Psychology as a Science

Question 1

Science is the acquisition of _________ through the __________ study of particular factors and the events which they influence

Answer 1

Knowledge, systematics

Question 1

Theory

Answer 1

Theory is a systematic way of organising and explaining observations; different schools of thought promoting different theories.

Question 2

Psychology is

Answer 2

Psychology is the systematic study of the mental processes and behaviours

Question 3

Good research, regardless of the topic, is grounded in ______.

Answer 3

Theory.

Question 4

A _________ is a tentative belief about the way two (or more) _________ interact/impact each other.

Answer 4

Hypothesis, variables

Question 5

A theoretical framework is

Answer 5

A systematic way of organising and explaining observations

And

A hypothesis that flows from a theory or an important question.

Question 6

What are the 4 characteristics of good psychological research (Research concepts).

Answer 6

A theoretical framework
A standardised procedure
Generalisability
Objective measure

Question 7

A standardised procedure

Answer 7

Procedure that is the same for all participants except where variation is introduced to test a hypothesis.

Question 8

Generalisability

Answer 8

Sample that is representative of the population

and

Procedure that is sensible and relevant to circumstance outside the laboratory.

Question 9

Object Measure

Answer 9

Measure that are reliable (that produce consistent results

and

Measures that are valid (that assess the dimensions they purport to assess).

Question 10

What is any phenomenon that can take on more than one value

Answer 10

Variable

Question 11

An ___________ is one which is controlled, manipulated or

recorded so its effect on some other variable can be determined

Answer 11

Independent variable

Question 12

A ___________ is one whose values are expected to change as a
result of changes in the values of other variables (what is measured in the
experiment)

Answer 12

Dependent variable

Question 13

Varies continuously

Answer 13

Continuous variable
(e.g. body weight, height)

Question 14

Takes on fixed values

Answer 14

Categorical variable
(gender, political affiliation)

Question 15

Smaller subsets of the population that researchers can use to make make inferences about an entire population

Answer 15

Sample

Question 16

The entire group of people that a researcher is interested in

Answer 16

population

Question 17

Are the procedures of the study sound or are they flawed?

Answer 17

Internal validity

Question 18

External validity

Answer 18

Does the experimental situation resemble the situation found in the real world?

Question 19

To be valid the sampling must be

Answer 19

Representative

Question 20

Measure

Answer 20

A concrete means by which to determine the value of a variable

Question 21

_________ refers to the consistency of the measure

Answer 21

Reliability

Question 22

To be valid means

Answer 22

To actually measure the variable of interest for the purposes it was designed.

Question 23

Reliability techniques

Answer 23

Test-retest reliability
Internal consistency
Inter-rater reliability

Question 24

Does the test give similar values if the same participant takes it two or more times?

Answer 24

Test-retest reliability

Question 25

Internal consistency

Answer 25

Different items that measure the same variable should produce similar answers – be consistent.

Question 26

Two testers who rate the same person on the same variable, should give similar ratings to the participant.

Answer 26

Inter-rater reliability

Question 27

Scientific approach has three main goals

Answer 27

Description Prediction Understanding

Question 28

_______ summarising data produced in a way that makes the events and the relationship between them easily understandable.

Answer 28

Description

Question 29

Prediction

Answer 29

Using the outcome of research to identify what is likely to occur in the future

Question 30

Identifying the causal factors that led to the results found

Answer 30

Understanding

Question 31

Types of research methods

Answer 31

Descriptive Designs Correlational Designs Experimental Designs

Question 32

Concerned with describing behaviour

Answer 32

Descriptive Designs

Question 33

Correlational Designs

Answer 33

Concerned with predicting behaviour

Question 34

Experimental Designs

Answer 34

Concerned with establishing the causes of behaviour

Question 35

The ______________ is the variable manipulated by the experimenter, whereas, the _______________ is the response of the subjects.

Answer 35

``` Independent variable (IV) Dependent variable (DV) ```

Question 36

Experimental research design

Answer 36

``` 1- Framing a hypothesis 2- Operationilising Variables 3- Developing a standardised procedure 4- Selecting and assigning participants 5- Applying statistical techniques to the data 6- Drawing conclusions ```

Question 37

Limits of experimental research

Answer 37

- Complex real-world issues are not easily studied in the laboratory (e.g., prejudice) - In many situations, the IV cannot be manipulated (e.g., cannot require participants to divorce, to study its effects on children). - Therefore, need to study groups that already exist via quasi-experimental designs. - Quasi-experimental designs are most common in psychology

Question 38

Methods of descriptive research:

Answer 38

Case studies Naturalistic observation Survey research

Question 39

The __________ seeks to describe phenomena rather than to manipulate variables

Answer 39

descriptive approach

Question 40

Case studies

Answer 40

An in-depth study of the behaviour of one person or a small group

Question 41

Case study drawbacks include

Answer 41

Small sample size Susceptibility to researcher bias Problem of an atypical case

Question 42

Refers to the in-depth study of a phenomenon in its natural setting

Answer 42

Naturalistic observation

Question 43

Survey technique asks questions of large numbers of persons to gain information on attitudes and behaviour and contains 2 approaches

Answer 43

Questionnaires | Interviews (face-to-face, telephone)

Question 44

Sampling issues and | People may not respond accurately

Answer 44

Disadvantages of survey approach

Question 45

Disadvantages of naturalistic observation

Answer 45

Observation per se can alter behaviour | Cannot establish the cause of behaviour

Question 46

Case study drawbacks include Small _________ __________ to researcher bias Problem of an ________ case

Answer 46

Sample size Susceptibility Atypical

Question 47

Correlational research

Answer 47

Aim of the correlational approach is to determine the degree to which two or more variables are related – they can not determine causality

Question 48

__________ can determine association between data from experiments, case studies, or surveys

Answer 48

Correlations

Question 49

Calculate the correlation coefficient (r)

Answer 49

Values range from –1 through 0 through +1

Question 50

High values of one variable are associated with low values of the other variable

Answer 50

Negative correlations

Question 51

Positive correlations

Answer 51

High values of one variable are associated with high values of the other variable.

Question 52

Determining whether research findings apply in other cultures is an important and challenging undertaking

Answer 52

Cross cultural research

Question 53

Naturalistic observation Replication of experiments with people from different cultures Back translation of questionnaires

Answer 53

Methods used in Cross cultural research

Question 54

A Code of Ethics

Answer 54

-Informed consent -Maintain participant welfare -Voluntary participation -Ensure confidentiality -Avoid deception F-air and humane treatment of animals -Gain appropriate ethics approval

Question 55

Critically evaluating research

Answer 55

- Does the theoretical framework make sense? - Is the sample adequate and appropriate? - Are the measures and procedures adequate? - Are the data conclusive? - Are the broader conclusions warranted? - Does the study say anything meaningful? - Is the study ethical?

Question 57

Experimental and Descriptive methods

Answer 57

All answer different psychological questions – which is the appropriate method will depend on the question being addressed.

Question 58

The scientific approach to research has three main goals:

Answer 58

Description, prediction and understanding

Question 59

The process of operationalisation refers to:

Answer 59

Turning an abstract concept into a concrete idea.

Question 60

Which neuroimaging technique rotates and x-ray tube around a person’s head, producing a series of x-ray pictures.

Answer 60

Computerised axial tomography (CAT) scan

Question 61

The CAT in CAT scan stands for

Answer 61

Computerised axial tomography scan

Question 62

CAT scans

Answer 62

produces a series of x-ray images that a computer combines into a composite visual image that pinpoints the location of abnormalities in the brain, such as neuronal degeneration and abnormal tissue growths (tumours)

Question 63

MRI stands for

Answer 63

Magnetic resonance imaging - is related to CAT scans.

Question 64

This neuroimaging technique produces similar results to CAT scans without using x-ray

Answer 64

MRI

Question 65

This neuroimaging technique injects a small quantity of radio active glucose into the bloodstream.

Answer 65

PET - Positron emission tomography

Question 66

PET stands for.

Answer 66

Positron emission tomography

Question 67

As nerve cells use energy and replenish their supply from the bloodstream cells, the cells that have been radioactively tagged are processed by a computer to produce a colour portrait of the brain, showing which parts are active.

Answer 67

PET - Positron emission tomography

Question 68

PET observes the brain in ______. Which is changing the perceptions of diseases such as _______ by identifying neural pathways that diverge from individuals without the ______.

Answer 68

Action, schizophrenia, disorder.

Question 69

This neruroimaging technique uses MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) to watch the brain as an individual carries out tasks such as solving mathematical problems or looking at emotionally evocative pictures.

Answer 69

fMRI - Functional Magnetic resonance imaging

Question 70

fMRI stands for

Answer 70

Functional Magnetic resonance imaging

Question 71

This neuroimaging technique exposes the brain to pulses of a phenomenally strong magnet and measuring the response of chemicals in blood cells going to and from various regions, which become lined up in the direction of the magnet

Answer 71

fMRI - Functional Magnetic resonance imaging

Question 72

Measures electrical avtivity towards the surface of the brain (near the skull).

Answer 72

EEG - Electroencephalogram

Question 73

The ___ capitalises on the fact that every time a neurone fires it produces electrical activity; this is measured by placing electrodes on the scalp, to measure electrical activity towards the surface of the brain, near the skull.

Answer 73

EEG - Electroencephalogram

Question 74

The EEG - Electroencephalogram is most often used to:

Answer 74

diagnose disorders such as epilepsy and to study neural activity during sleep. It has also measures whether the two hemisphere of the brain respond differently to stimuli that evoke valences of emotion, which they do.