Study Unit 1 - Fundamentals Flashcards
What is the main goal of social scientists?
Social scientists aim to study and understand the social world through scientific methods.
(Study guide pg 272)
What are variables in the context of social sciences research?
Variables are pieces of information that change (vary) from one person to another.
Define independent variable.
An independent variable, also known as explanatory or predictor variable, is a variable that we think is a cause.
Define dependent variable.
A dependent variable, also known as response or outcome variable, is a variable that we think is an effect.
What is the difference between observational and experimental research designs?
Observational studies measure both independent and dependent variables without manipulating any variable. Experimental studies, however, manipulate the independent variable while measuring the dependent variable.
What does a between-subjects design mean?
In a between-subjects design, each participant in the study is in only one condition or level of the independent variable.
What does a within-subjects design mean?
In a within-subjects design, participants experience all the conditions of the study and are measured on the dependent variable after each exposure.
What is operationalisation in research?
Operationalisation refers to the process of determining how variables will be manipulated or measured in a study.
(Study guide pg 32)
What is the meaning of reliability in the context of research measures?
Reliability refers to whether the measure repeatedly produces the same results under the same conditions.
What is the meaning of validity in the context of research measures?
Validity refers to whether the measure measures what it is supposed to measure.
(Study guide pg 32)
What are the four scales of measurement?
The four scales of measurement are nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
Define nominal scale of measurement.
Variables with nominal scaling have different categories. There is no order or quantitative difference between the categories.
Define ordinal scale of measurement.
Variables with ordinal scaling have different categories arranged in an order or rank, although the difference between the categories cannot be quantified.
Define interval scale of measurement.
Variables with interval scaling have values on a numbered scale that are equally spaced. These equal intervals reflect equal differences in magnitude. However, the zero point on an interval scale is not meaningful.
Define ratio scale of measurement.
Variables with ratio scaling have the same characteristics as those with interval scaling with one difference—ratio scales have a meaningful, fixed zero point.
What is a population in research?
The population refers to the group of people researchers are interested to draw conclusions about.
What is a sample in research?
A sample is a subset of the population that researchers select and study, rather than studying an entire population.
What is the difference between probability sampling and non-probability sampling?
In probability sampling, each person in the population has a known probability of being sampled. In non-probability sampling, each person in the population has an unknown probability of being sampled.
What is the benefit of using probability sampling techniques?
Probability sampling techniques allow for statistical inference about the population from the sample data, i.e., the results obtained from the sample can be generalized to the population.
