Ch1 - Key Science skills

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

the scientific study of human mental states and behaviour

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

a statement outlining the purpose of an investigation

Question 3

Hypothesis

Answer 3

a testable prediction about the outcome of an investigation
(it was hypothesised that…)

Question 4

Population

Answer 4

the group of people who are the focus of the research and from which the sample is drawn

Question 5

Controlled experiment

Answer 5

a type of investigation in which the causal relationship between two variables is tested in a controlled environment
the effect of the IV on the DV is tested while aiming to control all other variables

Advantages: follows strictly controlled procedure so can be repeated to check results

Disadvantage: often only conducted in a lab so may not reflect real life

Question 6

Independent variable (IV)

Answer 6

the variable for which quantities are manipulated by the researcher, and te variable that is assumed to have a direct effect on the DV

Question 7

Dependent variable (DV)

Answer 7

the variable the researcher measured in an experiment for changes it may experience due to the effect of the IV

Question 8

Controlled variables

Answer 8

variables other than the IV that a researcher controls in an investigation, to ensure that changes in the DV are solely due to changes in the IV

Question 9

Case study

Answer 9

an in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or particular phenomenon that contains a real or hypothetical situation and includes the complexities that would be encountered in the real world

Advantage: provide highly detailed info about phenomenon being studied

Disadvantages: results can’t be generalised

Question 10

Correlational study

Answer 10

a type of non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any active control or manipulation of them

Advantages: no manipulation of variables required

Disadvantage: can be subject to influence of extraneous variables

Question 11

Fieldwork

Answer 11

any research involving observation and interaction with people and environments in real-world settings, conducted beyond the laboratory

Question 12

Experimental group

Answer 12

the group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to a manipulated IV

Question 13

Control group

Answer 13

the group of participants in an experiment who receive no experimental treatment or intervention in order to serve as a baseline for comparison

Question 14

Within-subjects design

Answer 14

an experimental design in which participants complete every experimental condition

Question 15

Between-subjects design

Answer 15

an experimental design in which individuals are divided into different groups and complete only one experimental condition

Question 16

Types of fieldwork

Answer 16

• direct observations
• qualitative interviews
• questionnaires
• focus groups
• yarning circles

Question 17

Sample

Answer 17

a subset of the research population who participate in a study

Question 17

Generalisable/external validity

Answer 17

the ability for a sample’s results to be used to make conclusions about the wider research population

Question 18

Convenience sampling

Answer 18

any sampling technique that involves selecting readily available members of the population, rather than using a random or systematic approach

Advantage: time effective
Disadvantage: unlikely to produce representative sample

Question 19

Random sampling

Answer 19

any sampling technique that uses a procedure to ensure every member of the population has the same chance of being selected.

Advantage: reduces experimenter bias
Disadvantage: may be time-consuming

Question 20

Stratified sampling

Answer 20

any sampling technique that involves selecting people from the population in a way that ensures that its strata are proportionally represented in the sample

Advantage: likely to produce a representative sample
Disadvantage: can be time-consuming & expensive

Question 21

Extraneous variable

Answer 21

any variable that is not the independent variable but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable

Question 22

Confounding variable

Answer 22

a variable that has directly and systematically affected the DV, apart from the IV

Question 23

Participant related variables

Answer 23

characteristics of a study’s participants that may affect the results

Question 24

Order effects

Answer 24

the tendency for the order in which participants complete experimental conditions to have an effect on their behaviour

Question 25

Placebo effect

Answer 25

when participants respond to an inactive substance or treatment as a result of their expectations or beliefs

Question 26

Experimenter effect

Answer 26

when the expectations of the researcher affect the results of an experiment

Question 27

Situational variables

Answer 27

any environmental factor that may affect the dependent variable

Question 28

Non-standardised instructions and procedures

Answer 28

when directions and procedures differ across participants or experimental conditions

Question 29

Demand characteristics

Answer 29

cues in an experiment that may signal to a participant the intention of the study and influence their behaviour

Question 30

Counterbalancing

Answer 30

a method to reduce order effects that involves ordering experimental conditions in a certain way

Question 31

Single blind procedure

Answer 31

a procedure in which participants are unaware of the experimental group or condition they have been allocated

Question 32

Double blind procedure

Answer 32

a procedure in which both participants and the experimenter do not know which conditions or groups participants are allocated to

Question 33

Objective data

Answer 33

factual data that is observed and measured independently of personal opinion

Question 34

Subjective data

Answer 34

data that is informed by personal opinion, perception, or interpretation

Question 35

Accuracy

Answer 35

how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured

Question 36

Precision

Answer 36

how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other

Question 37

Systematic errors

Answer 37

errors in data that differ from the true value by a consistent amount

Question 38

Random errors

Answer 38

errors in data that are unsystematic and occur due to chance

Question 39

Repeatability

Answer 39

the extent to which successive measurements or studies produce the same results when carried out under identical conditions within a short period of time

Question 40

Reproducibility

Answer 40

the extent to which successive measurements or studies produce the same results when repeated under different conditions.

Question 41

Validity

Answer 41

the extent to which psychological tools and investigations truly support their findings or conclusions

Question 42

Internal validity

Answer 42

the extent to which an investigation truly measures or investigates what it claims to

Question 43

External validity

Answer 43

the extent to which the results of an investigation can be applied to similar individuals in different settings

Question 44

Ethical concepts

Answer 44

• Beneficence - minimising harm
• Integrity
• Justice
• Non-maleficence - avoiding harm
• Respect

Question 45

Ethical Guidelines

Answer 45

• Confidentiality
• informed consent procedures
• deception
• debriefing
• voluntary participation
• withdrawal rights