measures two variables and assesses the statistical relationship between them with little or no effort to control extraneous variables

90
Q

Positive Relationship

A

High scores on one variable tends to be associated with higher scores on the other

91
Q

Negative Relationship

A

High scores on one variable tends to be associated with lower scores on the other

92
Q

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient

A

The strength of a correlation between two variables
- -1 to +1

Research Methods (7 decks)

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