Textbook: Chapter 2: Research Methods Flashcards
Parsimony:
choosing the simplest theory with the most explanatory power
Natural Order
attributing the same effects to the same causes
Generalizability
ensuring the causes and effects observed in scientific
- practice are applicable in all situations involving the same causes
Conservatism
skepticism towards new theories until new evidence is undeniable
Empiricism:
: the philosophical perspective that states that knowledge should be gained by direct observation of the world as it is
rational perspectives
using logic and reason to determine how the world ought to be
The Role of Empirical Adequacy:
proper scientific research also requires that claims and theories are based on observable, testable phenomena, not merely reasonable claims, opinions or assumptions
Inductive Reasoning:
moving from a collection of specific observations (facts) to a theory that allows us to describe how these observations are related
Deductive Reasoning
testing the theory by making specific predictions about situations or events that we have not yet observed directly
Reliability:
Reliability: the ability of any test to give the same output when the same input is entered
Construct Validity
the ability of a test to measure what we intend to measure
Binary Variables:
only have 2 possible values
Constant:
only has 1 possible value
Extraneous Variables/ Confounding Variables
variables that the researcher did not manipulate but could still effect the outcome of the experiment
What is an example of a constant:
of heads a human has
What is an example of a binary variable
Alive/dead or right/left
Response Set:
tendency of research participants to respond to questions in a articular way that is unrelated to the content of the questions
Social Desirability Bias:
a tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself
Naturalistic Observation:
a descriptive research method in which the researcher engages observation of behaviour in real-world settings
Replication
The repetition of a study to see whether the earlier results can be duplicated, often times by independent researchers
Basic Errors:
errors are inevitable in research, by employing the scientific method properly through replication and error controlled, they can be strongly reduced
Self Report Biases:
involve errors of human perception such as responding in experiments in a manner we feel is expected of us (social desirability bias and placebo effect) and responding a certain way no matter the content of the experiment (response sets)
Experimenter Bias:
involve the influence of experimenters’ presumptions on the experimental design and interpretation of data
Type I Errors
involve claims that there effects of the independent variable when differences are actually the result of sampling errors
Type II Errors
involve claims that manipulations do not have effects when they actually do
