Key Terms

Question 1

What is the aim?

Answer 1

The purpose of the investigation.

Question 2

What is the null hypothesis?

Answer 2

States that there is no relationship between the two variables being studied.

Question 3

What is the directional hypothesis?

Answer 3

Predicts the nature of the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Question 4

What is the non-directional hypothesis?

Answer 4

A two tailed hypothesis that doesn’t predict the direction of the difference or relationship.

Question 5

What is the independent groups design?

Answer 5

An experimental design whereby two groups are exposed to different conditions.

Question 6

What is matched pairs design?

Answer 6

An experimental design where pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables, such as age and IQ.

Question 7

What is repeated measured design?

Answer 7

An experimental design where the same participants take part in each condition of the experiment.

Question 8

What is counterbalancing?

Answer 8

Used to limit order effects - half of the participant take part in the conditions in one order while the other half take part in them in the opposite order.

Question 9

What is random sampling?

Answer 9

A technique in which each person is equally likely be selected.

Question 10

What is opportunity?

Answer 10

When a researcher selects anyone who is available and willing to take part in the study.

Question 11

What is sampling?

Answer 11

A technique used to select a sample from a larger group to study and draw info about the entire group.

Question 12

What is volunteer sampling?

Answer 12

A sampling technique where participants self-select to become part of a study.

Question 13

What is systematic sampling?

Answer 13

A sampling technique that used predetermined system to select the participants from a target. For example, every 4th person from a list.

Question 14

What are behaviour categories?

Answer 14

Categories of behaviour that are clearly defined, specific actions that can be observed and recorded as examples of the target behaviour.

Question 15

What is qualitative data?

Answer 15

Non-numerical data.

Question 16

How is qualitative data collected?

Answer 16

• Interviews.
• Open questions.

Question 17

What is quantitative data?

Answer 17

Numerical data that can be statistically analysed.

Question 18

How is quantitative data collected?

Answer 18

• Surveys.
• Questionnaires.

Question 19

What are open questions?

Answer 19

Questions that do not have fixed responses so they allow the responder to answer however they want.

Question 20

What are closed questions in psychology?

Answer 20

Questions that restrict the participant to a predetermined set of responses.

Question 21

What is a likert scale?

Answer 21

A scale rating used to measure opinions, attitudes, or behaviours.

Question 22

What is operationalisation?

Answer 22

Turning abstract conceptual ideas into measurable observations.

For example, the concept of social anxiety isn’t directly observable but it can be operationally defined in terms of self-rating scores, behavioural avoidance of crowded places or physical anxiety symptoms.

Question 23

What is an independent variable?

Answer 23

The independent variable is a factor that researchers manipulate or vary in an experiment.

Question 24

What is the dependent variable?

Answer 24

The variable that researchers measure to assess the impact of the independent variable. It is the outcome or response that is expected to change as a result of manipulating the independent variable.

Question 25

What is an extraneous variable?

Answer 25

Any variables in a research study other than the independent and dependent variables. These variables can potentially influence the results and need to be controlled or considered to ensure the internal validity of the study.

Question 26

What is a pilot study?

Answer 26

A small-scale study conducted before the main research to test feasibility.

Question 27

What is reliability in an experiment?

Answer 27

The consistency or stability of a measurement or research study.

Question 28

Whats internal validity?

Answer 28

The extent to which an experiment accurately measures the relationship between variables.

Question 29

Whats external validity?

Answer 29

The extent to which study results can be generalised to other populations or settings.

Question 30

Whats ecological validity?

Answer 30

The extent to which findings from a study can be generalised to real-world situations.

Question 31

What is population validity?

Answer 31

The degree to which study results apply to and can be generalised to the entire population.

Question 32

What is temporal validity?

Answer 32

The extent to which study results remain relevant over time.

Question 33

What are demand characteristics?

Answer 33

Cues in a study that may lead participants to infer the researchers expectations.

Question 34

What are investigator effects?

Answer 34

Unintended influences by the researcher on participants or the study outcome.

Question 35

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 35

A relationship where increases in one variable corresponds with increases in another.

Question 36

What is negative correlation?

Answer 36

A relationship where increases in one variable correspond with decreases in another.

Question 37

What is correlation?

Answer 37

A statistical measure indicating the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Question 38

What is a co-efficient?

Answer 38

A numerical value in a correlation indicating the strength and direction of the relationship.

Question 39

What is primary data?

Answer 39

Original data collected directly for the specific research study.

Question 40

What is secondary data?

Answer 40

Existing data collected by someone else for a different purpose, used in a new study.