Mod 2, Scientific Enterprise Flashcards
Define operational definitions.
carefully structured variables that everyone can agree on
Define replicability.
: repeating the research effectively
Define social norming and its relation to binge drinking among college students/
research has found that students tend to overestimate the amount that their peers are drinking, and then therefore try to meet these inflated norms (can be useful to reduce binge drinking rates)
Define variability.
Large or small variability: amount of variability per group
Define deviation.
Deviations: arrows that represent the distance between the average and the actual number or figure
Below average: negative deviation
Above average: positive deviation
Define the FINER model of research questions.
Feasible (you have the time, resources, and expertise to explore)
Interesting (interesting to yourself and other scientists)
Novel (closes an important gap in understanding: not a repeat of other research)
Ethical (meets all ethical guidelines)
Relevant (potential to improve human life)
Define descriptive research questions.
Describe a particular phenomenon
Simplest type of scientific research
Crucial step in testing whether our observations or expectations match the reality of the whole group
Operationalization: must be stated in a form that allows it to be measured
Define Piaget’s concept of Assimilation and Accommodation.
Assimilation: information is lumped into the category of what you already know (a child naming all cats and squirrels as dogs until he learns the individual differences between them)
Accommodation: requires a modification of the old information to incorporate new: child understanding that cats aren’t dogs
Define explanatory studies and its relation to group differences in research.
often designed to find out whether there are systematic differences based on individual or group characteristics in research (differences between men and women in drinking behavior)
Define covariation (correlation/association) positive and negative.
Covariation: two variables in your model must be related; as one of the variables changes, so does the other
Positive Covariation: both variables change in the same direction: they either increase or decrease together (rising from left to right)
Negative Covariation: variables change in opposite directions; inverse relationships (falling from left to right)
No-Covariation: the change in one variable has no major impact on the other at all (no distinct pattern)
Define Predictive research questions and the three requirements of them.
ocused on what will happen in the future
Provides understanding of how groups behave and help us understand where we should focus our attention for future research or intervention programs
Allows us to estimate scores on one variable from information about one or more other variables
-Needs covariation
-Needs temporal relationship
-Must rule out third variable problem
Define a temporal relationship between variables.
If variable X CAUSES variable Y—Y MUST HAPPEN AFTER X OCCURS BECAUSE X IS CAUSING IT
Example: you must binge drink FIRST to then experience a negative consequence AFTER
Define confounds/third variable problem.
Other explanations that could create doubt about the relationship between the variables must be ruled out
Confounds: MUST RULE OUT THE THIRD VARIABLE PROBLEM, but it can never be fully eliminated
Hourglass Model of research and four main areas of focus.
-A review of the literature including background information and theory (narrow focus toward data collection)
-Methods (narrows focus toward data collection) and data collection
-Analysis of results (broaden focus back to the research agenda)
Discussions and conclusions (broaden focus back to research agenda)
Define the goals of theories.
Describe a relationship between two or more variables (descriptive in nature)
Describe the mechanisms of the relationship between the variables: why two variables are related and HOW they impact each other
Identify an answer to the researcher’s question
