key science skills

Question 1

empirical evidence

Answer 1

information obtained through direct and sytematic observation or experimentation

Question 2

aim

Answer 2

a statement outlining the purpose of an investigation

Question 3

hypothesis

Answer 3

a testable prediction about the outcome of an investigation

Question 4

variable

Answer 4

a condition or component of an experiment that can be measured or manipulated

Question 5

population

Answer 5

the group of people who are the focus of the research and from which the sample is drawn

Question 6

controlled experiment

Answer 6

a type of investigation in which the causal relationship between two variables is tested in a controlled environment

Question 7

Controlled variables

Answer 7

variables other than the IV that a researcher holds constant

Question 8

independent variable

Answer 8

the variable for which quantities are manipulated

Question 9

dependent variable

Answer 9

the variable the researcher measures in an experiment

Question 10

case study

Answer 10

an in-depth investigation of an individual, group, or particular phenomenon

Question 11

correlational study

Answer 11

non-experimental study in which researchers observe and measure the relationship between two or more variables without any active control or manipulation of them

Question 12

experimental group

Answer 12

the group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to a manipulated independent variable

Question 13

control group

Answer 13

the group of participants in an experiment who receive no experimental treatment in order to serve as a baseline for comparison

Question 14

within-subjects design

Answer 14

an experimental design in which participants complete every experimental condition

Question 15

between subjects design

Answer 15

an experimental design in which individuals are divided into different groups and complete only one experimental condition

Question 16

mixed design

Answer 16

an experimental design which combines elements of within-subjects and between-subjects designs

Question 17

sample

Answer 17

a subset of the research population who participate in a study

Question 18

random sampling

Answer 18

any sampling technique that uses a procedure to ensure every member of the population has the same chance of being selected

Question 19

stratified sampling

Answer 19

any sampling technique that involves selecting people from the population in a way that ensures that its strata are proportionally represented in the sample

Question 20

extraneous variable

Answer 20

any variable that is not the independent variable but may cause an unwanted effect on the dependent variable

Question 21

confounding variable

Answer 21

a variable that has directly and systematically affected the dependent variable, apart from the independent variable

Question 22

examples of extraneous and confounding variables (4)

Answer 22

participant-related variables, order effects, placebo effects, experimenter effects

Question 24

placebo effect

Answer 24

when participants respond to an inactive substance or treatment as a result of their expectations or beliefs

Question 25

measures of variablity

Answer 25

statistics that summarise and describe the spread and distribution of a data set. includes range and standard deviation

Question 26

accuracy

Answer 26

how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity being measured

Question 27

true value

Answer 27

the value, or range of values, that would be found if the quantity could be measured perfectly

Question 28

precision

Answer 28

how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other

Question 29

systematic errors

Answer 29

errors in data that differ from the true value by a consistent amount

Question 30

random errors

Answer 30

errors in data that are unsystematic and occur due to chance

Question 31

repeatability

Answer 31

the extent to which successive measurements or studies produce the same results when carried out under identical conditions within a short period of time

Question 32

reproducibility

Answer 32

the extent to which successive measurements or studies produce the same results when repeated under different conditions

Question 33

validity

Answer 33

the extent to which psychological tools and investigations truly support their findings or conclusions

Question 34

beneficence

Answer 34

the commitment to maximising benefits and minimising the risks and harms

Question 35

integrity

Answer 35

the commitment to searching for knowledge and understanding, and the honest reporting of all sources of information and results

Question 36

justice

Answer 36

the moral obligation to ensure that there is fair consideration of competing claims; that there is no unfair burden on a particular group from an action; and that there is fair distribution and access to the benefits of an action

Question 37

respect

Answer 37

the consideration of the extent to which living things have an intrinsic value and/or instrumental value; giving due regard to the welfare of the individual

Question 38

6 ethical guidelines

Answer 38

confidentiality, informed consent, use of deception, debreifing, voluntary participation and withdrawal rights