Unit 2

Question 1

Research

Answer 1

The systematic investigation into and study of sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Question 2

Research in Psychology aims to be…

Answer 2

Systematic and Objective

Question 3

Empirical Evidence

Answer 3

Gained through direct experience — Primary data

Question 4

Inductive

Answer 4

General law based on observations

Ex: The first three Skittles that I dumped out of the bag were purple. All of the Skittles in this bag must be purple.

Question 5

Deductive

Answer 5

Start with theory and develop explanations from that

Question 6

Scientific Process

Answer 6

Hypothesis- Research Prediction
Question- Research aims to answer a question
Reliable- Can it be replicated?
Valid- Does it measure what it sets out to measure?

Ex: Has corona increased anxiety in the elderly?
Hypothesis would be- Corona has increased anxiety levels in those over 75 years old.

Question 7

Independent Variable

Answer 7

An independent variable is defined as the variable that is changed or controlled in a scientific experiment. It represents the cause or reason for an outcome.

Question 8

Dependent Variable

Answer 8

A dependent variable is the variable that is tested and measured in a scientific experiment.

Question 9

Primary Research

Answer 9

Research you conduct yourself

Question 10

Secondary Research

Answer 10

Research based on past findings and not your own data.

Question 11

Pilot Study

Answer 11

Test research on a small group of people before your main research is carried out. Helps things run more smoothly as it finds errors in the study and let’s you rectify them.

Question 12

Demand Characteristics

Answer 12

Participants change their behaviour due to features of the experiment—leaning into what they think the experiment desires of them.

Question 13

Ecological Validity

Answer 13

How true to a real-life situation is the experiment?

Question 14

Natural Experiment

Answer 14

Study of a naturally occurring situation as it unfolds in the real world.

Ex: In Helena, Montana, smoking was banned from all public places for a six-month period. Investigators later reported a 60% drop in heart attacks for the study area during the time the ban was in effect.

Question 15

Qualitative Data

Answer 15

Language (Non-numerical)

Question 16

Quantitative Data

Answer 16

Numbers (Numerical)

Question 17

Types of Interviews

Answer 17

Structured
Unstructured
Semi-structured

Question 18

Confidentiality

Answer 18

This must be respected; names and personal details should not be revealed without permission. No personal data should be stored.

Question 19

Confidentiality

Answer 19

This must be respected; names and personal details should not be revealed without permission. No personal data should be stored.

Question 20

Interview Positives

Answer 20

Lots of rich data
Can provide qualitative data
Deeper insight as a relationship will be formed

Question 21

Interview Negative

Answer 21

Social Desirability Bias
Interviewer Bias
Hard to analyse results

Question 22

Social Desirability Bias

Answer 22

A type of response bias that is the tendency of survey respondents to answer questions in a manner that will be viewed favorably by others. It can take the form of over-reporting “good behavior” or under-reporting “bad”, or undesirable behavior.

Question 23

Interviewer Bias

Answer 23

A type of human error committed by interviewers wherein they form baseless judgments about an interviewee. This kind of bias hinders them from assessing a candidate objectively, which greatly affects the purpose of the interview.

Question 24

Questionnaire Positives

Answer 24

Can provide both qualitative and quantitative data
Open and closed questions
Can be anonymous (good for ethics)
Hand outs can be given to a lot of people at once so as to not waste your own time

Question 25

Questionnaire Negatives

Answer 25

Social desirability bias
No room to get extra information if needed

Question 26

Operationalization

Answer 26

Operationalization means turning abstract concepts into measurable observations. Although some concepts, like height or age, are easily measured, others, like spirituality or anxiety, are not.

Through operationalization, you can systematically collect data on processes and phenomena that aren’t directly observable.

Question 27

Extraneous Variable

Answer 27

In an experiment, an extraneous variable is any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes of your research study.

Question 28

Confounding Variable

Answer 28

In research, a confounding variable is an extraneous variable that is related to both the independent and dependent variables, making it difficult to determine whether the independent variable has a causal effect on the dependent variable.

Question 29

Opportunity Sample

Answer 29

Uses people from the target population who are available and willing to take part.

Question 30

Random Sample

Answer 30

Smaller random group from the target population.

Question 31

Volunteer Sample

Answer 31

Participants reply to an advert for the study

Question 32

Systematic Sample

Answer 32

People from target population selected at regular intervals

Question 33

Snowball Sample

Answer 33

Participants can bring people they know that meet the requirements to also participate

Question 34

Reliability

Answer 34

Consistency of the measure. Can the study be replicated and achieve similar results?

Question 35

Validity

Answer 35

Trueness or legitimacy of the data. Are you measuring what you intend to measure?

Question 36

Concurrent Validity

Answer 36

Comparing a new test with an existing test (of the same nature) to see if they produce similar results. If both tests produce similar results, then the new test is said to have concurrent validity.

Question 37

Ecological Validity

Answer 37

Extent to which research can be applied beyond the research setting. People sometimes behave different in controlled environments than they would in their everyday lives.

Question 38

Temporal Validity

Answer 38

The extent to which a research finding can be applied to other time periods.

Question 39

Inter-observer Reliability

Answer 39

The extent to which two or more observers agree on a measurement.

Question 40

Internal Reliability

Answer 40

The extent to which something is consistent within itself (i.e. all the questions in a personality test measure the same thing.)

Question 41

External Reliability

Answer 41

The extent to which one measure is consistent over time. (i.e. a persons height.)

Question 42

Correlational Research

Answer 42

A correlational study is a type of research design that looks at the relationships between two or more variables. Correlational studies are non-experimental, which means that the experimenter does not manipulate or control any of the variables.

Question 43

Positive correlations

Answer 43

Both variables increase or decrease at the same time. A correlation coefficient close to +1.00 indicates a strong positive correlation.

Question 44

Negative correlations

Answer 44

As the amount of one variable increases, the other decreases (and vice versa). A correlation coefficient close to -1.00 indicates a strong negative correlation.

Question 45

No correlation

Answer 45

There is no relationship between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of 0 indicates no correlation.