Exam 1 Flashcards
(79 cards)
1
Q
Basic Research
A
- Designed to address theoretical issues concerning a phenomenon
- tries to answer fundamental questions about nature of behavior
2
Q
Applied Research
A
• conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions
3
Q
Examples of research questions:
- Is extraversion related to sensation seeking?
- Do video games such as grand theft auto increase aggression among children and young adults?
- How do neurons generate neurotransmitters?
- Does memory process visual images and sound simultaneously?
- How can a city increase recycling by residents?
- Which strategies are best for coping with natural disasters?
A
Basic=1,3,4
Applied=2,5,6
4
Q
Empiricism
A
- fundamental characteristic of the scientific method
- the idea that knowledge is based on observations
- data are collected that form the basis of conclusions about the sure of the world
5
Q
Scientific skepticism
A
• means hat ideas must be evaluated on the basis of careful logic and results from scientific investigations
6
Q
Pseudoscience
A
• “fake” science in which seemingly scientific terms and demonstrations are used to substantiate claims that have no basis in scientific research
7
Q
Facilitated communication
A
- example of pseudoscience
* ex. Facilitator holds child’s hand while the child presses keys to type messages on keyboard
8
Q
Temporal precedence
A
• there is a temporal order of events in which the cause precedes the effect
9
Q
Covariation of cause and effect
A
• when the cause is present, the effect occurs; when the cause is not present, the effect does not occur
10
Q
Elimination of Alternative explanations
A
• nothing other than a causal variable should be responsible for the observed effect
11
Q
Falsifiability
A
- can either be supported or be falsified by data
- if an idea is falsified when it is tested, science is thereby advanced because this result will spur the development of new no better idea
12
Q
Science is adversarial
A
• science is a way of honking in which ideas do battle with other ideas in order to move closer to the truth
13
Q
Science is peer reviewed
A
Before a study is published in a top quality journal, other scientists who have he expertise to carefully evaluate the research review it
14
Q
Hypothesis
A
• tentative idea or question that is waiting for evidence to support or refute it
Example: do males and females differ in there use of cell phones while driving?
15
Q
Prediction
A
- a guess at the outcome of a hypothesis
- if a prediction is confirmed by the results of the study, the hypothesis is supported
- if a prediction is not confirmed, the researcher will either reject the hypothesis or conduct further research using different methods to study the hypothesis
Example: females are more likely to use a cell phone while driving.
16
Q
Research question
A
A description of the broad topic of study
Example: are there differences among groups in terms of cell phone use while driving?
17
Q
Theory
A
- consists of a systematic body of ideas about a particular topic of phenomenon
- organize and explain a variety of specific facts or descriptions of behavior
18
Q
PSYCHinfo
A
- cognitive development
- communication
- behavior
- personality
- social psychology
19
Q
ERIC
A
- humanities
- social science
- education
20
Q
Abstract
A
- Brief summary of the research report
- typically runs no more than 120 words in length
- Includes information about the hypothesis, the procedure, and the broad pattern of results
21
Q
Introduction
A
- outline the problem, tie to past research, point to question and method
- tends to start broad (with a statement of the topic) and narrow toward the study method
- expectations of the researcher are noted
22
Q
Method
A
• detailed description of the study design
23
Q
Results
A
- objective report of study results
- researcher presents findings, usually in 3 ways: description in narrative form, results are described in statistical language, material is often depicted in tables and graphs
24
Q
Discussion
A
- interpretation of study results
- tents to recap results and then provide more general information
- do the results support the hypothesis?
- if the hypothesis has not been supported the author should suggest potential reasons
25
References
List of all works cited
26
APA ethics code
• A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence
-beneficence refers to the need for research to maximize benefits and minimize any possible harmful effects of participation
•B: fidelity and responsibility
-establish relationships of trust with those with whom they work
• C: integrity
- psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching and practice of psychology
- psychologists do not cheat, steal, or engage in fraud
• D: Justice
-refers to fairness and equity
• E: respect for People's Rights and Dignity
-respect the dignity and worth of all people and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality and self determination
27
Risks
• psychological or physical harm and loss of confidentiality
28
Confidentiality
• an issue when the researcher has assured subjects that the collected data are only accessible to people with permission, generally only the researcher
29
Informed consent
* potential participants in a research project should be provided with all information that might influence their active decision of whether or not to participate in a study
* Research participants should be informed about the purposes of the study, the risks and benefits of participation, and their rights to refuse or terminate participation in the study.
* they can freely consent or refuse to participate
30
Deception
* occurs when there is active misrepresentation of information about the nature of a study
* withholding information, not being honest
31
Debriefing
* Occurs after the completion of a study
* an opportunity for the researcher to deal with issues of withholding information, deception, and potential harmful effects of participation
* one way researchers can follow the guidelines in the APA ethics code
* if participants were deceived in any way, the researcher needs to explain why the deception was necessary
* if the Research altered a participants physical or psychological state in some way-as in a study that produces stress-the researcher must make sure that the participant has calmed down and is comfortable about having participated
* provides an opportunity for the researcher to explain the purpose of the study and tell participants what kinds of results are expected and perhaps discuss the practical implications of the results
32
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
• responsible for the review of research conducted within the institution
33
Exempt research
* research in which there is no risk is exempt from review
| * anonymous questionnaires, surveys and educational tests are all considered exempt research
34
Minimal risk
* the risks of harm to participants are no greater than risks encountered in daily life or in routine physical or psychological tests
* approval by the IRB is routine
35
Fraud
* fabrication of data
| * lying about results, making things up
36
Plagiarism
• misrepresenting another's work as your own
37
Construct validity
* concerns whether our methods of studying variables are accurate
* How a researcher can tell if they are measuring what they intended to measure
38
Variable
• any event, situation, behavior or individual characteristic that varies
39
Operational definition
• operational definition is a variable is the set of procedures used to measure or manipulate it
40
Positive linear relationship
• increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by increases in the values of the second variable
41
Negative linear relationship
• in a negative linear relationship, increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by decreases in the values of the other variable
42
Curvilinear relationship
• increases in the values of one variable are accompanied by systematic increase and decreased in the value of the other variable
43
No relationship
• when there is no relationship, the graph is simply a flat line
44
Correlation coefficient
• a numerical index of the strength of relationship between variables
45
Nonexperimental method
* relationships are studied by making observations or measures of the variables of interest
* people describe their behavior, directly observing behavior, recording physiological responded, or even examining various public records such as a sensual data
* variables are observed as they occur naturally
46
Experimental method
* involves direct manipulation and control and control of variables
* the researcher manipulates the first variable of interest and then observes the response
47
Third variable problem
* a third variable is any variable that is extraneous to the two variables being studied
* any number of other third variables may be responsible for an observed relationship between two variables
* third variables could be operating is a serious problem, because third variables introduce alternative explanations that reduce the overall validity of a study
48
Confounding variable
* when we actually know that an uncontrolled third variable is operating
* if two variables are confounded, they are intertwined So you cannot determine which of the variables is operating a given situation
49
Independent variable
• manipulated variable
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• what you think is causing the other variable
X axis (predictor)
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50
Dependent variable
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• variable that is measured
• variable being affected
Y axis (criterion)
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51
Experimental control
* all extraneous variables are kept constant
* if a variable is held constant, it cannot be responsible for the results of the experiment
* any variable that is held constant cannot be a confounding variable
* experimental control is accomplished by treating participants in all groups in the experiment identically; the only difference between groups is the manipulated variable
52
Randomization
• ensures hat an extraneous variable is just as likely to affect one experimental group as it is to affect the other group
53
Internal validity
* ability to draw conclusions about causal relationships from the results of a study
* accuracy of conclusions made about relationships
54
External validity
* the extent to which the results can be generalized to other populations and settings
* generalizability of the findings
55
Field experiment
• the independent variable is manipulated in a natural setting
56
Participant variables
• characteristics of individuals, such as age, gender, ethnic group, nationality, birth order, personality, or marital status
57
Reliability
* refers to the consistency or stability of a measure of behavior
* test should yield the same result every time
* others should get the same results
58
Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient
• -1 to 1
59
Test-retest reliability
• measuring the same individuals at 2 points in time
60
Split half reliability
* correlation of the total score on one half of the test with the total score in the other half
* two halves are created by randomly dividing the items into two parts
61
Internal consistency reliability
* assessment of reliability using responses at only one point in time
* because all items measure the same variable, they should yield similar or consistent results
62
Interrater reliability
• the extent to which raters agree in their observation
63
Fave validity
* the content of the measure appears to reflect the construct being measured
* does it seem it fit at a glance
64
Content validity
* the content of the measure is linked to the universe of content that defines the construct
* Looking at what you're actually using to measure if that matches the construct
65
Null hypothesis
There is no difference or there is no relationship
66
Alternative hypothesis
There is a difference or there is a relationship
67
Risk to benefit analysis
The benefit has to outweigh the risk for participants
68
Fabricating
Changing data to suit your own investigation
69
Correlational studies
* non experimental
* no control
* cannot make causal claims
* may be confounding variables
* can only determine whether or not a relationship exists
* no manipulation
70
Causal studies
* experimental
* involves manipulations of the independent variable
* greater ability to determine the nature of the relationship
- experimental control
- randomization
71
Predictive validity
• assesses the ability to predict something it should theoretically be able to predict
* checking it against something that has validity on it
* can your measure be used to predict other scores
72
Concurrent validity
* assesses how well a particular test correlates with a previously validated measure hat is administered around the same time
* use/give an already established measure at the same time as the one we have just created
* measures can be exactly the same or similar
73
Convergent validity
• scored on the measure are related to scores on other measure of the same or a similar construct
* not happening at the same time
* already established measure along with yours
* want positive relationship
74
Discriminant validity
* scores on a measure are not related to other measures that are theoretically different
* opposite of concurrent and convergent
* want a negative relationship
* doesn't measure what it shouldn't
75
Criterion
Construct correlates to standards for that construct
76
Nominal scale
• categories with no numeric scales
| -males/females, introverts/extroverts
77
Ordinal scale
* rank ordering
* numeric values limited
* two-three-four star restaurants,ranking tv programs by popularity
* intervals between items not known
78
Interval scale
* numeric properties are literal
* assume equal interval between values
* no true zero
* intelligence, aptitude test score, temperature
79
Ratio scale
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Zero indicates absence of variable measured
• there can be a zero
• reaction time
• weight
• age
• frequencies of behavior
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