Week 4 Textbook Chapter 3 Flashcards
(30 cards)
Definition: Purpose Statement?
A statement outlining a research study’s objective
The Preliminary Steps of Measurement? (4)
- articulating the topic
- research problem
- purpose statement
- research question
Definition: Conceptual Definition?
An explicit working definition, resembling a dictionary definition.
Definition: Operational Definiton?
A definitional that specifies the operations or criteria used to identify and empirically measure a concept
Definiton: Empirical Indicator?
An exact indication of how a concept is recognised and measured.
Definition: Reification?
The practice of treating a concept as though it has a material existence.
Definiton: Attribute?
A representation of a variables categories or numerical values
Definition: Dependent Variable?
The effect or outcome of one or more causes whereby their values are altered by a change in an independent variable.
Definition: Independent Variable?
the cause that changes, influences or predicts the values of the dependent value.
Definition: Control Variable?
A variable that does not vary but can impact the independent or dependent variable.
Definition: Alternative Hypothesis?
an empirically testable statement that specifies the relationship expected between two variables.
Definition: Null Hypothesis?
An empirical and falsifiable statement that specifies no difference between the two variables what are expected to vary in a predictable way.
Definition: Spuriousness?
The situation of a possible causal relationship being caused by a third alternative and unmeasured variable (confounding variable).
Definition: Confounding Variable?
A variable representing an unmeasured factor that, when it causes a change in the independent/dependent variable, causes a spurious relationship.
Definition: Intervening Variable?
A variable that explains a causal relation between others by accounting for how an independent variable affects the dependent variable. Effect the degree and variation of a change but don’t cause it.
3 steps in the measurement process?
1st step: conceptualization: process of taking imprecise ideas in the form of concepts and making them clear and concise à it is the process of defining a concept
2nd step: conceptual definition ( explicit, working definition of a concept, resembling a dictionary definition)
3rd operationalization: creates operational definitions that specific how a variable will be measured and thereby detected. the concept can then be understood in the same way by other people
Definition: counterfactual?
A conceptualisation of alternate conditions, factors or outcomes.
Definition: Teleology?
A type of faulty causal reasoning that cannot be empirically tested or falsified.
-cause does not precede the effect
Definition: tautology?
circular reasoning: employed when the causal statement is true by definition
Definition: Reductionism?
overgeneralization of individual-level data to make statements about societal-level processes
Definition: ecological fallacy?
overgeneralization of group-level data to describe individual-level processes, behaviour, or attitudes
-stereotyping “oh you are int his group? you must have this trait”
Necessary Cause?
a necessary cause is an independent variable that must be present for the dependent variable for change
Sufficient Cause?
condition that ensures the effect; doesn’t mean that the independent variable causes the variation observed in the dependent variable
Definition: reliability?
event to which repeated testing of a concept produces the same result
-homogeneity impacts this
