Fundamentals of research Flashcards
Aim
purpose of the study (indicates which behaviour or cognitive process will be studied within each specific population
Population
all individuals who share particular characteristics and can be considered as part of a larger group from which samples are drawn
Procedure
the step-by-step process used by the researcher to carry out the study
Results
the numerical or descriptive data that is obtained and processed
Findings
how the researcher interpreted the data that were collected
Participants
People who take part in a psych study
Target population
A specific group of people whom they are interested in for their study
Sample
Participants who are chosen from the target population to take part in the study
Representative sample
Sample that represents a population
Population validity
How well the sample represents the target population
Opportunity sampling
Finding groups that already exist (easy BUT can lead to biased results)
Self-selected sampling
Made up of volunteers (easy to obtain + motivated people involved BUT rarely reflect the more general population)
Snowball sampling
When participants recruit other participants from among their friends and acquaintances (saves time, help establish trust with researchers BUT may not represent larger population)
Random sampling
Every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected (large enough -> contain all characteristics of the population BUT bias)
Stratified sample
Draws random samples from each subpopulation within the target population (more accurate reflection)
Sampling bias
The collection of samples that do not accurately represent the entire group (when members of a population re systematically more likely to be selected in a sample than others)
Participant variables
any characteristic or aspect of a participant’s background that could affect study results, even though it’s not the focus of an experiment
