Intro: Basic Terms and Concepts Flashcards
(19 cards)
goal of research
understanding a given phenomena
goal of behavioral research
to understand human phenomena
1. to understand it
2. to predict it
3. to change it
population
all possible observations of interest
sample
specific set of observations of subset drawn from larger population
variables
aspects of physical, attitudinal or behavioral characteristics measured
quantitative
variable for which score represents amount present
qualitative
variable for which score reflects a quality or category
relationship
pattern between two variables in which change in one variable is accompanied by change in the other variable…often manifestation of a “law of nature”
statistics
procedures used to explore, identify and understand relationships among variables
descriptive statistics
organize, summarize, and communicate sample data (produces a statistic)
inferential statistics
provide ability to extrapolate characteristics of a sample to the larger population (produces a parameter)
nominal variables
variables used to classify - categorize - name what is observed (1 = female, 2 = female, su = summer, sp = spring, f = fall, w = winter)
ordinal variables
numbers used to indicate rank order, relative to others (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th)
discrete variables
scored in fixed amounts. no in-between options, no “spring and a half”
interval
variable scores indicate an actual quantity; equal amounts separate consecutive scores - no true zero allows for negative numbers
ratio
variable scores indicate an actual quantity; equal amounts separate consecutive scores - with true 0, disallowing negative numbers
independent
that which is manipulated by the researcher
dependent
that which is measured by the researcher in order to assess influence of the independent variable
confound
any variable that systematically varies with the IV so that one cannot logically determine if the IV or the confound (some other thing) is causing changes in the DV
