exam one

Question 1

empirical approach

Answer 1

using your senses to gather information. draw conclusions based on unbiased and verifiable data

Question 2

systematic observation

Answer 2

consistent change in conditions from one group to the next

Question 3

non-systematic observation

Answer 3

change in conditions is random/has no comparison group

Question 4

tangible metric

Answer 4

metric that has a specific number (score on a personality scale, blood pressure reading)

Question 5

non-tangible metric

Answer 5

not a specific number (experiencing stress/discomfort)

Question 6

theory-data cycle

Answer 6

theories generate hypotheses-test these hypotheses-generating data to shape theory

Question 7

theory

Answer 7

statement that attempts to specify the general principles about how variables relate to one another

Question 8

a good theory is…

Answer 8

-supported by data
-falsifiable (able to be proven false)
-parsimonious (simply explained)

Question 9

hypothesis

Answer 9

specific prediction derived from a theory and specific research design

Question 10

basic research

Answer 10

primary goal is to gain knowledge

Question 11

applied research

Answer 11

conducted to find solutions for real world problems

Question 12

translational research

Answer 12

takes basic research findings and applies them in real world settings

Question 13

scientific journalism

Answer 13

benefits: people become more informed, psychologists become more well known
cons: is the story important or accurate?

Question 14

confound

Answer 14

other explanations for an outcome

Question 15

probabilistic

Answer 15

research is meant to explain a certain proportion of possible cases. exceptions should not undermine general results

Question 16

faulty thinking

Answer 16

we tend to believe that a theory makes “sense”

Question 17

availability heuristic

Answer 17

things that are easily brought to mind to guide our thinking

Question 18

present/present bias

Answer 18

probability that two things happen together/at the same time, its easy to notice when something is present but not when its absent

Question 19

confirmation bias

Answer 19

when you already have a particular belief, you notice when something confirms it but not when its disproved

Question 20

cherry picking

Answer 20

seeing all evidence but only presenting the “good”

Question 21

bias blind spot

Answer 21

we think we are unbiased but everyone else is biased

Question 22

variable

Answer 22

a thing that varies and contains multiple levels

Question 23

constant

Answer 23

a thing that does not vary or we are not interested in how it varies

Question 24

manipulated variable

Answer 24

a variable a researcher controls

Question 25

measured variaable

Answer 25

levels are simply observed and recorded

Question 26

hypothetical construct

Answer 26

an entity that we know exists in each individual but its intangible. if needed measured, it needs to be defined using a tangible metric

Question 27

conceptual definition

Answer 27

everyday use of a term

Question 28

operational definition

Answer 28

how a concept or term is measured and manipulated in a study

Question 29

frequency claim

Answer 29

particular rate or degree of a SINGLE variable

Question 30

association claim

Answer 30

one level of a variable is likely to be associated with another. aka correlation or covariation

Question 31

causal claim

Answer 31

one variable is responsible for changing another

Question 32

construct validity

Answer 32

are the researchers measuring what they think they're measuring?e

Question 33

external validity

Answer 33

can the researchers generalize their results to the whole (external) population?

Question 34

statistical validity

Answer 34

did the researcher use the right statistical tests?

Question 35

internal validity

Answer 35

a study's ability to rule out alternative causal explanation a is causing b

Question 36

covariance

Answer 36

a and b are correlated

Question 37

temporal precedence

Answer 37

a precedes (comes before) b

Question 38

face validity

Answer 38

does the measure appear to measure what its supposed to measure

Question 39

convergent validity

Answer 39

does my measure correlate stronglt with (already validated) related constructs?

Question 40

discriminant validity

Answer 40

does my measure correlate only weakly (or not at all) with unrelated constructs

Question 41

criterion-related validity

Answer 41

does my measure correlate strongly with behaviors linked to the construct

Question 42

test-retest reliability

Answer 42

give same test twice

Question 43

interitem reliability

Answer 43

do all items on a same scale assess the same construct?

Question 44

item total correlation

Answer 44

the degree to which one item on a scale correlated with the total score on that scale

Question 45

split-half reliability

Answer 45

split data in half and correlate sum of each set

Question 46

interrater reliability

Answer 46

correlation of the scores from two separate observers who were measuring the same variable