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Psychology : Research Methods > Key Terms > Flashcards

Key Terms Flashcards

(97 cards)

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1
Q

Define aims

A

A statement of what the researchers intent to find out

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2
Q

Define debriefing

A

A post research interview designed to inform the participants if the true nature of the study and restore them to the state they were in during the study. Can be used to gain feedback

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3
Q

Define ethical issues

A

Ethical issues concern the right and wrong. They arise in research where there are conflicting sets of values between researches and participants

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4
Q

Define experiment

A

A research method where casual conclusions can be drawn because the independent variable has been manipulated to observe the casual effect of the dependant variable

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5
Q

Define extraneous variables

A

EV do not vary systematically with the IV and therefore do not act as an alternative IV but may have an effect on the DV. They muddy the results and make it more difficult to detect a significant effect

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6
Q

Define hypothesis

A

A precise and testable statement about the assumed relationship between variables. Operationalism is a key part of making the statement testable

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7
Q

Define informed consent

A

Informed consent is where participants are given comprehensive information concerning the nature and purpose of the research so they can provide informed consent

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8
Q

Define operationalise

A

Ensuring that variables are in a form where they can be easily tested

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9
Q

Define standard procedure

A

A set of procedures that are the same for all participants in order to repeat the study - this includes standardised instructions

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10
Q

Define confounding variable

A

A variable under study that in not the IV but which varies systematically with the IV - changes in the dependant variable may be due to the confounding variable and therefore the results are not useful

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11
Q

Define control

A

How regulated or constant a variable is

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12
Q

Define external validity

A

The degree to which a research finding can be generalised
- ecological validity
- population validity
- historical validity

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13
Q

Define internal validity

A

The degree to which an observed effect was due to the experimental manipulation rather than other factors such as CV / EV

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14
Q

Define mundane realism

A

How reflective a study is in comparison to the real world

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15
Q

Define validity

A

Refers to whether an observed effect is a genuine one

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16
Q

Define confederate

A

An individual in a study who is not a real participant and has been instructed hoe to behave by the researchers

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17
Q

Define directional hypothesis

A

States the direction of the predicted difference between the two conditions or two groups of participants

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18
Q

Define non directional hypothesis

A

Predicts simply that there is a difference between two conditions or two groups of participants, without stating the direction of the difference.

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19
Q

Define pilot study

A

A small scale trial run of the study to test any aspects of the design, with a view to make improvements

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20
Q

Define counterbalancing

A

An experimental technique used to overcome Oder effects when using a repeated measures design

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21
Q

Define experimental design

A

A set of procedures used to control the influence of factors such as participant variables in an experiment

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22
Q

Define independent group design

A

Participants are allocated to two or more groups that represent different levels of the IV. Allocation can be done with many techniques

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23
Q

Define matched pairs design

A

Pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables such as age or IQ. One member is of each pair is allocated to one of the conditions under test and the second person is allocated to the other condition

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24
Q

Define order effect

A

In repeated measure design, an extraneous variable arising from the order in which conditions are presented

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25
Define random allocation
Allocating participants to experimental groups or conditions using random techniques
26
Define repeated measures design
Each participant takes part in every condition under test
27
Define field experiment
A controlled experiment carried out outside the lab - IV manipulated by the researcher so cause - effect relationships can be demonstrated. Tend to have lower internal validity but higher external validity. Participants usually unaware that they are involved
28
Define lab experiments
An experiment carried out in a controlled setting. Have high internal validity due to high control but lower ecological validity due to participants being aware and the tasks being more artificial
29
Define natural experiment
A method where the researcher doesn’t influence the independent variable directly - researcher records the IVs effect on the DV. Causal conclusions can only be tentatively drawn
30
Define quasi-experiments
Studies that are almost experiments. The IV is not something that can be changed but is a state/condition that exists - lack of manipulation on the IV also means that causal conclusions can only be tentatively drawn
31
Define demand characteristics
Cues that make participants unconsciously aware of the aims of the study - can change the behaviour of the person from their norm
32
define the investigator effect
Anything the investigator does that may effect the participants performance in a study other than what was intended
33
Define bias
A systematic distortion
34
Define generalisation
Applying findings of a study to the population
35
Define opportunity sample
A sample of participants produced by selection who are most easily available at the time of the study’s
36
Define population
The group of people that the study is interested in. The group of people from who a sample is drawn. A group of people about whom generalisations can be made
37
Define random sample
A sample of participants produced by using a random technique such that every member of the target population has equal chance of being selected
38
Define sampling
A method used to select participants eg random, opportunity, volunteer.
39
Define stratified sample
A sample of participants produced by identifying subgroups according to their frequencies in the population. Participants are then randomly selected from each subgroup
40
Define systematic sampling
A sample obtained by selecting every nth person. This can be random if the first person is selected randomly then every nth person after.
41
Define volunteer bias
Volunteer participants have special characteristics such as being more highly motivated than randomly selected
42
Define volunteer sample
A sample of participants that relies solely on volunteers to make up the sample. AKA a self-selected sample.
43
Define confidentiality
The protection of information between the one person to another
44
Define deception
A participant is not told the true aims of a study and therefore cannot give informed consent
45
Define informed consent
Participants are given comprehensive information concerning the nature and purpose of research and their role in it, so they can make an informed decision about if they will participate in the study
46
Define privacy
A persons right to control the flow of information about themselves
47
Define protection from harm
During the study participants should not experience physical or psychological effects such as injury, lowered self esteem etc
48
Define the right to withdraw
Participants have the right to stop participating - especially when it’s not possible for them to give informed consent. They also have the right to refuse the use of any data collected that the researchers collected
49
Define cost benefit analysis
A systematic approach to estimating the negatives and positives of a study
50
Define debriefing
A post research interview designed to inform participants of the true nature of a study. May also be used to gain reel back about procedures of the study. Debriefing is not an ethical issue but a way of dealing with
51
Define ethical guidelines
A set of principles designed to help professionals behave honestly and with integrity
52
Define ethics committee
A group of people within a research institution but approve of a study
53
Define presumptive consent
Method of dealing with a lack of informed consent - asking a group of people who are similar to the real participants if they would consent - then it’s presumed that the real group will
54
Define controlled observation
Investigating when behaviour is observed but under condition a where certain variables have been set by the researcher
55
Define covert observation
Observing people without their knowledge- doesn’t alter their behaviour
56
Define inter-observer reliability
The extent to which there is an agreement between two or more observers involved in observations of behaviour
57
Define naturalistic observation
Observation is carried out in an everyday setting in which the observer does not involve themselves
58
Define non participant observation
The observer is separate from the people being observed
59
Define observer bias
The observers expectations affect what they see or hear. Reduces the validity of the observations
60
Define overt observation
Studies where the participants are aware of being studied
61
Define participant observation
Observations are made by someone who is also participating in the activity being performed
62
Define behavioural categories
Dividing a target behaviour into a subset of specific and operationalised behaviours
63
Define event sampling
An observational technique in which a count is kept if the number of time a behaviour occurs
64
Define sampling
The method used to select participants
65
Define structured observation
A researcher uses various systems to organise observations, such as behavioural categories and sampling procedures
66
Define time sampling
An observational technique in which the observer records behaviours in a given time frame
67
Define interview
A research method or technique that involves face to face interaction with another individual
68
Define interviewer bias
the effect of an interviewers expectations, communicated unconsciously on a respondents behaviour
69
Define questionnaire
Data collected through the use of written questions
70
Define social desirability bias
A distortion in the way people answer questions making them seem more socially acceptable/ in a better light
71
Define structured interview
An interview where the questions are predetermined
72
Define unstructured interview
The interview starts out with some general aims and possibly some questions and let’s the interviewees response guide the next questions
73
Define closed questions
Questions that have a predetermined set of answers which the respondents choose from
74
Define open questions
Questions. That invite respondents to provide their own answers rather than select one
75
Define qualitative
Non numerical data
76
Define quantitative
Numerical data
77
Define co-variable
The two measured variables in correlational analysis. The variables must be continuous
78
Define continuous variable
Variables that can be any value within a range e.g - how much you like football 1-10
79
Define correlation
Determining the extent of an association between two variables
80
Define the correlation coefficient
A value between -1 and +1 that determines how closely two co-variables in correlation analysis are associated
81
Define curvilinear coefficient
A nonlinear relationship between co-variables
82
Define intervening variable
A variable that comes between two other variables, which is used to explain the association between those two variables
83
Define linear correlation
A systematic relationship between co-variables that is defined by a straight line
84
Define scatter gram
A graphical representation of the association between two sets of values
85
Define significance
A statistical term indicating that the research findings are sufficiently strong enough for us to accept the research hypothesis under test
86
Define case study
Research that involves the detailed study of an individual, institution, or event
87
Define effect size
A measure of the strength of the relationship between two variables
88
Define meta analysis
A researcher looks at findings from a number of different studies and produces a statistic to represent the overall effect
89
Define review
A consideration of a number of studies that have investigated the same topic in order to reach a general conclusion on a particular hypothesis
90
Define primary data
Information observed or collected directly from first hand experience
91
Define second hand data
Information used in a study that was collected by someone else for a purpose other than the current one.
92
Define one tailed test
The test used in a sign test when the hypothesis is directional
93
Define two tailed test
The test used in a sign test when there is a non directional hypothesis
94
Define sign test
A statistical test to determine the significance of a sample of data of related items.
95
Define critical value
In an inferential test the value of the test statistic that must be reached to show significance
96
Define calculated value
The value of a test statistic calculated for a particular data set
97
Define significance
A statistical term indicating that the research findings are sufficiently strong for us to accept the research hypothesis

Psychology : Research Methods (2 decks)

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