Test 1

Question 1

Scientific Method

Answer 1

objective and systematic observation. We need to evaluate science (scepticism) and the tools of science (research methods)

Question 2

Scientific Method Principles

Answer 2

objective & systematic observation on using agreed methods
Methods & results shared openly
Unbiased & honest quest for truth
Constant critique & evaluation

Question 3

Ranked goals of science

Answer 3

1. description = most important, need to describe accurately & well
2. prediction
3. determine causes
4. explanation

Question 4

The psychological world

Answer 4

Cannot be observed or measured directly, only indirectly. Caused by so many different things it is hard to predict.

Question 5

Qualities of a scientist

Answer 5

1. curiosity & humility
2. freedom of ideology & objectiveness
3. transparency & honesty

Question 6

What does science tell us?

Answer 6

does not tell us what is true, but collects evidence for what may be. Pursuit of truth, no hard conclusions.

Question 7

Science is…

Answer 7

trying to understand complex things by simplifying but still maintaining accuracy, it is a balance.

Question 8

Where do we start?

Answer 8

research questions: come from observing the world
past research: identifying a gap
William McGuire: 50 ways to generate novel ideas

Question 9

What is a theory?

Answer 9

a framework; a set of ideas organized by relation and explains how they are related. if correct, tells us predictions of what we should observe in the future
can account for multiple facts
narrows the question asked

Question 10

Good theories…

Answer 10

make precise predictions
are falsifiable
make many predictions
parsimonious - simple and elegant
not simple re-descriptions

Question 11

Deduction & inductions

Answer 11

deduction: broad to narrow. theory to hypothesis
example: tall people are more confident, so they do better in interviews.
induction: narrow to broad. evaluate theories based on results.

Question 12

Theories are never…

Answer 12

the truth. they are working truths. explain facts not by proving but supporting.

Question 13

History of psychological science

Answer 13

big obsession with theory and hypothesis testing. not enough focus on describing.
you should first describe then explain.

Question 14

What can science answer?

Answer 14

empirical questions: based on observation not argument or prediction
operational definitions: taking something we want to measure into a procedure, one concept many operationalizations.

Question 15

Scientific literature

Answer 15

generate study idea or question
design study
collect data
analyze data
publish paper

Question 16

Publishing science

Answer 16

write paper - authorship order
submit paper to scientific journal
resubmit paper
revise paper
publish paper

Question 17

Impact factor

Answer 17

How often are their articles cited in other journals

Question 18

Basic research designs

Answer 18

correlation studies = relation
experiments = manipulate 1 thing as cause, and measure effect of change

Question 19

Sample types

Answer 19

probability and nonprobability

Question 20

probability sampling

Answer 20

for every person entering, you know their chance of being in the sample - equal chances. more representative in demographics and aspects. 300+ to be representative. beware of bias or self selection.

Question 21

nonprobability sampling

Answer 21

inferior choice, used in psych. not random selection of people.

Question 22

non probability convenience sampling

Answer 22

purposive sampling = picking people for a purpose
quota sampling = predetermined number or % of people/units
snowball sampling = through word of mouth, for hard to access people

Question 23

WEIRD

Answer 23

western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic

Question 24

mTURK

Answer 24

people sign up for small jobs for small amounts of money. 500,000 people from US and India do it. not representative (all internet users, more young, educated people). Data is valid

Question 25

Measures

Answer 25

psychological phenomena.
- behaviour: reaction times and behaviour traces (left over evidence)
- neural and physiological responses
- self report: peer report = asking other people about a person

Question 26

measurement error

Answer 26

part of what you get isnt what youre measuring. inaccuracy with tools of measurement and variability in what you are measuring.
to help: use multiple measurements and repeat

Question 27

self report & survey

Answer 27

different ways to ask questions.
open ended questions useful for new research.
scales = need to have midpoint and be clear
no leading questions

Question 28

evaluating measures

Answer 28

reliability and validity

Question 29

reliability

Answer 29

same responses, consistency.
retest and internal consistency reliability (measuring the same thing not different things)

Question 30

validity

Answer 30

true and accurate.

Question 31

types of validity

Answer 31

-construct = measuring the right thing
-content = measures all aspects of what were measuring
-face = on surface looks valid
-concurrent = predicting future and present outcomes
-convergent = when measures should correlate they do
-discriminant = doesnt correlate with thing it shouldnt

Question 32

measurements =

Answer 32

true score + measurement errors