Chapter 2: The Scientific Method Flashcards
The Scientific Method is grounded in what?
Systematic Observations
What is the Theoretical Phase?
General - Theory - Hypothesis - Prediction - Specific
What is the most important property of the theoretical phase?
That it is falsifiable
What is the Empirical Phase?
Prediction - design study - collect data
Definition of good operational?
(1) Does not rely on subjective judgment, (2) Easy for other researchers to replicate, (3) High reliability (consistency), (4) High validity (accuracy)
What is a Case Study?
Extensive observation of one unusual person.
What is Naturalistic Observation?
Observe people in public typically without them knowing.
What are surveys and questionnaires?
Ask people directly but they can be unrealiable.
What are correlational studies?
Measures two variables and studies the relationship between them.
What are the 3 types of correlation?
(1) Positive correlation, both x and y move in the same direction. (2) Negative correlation, means x and y are going in opposite directions. (3) Zero correlation, x and y are unrelated.
What are the two problems with correlation and causation?
Directionality problem and the third-variable problem.
What is the directionality problem?
You don’t know which variable influences the other.
What is the third - variable problem?
There is a third variable that influences both variables.
What are experimental studies?
A study that investigates the cause and effect of one variable on another.
What are independent and dependant variables?
The independent variable is the cause and the dependent variable is the effect.
