Research Flashcards
(26 cards)
most basic and pervasive of all research methods
observation
the following involves making observations:
experimental, case study, and naturalistic approaches
- “casual observation”
- does little by itself, can even lead to erroneous conclusions.
- BUT can lead to development of hypothesis that can eventually be tested more systematically
unsystematic observation
- carried out in real-life settings, but more systematic and rigorous
- no real control exerted by observer, but observation is carefully planned
- limited to a relatively few individuals and situations
naturalistic observation
similar to naturalistic observation in which carefully planned observations are made in real-life settings, except that the investigator exerts a degree of control over the events being observed.
controlled observation
- involves the intensive study of one person - a client or patient who is in treatment.
- include material from interviews, test responses, and treatment accounts
case study
- the study of the incidence, prevalence, and distribution of illness or disease in a given population.
- can give insight in identifying who are a risk.
epidemiological studies
refers to the rate of new cases of illness that develop within a given period of time
incidence
refers to the overall rate of cases (old or new) within a given period
prevalence
determining whether variable X is related to variable Y
correlational studies
possibility that a correlation between variables A and B is due to the influence of an unknown third variable rather than to a causal relationship between A and B.
third-variable problem
- statistical method for examining the interrelationships among a number of variables at the same time.
- uses many separate correlations to determine which variables change together and thus may have some underlying dimension in common.
factor analysis
*evaluates or compares individuals, perhaps of different age groups, at the same point in time.
* we cannot assume age changes, only
differences among age groups
cross-sectional studies
- follows the same subjects over time.
- allows us to gain insight into for age changes; reduces third-variable problem
longitudinal studies
allows the researcher to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables or events.
experimental method
we have two separate sets of participants, each of which receives a different kind of treatment or intervention.
between-group designs
comparisons are made on same patients at different points in time.
within-groups design
the extent that the change in the dependent variable is attributable to the manipulation of the independent variable.
internal validity
when extraneous variables are not controlled or cannot be shown to exist equally in experimental and control groups, these variables may [ ]
confound the results
where the expectations for the experimental manipulation cause the outcome rather than (or in addition to) the manipulation itself.
placebo effect
neither participant nor experimenter knows what treatment or procedure is being used.
double-blind procedure
the extent that its results are generalizable beyond the narrow conditions of the study.
external validity
- better internal validity is possible because of the superior control we can exert in the laboratory.
- the Achilles heel of the method is the degree of similarity between this method and the real thing.
analog studies
- usually, an intervention is introduced after a reliable baseline is established, and the effects of the intervention are determined by comparing the baseline and postintervention levels of behavior.
- allow the experimenter to establish cause–effect relationships
single-case designs