WEEK 1

Question 1

What is usually involved in a scientific research process?

Answer 1

-Generate and specify hypothesis
-Design study
-Conduct study and collect data
-Analyse data and test hypothesis
-Interpret results
- Publish and/or conduct next experiment

Question 2

What are the four main goals of scientific method?

Answer 2

-Describe a phenomenon
-Explain the phenomenon
-Control the phenomenon
-Make predictions about the phenomenon

Question 3

What are the three main types of research methods in psychology?

Answer 3

1. Descriptive studies
   -Observational (Including naturalistic observation)
   -Case studies
   -Surveys (AKA interview, questionnaire or self-report)
2. Correlational research
3. Experimental research

Question 4

Descriptive Studies

Answer 4

Describe events, peoples, patterns, etc. without manipulating variables. Researchers using the type of method are not interested in relationships or cause and effect.

Question 5

The three most important types of descriptive studies are…

Answer 5

Measures of central tendency, which describe the typical score in a set of data

Measures of variability, which describe the spread, or dispersion, among the scores in a set of data

Correlation coefficients, which describe relationships between variables

Question 6

Correlational Research

Answer 6

Measures the association or relationship between variables
It is used when variables cannot be manipulated or to predict one variable from the other
Correlation does NOT imply causation

Question 7

Experimental Research

Answer 7

The only research method that directly tests cause and effect relationships between variables.
Two key features that make a research design experimental are:
-Experimental control
-Random assignment

Question 8

Experimental Control

Answer 8

-Manipulate only the independent variable
-Keep all other variables constant across groups

Question 9

Random Assignment

Answer 9

Participants randomly assigned to groups to ensure there are no systematic differences between conditions.

Question 10

Random Sampling

Answer 10

Used to ensure that participants studied are representative of some larger group

Question 11

Independent Variable

Answer 11

The variable manipulated to see if it has an influence on outcome variable

Question 12

Dependent Variable

Answer 12

The variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation

Question 13

What are four principles of psychological research?

Answer 13

-A theoretical framework: a theory is a systematic way of organizing and explaining observations

-Standardized procedures: i.e. a procedure that is the same for all participants

-Generalisability: a sample that is representative of a population and procedures that are relevant to circumstances outside the laboratory

-Objective measurement: measures that are reliable (produce consistent results) and valid (assess the dimensions they are meant to assess).

Question 14

What five questions one can ask in order to aid critical thinking?

Answer 14

1. What am I being asked to believe or accept?
2. What evidence is available to support this assertion?
3. Are there alternative ways of interpreting the evidence?
4. What additional evidence would help evaluate the alternatives?
5. What conclusions are most reasonable?

Question 15

Hypothesis

Answer 15

A specific, testable proposition about a phenomenon

Question 16

Operational definition

Answer 16

A statement that defines the exact operations or methods used in research

Question 17

Variable

Answer 17

A factor or characteristic that is manipulated or measured in research

Question 18

Data

Answer 18

Numbers that represent research findings and provide the basis for research conclusions

Question 19

Theory

Answer 19

An integrated set of propositions that can be used to account for, predict and even suggest ways of controlling certain phenomena

Question 20

Name the three components of central tendency

Answer 20

The mode is a measure of central tendency that is the value or score that occurs most frequently in a data set. The median is a measure of central tendency that is the halfway point in a set of data: half the scores fall above the median and half fall below it. The mean is a measure of central tendency that is the arithmetic average of the scores in a set of data.