Week 2: Research Methods In Psychology

Question 1

List the 5 key components of the Scientific Method

Answer 1

1. Theory
2. Hypothesis
3. Test
4. Evidence
5. Conclusion

Question 2

List the 6 steps in an Experiment

Answer 2

Step 1: Forming a Hypothesis

Step 2: Operationalising Variables

Step 3: Developing Standardised Procedure

Step 4: Selecting and Assigning Participants

Step 5: Applying statistical techniques to the data

Step 6: Drawing Conclusions

Question 3

What is the Mean

Answer 3

The average (Calculated by dividing the sum of the values by the number of values)

Question 4

What is the Median

Answer 4

The middle (The middle value in an ordered list of the data)

Question 5

What is the Mode

Answer 5

The most frequent value in the data

Question 6

What is Standard Deviation

Answer 6

How the scores vary from each other and the mean. Indicates the amount of variability in the data set

Question 7

What is Inferential Statistics

Answer 7

Is used to interpret the data and indicate if the hypothesis was supported by the data. Involves determine the probability that the obtained result was due to chance

Question 8

List the 3 Types of Research Design and their major concern

Answer 8

1. Descriptive Design
   - Concerned with describing behaviour
2. Correlation Design
   - Concerned with predicting behaviour
3. Experimental Design
   - Concerned with establishing the causes of behaviour

Question 9

What is a Variable

Answer 9

Any phenomenon that can take more then one value

Question 10

What is a Continuous Variable

Answer 10

A variable with a defined number of possible values across a known range

Question 11

Categorical Variable

Answer 11

Variable that can take on fixed values (for example gender or type of fruit)

Question 12

Independent Variable

Answer 12

The condition or event that the experiment or manipulated in order to observe its effect on another variable

Question 13

Dependent variable

Answer 13

Variable that is thought to be affected by the manipulation of the independent variable. The dependent variable is measured and recorded as the result

Question 14

Extraneous Variables

Answer 14

Variables other then the independent variable that are likely to influence the dependent variable

Question 15

Confounding

Answer 15

Confounding occurs when two variables are linked together in a way which makes it difficult to sort out their specific effects on the dependent variable

Question 16

Generalisability

Answer 16

Generalisability refers to how well the research results (from the sample) can be applied to the entire population of interest. Requires good internal and external validity.