Unit 2: Scientific Method Flashcards
6 Ways of Knowing:
- Ask authorities
- Take a vote
- Intuition
- Faith
- Personal experience
- Science
The Scientific Method:
The scientific method is a self-correcting process of asking questions and answering the questions by conducting research.
Theory:
A theory is a coherent network of explanatory ideas, which leads to hypotheses, which lead to research. If the findings support the hypotheses then confidence in the theory increases. If findings do not support hypotheses, then confidence in the theory decreases, then you would discard the theory or revise and refine the theory and start the process over
Different Research Methods:
- Case Study
- Naturalistic Observation
- Survey Research
- Experiment
Case Study:
A detailed analysis of a single individual
Naturalistic Observation:
Observing and recording behavior as it naturally occurs in real life
Survey Research:
Study of beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors based on people’s answers to questions.
Importance of a random sample in survey research
Random Sample:
- Each member of the population must have an equal chance of being included in the study
- Represents the population
- Allows you to generalize findings from sample to population
Correlation:
A measure of the relationship between two variables
*Case study, naturalistic observation and survey research can only provide clear information about correlation not causation.
Negative correlation:
- the more X, the less Y
* the less X, the more Y
Positive correlation:
- the more X, the more Y
* the less X, the less Y
Zero correlation:
•no relationship between X and Y
When X is correlated with Y, it may be that:
1) X causes Y
2) Y causes X
3) A third variable causes both X and Y
The Problem: Which one is correct? Don’t know.
Can’t draw causal conclusions from correlational data. Can’t draw causal conclusions from case study, naturalistic observation and survey research.
The Experiment:
Researcher manipulates the independent variable(s) and observes how this affects the dependent variable(s)
3 Crucial Ingredients in experiments:
- Manipulating the independent variable(s)
- Measuring the dependent variable(s)
- Random assignment
Independent Variable (IV):
The variable the researcher changes or controls to see if it has a causal effect on the dependent variable
Dependent Variable (DV):
The variable the researcher measures to see if it is affected by the independent variable
Random Assignment:
- Assigning participants to different IV groups so that each person has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the groups
- Makes the groups as similar as possible before we manipulate the IV
Example of Random Assignment:
- Flip coin for each participant in the study
- If they get heads, researcher will put participant in Group 1
- If they get tails, researcher will put participant in Group 2
Advantages of The Experiment:
•Most powerful method because it allows us to determine cause & effect.
Disadvantages of The Experiment:
- What happens in experiments may not reflect what happens in the real world.
- Some variables may be impossible or unethical to manipulate.
Cover Story:
- A brief description of the purpose of the study
- Given to participants at the beginning of the research
- May be different from the true purpose of the study
- Used to get participants in the right frame of mind for the study (e.g., enhancing their involvement in the study)
Ethics in Research:
First set of guidelines published in 1958 by APA
•Later revisions in 1972, 1992, 2002
•Don’t harm your participants (physically, psychologically, emotionally, etc.)
•Get approval from an Institutional Review Board, which judges whether the research follows ethical guidelines, and whether the risks to participants are greater than potential gains of the research
•As much as possible, describe the procedures to participants before they take part in the study
•Obtain informed consent from participants that documents their agreement to take part in the study given the information provided
•Debrief participants at the end (tell them what the study is about)
•Let participants know that they are free to withdraw from the study at any point
•All information collected must be held in strict confidence
Hypothesis:
specific predictions derived from the theory
