WWU Mana Psych 101: Chapter 2 (Scientific Method Flashcards
Empirical Challenges in Psychology
Complexity of the brain, variability in humans, reactivity (people act differently when observed)
To Avoid Demand Characteristics
Private Interactions/anonymous
Observing relatable behaviors not directly associated with behavior
Cover stories/unrelated questions to distract participant from true purpose of study
blind/double blind
Scientific Method
Formal way of asking questions and understanding things, changes industrial world, through emperical evidence
Empirical Evidence
Knowledge Obtained through Experience
Duchenne Smile
Real Smile, involves the eyes
7 steps of Scientific method
- Specify Problem
- Develop Operational Definitions
- Form Hypothesis
- Design study
- Conduct study
- Form a unifying theory
- Test a theory
Frequency Distribution
Arranged by number of times each measurement was made
Normal Distribution
Mathematically defined distribution in which frequency of measurements highest in middle and decreases in both directions (bell curse)
Descriptive Statistics
Central Tendency: mode median mean
Variablity: Range
SD: Average distance and mean of frequency distribution
Key
Test of Hypothesis, prediction of something
Data
Number that identify objective observations
Empirical Method
Formal set of rules for observing or measuring a phenomenon of interest
Theory
Hypothetical explanation of a natural phenomenon
Parsimony
Simplest theory is the best one
Hypothesis
Falsifiable prediction made by a theory
Observe
Use senses to learn about object or event properties
Measure
Define property and find a way to detect it
Operational Definition
Description in concrete, measurable terms
Instrument
Anything that can be used to detect condition of operational definition, referral (good one has validity, reliability, and power)
Demand Characteristics
Aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as someone wants or expect
Naturalistic Observation
Technique for gathering scientific data by unobtrusively observing people in natural environments
Descriptive Studies
Lead people to begin to ask questions of relationships between factors they are describing, use correlatives statistics to quantify relationships (changes synchronized with other changes
Naturalistic observations
Case Studies
Surveys
Positive Correlations
x increases, so does y
Negative correlation
x increases, y decreases
Zero Correlation
No relationship between x and y
Third Variable Problem
Many different variable might impact relationships between two variables of study
Experiments
Eliminate third variable problem with random assignment and manipulation
Measure dependent variable
Random Assignment
randomly separated into groups that undergo different levels of an independent variable
Quasi Experiments
Like experiment but random assignment is not possible
WEIRD
Good Research Designs
Reduce Bias in measuring behavior
Control Participant expectancy
Maintain High Ethical Standards
Science Ethics
Minimalize discomfort/pain
Supervision fro trained experts
Natural Correlation
Correlations observed in the world around us
Manipulation
Changing variable to determines causal power (independent variable)
Creates experimental and control group
Third Varibale Correlation
Two variable correlation due to an unseen relationship to a third variable
Matched Samples technique
Participants in 2 groups are identical in terms of a third variable
Experimentation
Establishing causal relationships between variables
Interal Validity
Attribute of experiment allows it to establish causal relationships
External Validity
Attribute of experiment in which variable have been defined in normal, typical, realistic ways
Sample
Partial collection of people drawn from population
Case study
Procedure for gathering scientific info by studying single individual
Random Sampling
technique for choosing participants that ensures that every member of population has equal chance of being in sample (representative)
