Psychological Research Methods Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts in psychological research methods, including experimental design, statistical correlations, and ethical guidelines.

Fact

An observable reality that can be seen, tested, and verified.

Opinion

A personal judgment, belief, or conclusion that is not necessarily based on observable evidence.

Deductive Reasoning

A scientific process where ideas and predicted results are tested against the empirical world based on a general premise.

Inductive Reasoning

A scientific process where empirical observations lead to new ideas and general conclusions.

Theory

A well-developed set of ideas that offers an explanation for observed phenomena.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction or statement about how the world will behave, often framed as an if-then statement.

Falsifiable

The characteristic of a hypothesis or theory that allows it to be disproven by experimental results.

Case Study

An observational research method focused on one or a few individuals who often exhibit unique or exceptional characteristics.

Generalizing

The ability to apply findings from a specific sample or study to the larger population.

Naturalistic Observation

Observation of behavior in its natural setting without manipulation or interference by the researcher.

Observer Bias

When observations are unconsciously skewed to align with the researcher's expectations or hypotheses.

Inter-rater Reliability

A measure of agreement among different observers who rate, code, or classify the same event or behavior.

Survey

A list of questions administered to research participants to collect descriptive data from a large sample quickly.

Population

The overall group of individuals that researchers are interested in studying or drawing conclusions about.

Sample

A subset of individuals selected from a population to participate in a research study.

Census

A study or count that includes every single individual within an entire population.

Archival Research

A research method using pre-existing records or datasets to look for patterns, relationships, or trends.

Longitudinal Study

A research design in which data gathering occurs repeatedly from the same group of participants over an extended period of time.

Cross-sectional Study

A research design that compares multiple segments or age groups of the population at a single point in time.

Attrition

The reduction in the number of research participants over time in a longitudinal study.

Correlation

A statistical relationship between two or more variables where a change in one coincides with a change in the other.

Correlational Coefficient

A number from $-1$ to $+1$ that indicates the direction and strength of the relationship between variables.

Positive Correlation

A relationship between two variables in which both variables move in the same direction.

Negative Correlation

A relationship between two variables in which one variable increases while the other decreases.

Confounding Variable

An unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, giving the false impression of a direct causal link.

Illusory Correlation

Perceiving a relationship between two variables when no actual relationship exists.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to seek out, recall, or favor information that confirms existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.

Experimental Group

The group of participants in an experiment who receive the independent variable or manipulation being tested.

Control Group

The group of participants in an experiment who serve as a baseline and do not receive the experimental manipulation.

Placebo Effect

A response or outcome driven by participant expectations or beliefs rather than an active experimental treatment.

Operational Definition

A precise description of how variables will be manipulated, controlled, or measured in a study.

Independent Variable

The variable that is controlled or manipulated by the experimenter.

Dependent Variable

The variable that the researcher measures to see the effect of the independent variable.

Experimenter Bias

When a researcher's expectations unintentionally influence the results of the study.

Single-blind Study

An experimental setup where participants do not know which group they are assigned to, but the experimenter does.

Double-blind Study

An experimental design in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is in the control or experimental group.

Random Sample

A subset of a population where every member has an equal chance of being selected for participation.

Random Assignment

A method of experimental group assignment where every participant has an equal chance of being placed in any group.

Peer-reviewed Journal Article

An academic paper read and evaluated anonymously by expert peers in the field before being approved for publication.

Replication

Repeating a research study with different samples to determine if original findings are consistent and reliable.

Reliability

The consistency and reproducibility of a given research result across repeated trials.

Validity

The accuracy of a test or measurement tool in assessing what it was specifically designed to measure.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee of administrators, scientists, and community members that reviews human participant research proposals for ethics and safety.

Informed Consent

A process of informing research participants about a study's procedures, risks, benefits, and voluntary nature before they agree to participate.

Deception

Purposely misleading experiment participants about the true nature or purpose of a study to prevent skewing results.

Debriefing

A procedure held after a study's conclusion that fully informs participants about the complete truth, purpose, and any deception involved.