Psychology & Research Methods and Science Concepts

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts in intuition, science, research methods, ethics, statistics, and measurement from the notes.

Intuition

Ability to understand or know something without conscious reasoning or evidence; a gut feeling or instinctual understanding.

Authority

Influence from individuals or institutions with power and expertise on beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.

Rationalism

Emphasizes the use of reason and logical thinking to acquire knowledge and make decisions.

Empiricism

Belief that knowledge is primarily gained through direct sensory experience and observation.

The Scientific Method

Systematic approach to investigate natural phenomena: formulating hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions.

Science

The systematic study of behavior and mental processes using empirical methods.

Systematic Empiricism

Research conducted in a structured, methodical manner following established procedures to gather and analyze data.

Empirical Questions

Questions that can be answered through observation, measurement, and experimentation.

Public Knowledge

Information and findings accessible to everyone, often through publications and educational resources.

Pseudoscience

Beliefs or practices that claim to be scientific but lack empirical evidence and rigorous validation.

Falsifiable

A hypothesis or theory that can be tested and potentially proven false through empirical research.

The Skeptic’s Dictionary

A reference source that critiques and debunks pseudoscientific claims from a skeptical perspective.

Cryptozoology

The study of mythical or undiscovered creatures (e.g., Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster).

Pseudoscientific Psychotherapies

Therapies that lack empirical support and scientific validity, often relying on unproven methods.

Homeopathy

An alternative medicine practice based on dilutions that allegedly produce similar symptoms in healthy individuals.

Pyramidology

A belief system linking pyramids with mystical properties and unfounded powers.

The Three Goals of Science

Overall aims of science to understand and explain behavior and mental processes.

Basic Research

Expands knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles.

Applied Research

Aims to address specific practical issues using psychological principles.

Folk Psychology

The common-sense understanding of human behavior and mental processes used in everyday life.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb for quick decisions and problem solving.

Confirmation Bias

Tendency to seek and favor information that confirms preexisting beliefs.

Skepticism

Maintaining a critical and questioning attitude toward claims and beliefs.

Tolerance for Uncertainty

Ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty in various situations.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A doctoral degree involving original research and completion of a dissertation.

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Clinical Practice of Psychology

Application of psychological principles to diagnose and treat mental health issues.

Empirically Supported Treatments

Therapeutic interventions proven effective through rigorous scientific research.

Research Literature

Published studies, articles, and papers contributing to the field’s knowledge.

Professional Journals

Publications with peer‑reviewed articles and research findings.

Empirical Research Reports

Documents detailing methods, results, and conclusions of studies.

Review Articles

Summaries and analyses of existing research on specific topics.

Theoretical Article

Discussing and developing theoretical concepts and frameworks.

Double-Blind Peer Review

A process where both the author and reviewers are anonymous to each other.

Scholarly Books

Written by experts, providing in-depth coverage of topics.

Monograph

A specialized book focusing on a single subject or research topic.

Edited Volumes

Collections of chapters or articles by multiple contributors edited for cohesion.

PsycINFO

A comprehensive psychology database indexing scholarly literature.

Interestingness

The degree to which a research topic or finding is engaging or thought‑provoking.

Feasibility

The practicality and likelihood of successfully conducting a study or intervention.

Theory

A systematic and organized set of principles to explain observed phenomena.

Hypothesis

A testable statement or prediction guiding research and experimentation.

Hypothetico-Deductive Method

Forming hypotheses and testing them through empirical research.

Testable and Falsifiable

Hypotheses that can be examined and potentially proven false.

Logical

Reasoning using sound principles of deduction.

Positive

Referring to the presence or existence of a characteristic or phenomenon.

Variable

A factor that can vary or change in research.

Quantitative Variable

Measured and expressed numerically.

Categorical Variable

Represents distinct categories or groups.

Operational Definition

Specifies how a variable is measured or manipulated in a study.

Population

The entire group of individuals or subjects of interest.

Sample

A subset of the population used in a research study.

Simple Random Sampling

Selecting a random subset to ensure each member has an equal chance.

Convenience Sampling

Choosing individuals easily accessible to the researcher.

Experimental Research

Controlled experiments to investigate cause‑and‑effect relationships.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent Variable

The variable measured to assess the effect of the independent variable.

Confounds

Uncontrolled variables that can unintentionally affect the outcome.

Extraneous Variable

Variables other than the IV and DV that can influence results.

Non-Experimental Research

Research that does not manipulate variables or use controlled experiments.

Laboratory Study

Research conducted in a controlled lab setting to maintain control.

Field Study

Research conducted in a natural environment for ecological validity.

Internal Validity

The degree to which an experiment accurately measures the effect of the IV.

External Validity

The extent findings generalize to other settings and populations.

Field Experiments

Experiments conducted in real-world settings combining lab and field elements.

Mode

The most frequently occurring value in a dataset.

Median

The middle value when data are ordered.

Mean

The average value (sum of values divided by count).

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values.

Standard Deviation

A measure of data spread around the mean.

Variance

The average of the squared differences from the mean.

Correlation Coefficient

A statistic measuring the strength and direction of a linear relationship.

Inferential Statistics

Statistical methods to draw conclusions about populations from samples.

Statistically Significant

Differences or relationships unlikely to be due to chance.

Type I Error

Incorrectly concluding there is an effect when none exists.

Type II Error

Incorrectly concluding there is no effect when one exists.

Ethics

Moral principles guiding research and professional conduct.

Confederate

A person who pretends to be a participant but is working with the researcher.

Autonomy

Respecting an individual’s right to make their own decisions.

Informed Consent

Participants are fully informed and voluntarily agree to participate.

Privacy

Protecting the confidentiality of personal information and data.

Confidentiality

Keeping participant information private and secure.

Anonymity

Ensuring participants’ identities are not known to researchers.

Nuremberg Code

Ethical principles for human experimentation developed after WWII.

Declaration of Helsinki

International ethical guidelines for medical research involving humans.

Belmont Report - Justice

Fairness and equal treatment in research participation and distribution of burdens/benefits.

Belmont Report - Respect for Persons

Autonomy and informed consent as essential considerations.

Belmont Report - Beneficence

Do no harm and maximize benefits in research.

Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects

US regulations governing ethical conduct of human subjects research.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Independent committee that reviews and approves research with human participants.

Exempt Research

Low‑risk research exempt from certain regulatory requirements.

Minimal Risk Research

Research posing minimal harm or discomfort to participants.

At‑Risk Research

Research involving vulnerable populations or higher potential risks.

APA Ethics Code

American Psychological Association guidelines for ethical practice.

Consent Form

Written document explaining the research and obtaining consent.

Deception

Withholding or providing misleading information with safeguards.

Debriefing

Providing participants with information about the research after participation.

Scholarly Integrity

Honesty, transparency, and ethical standards in research and publication.

Pre‑Screening

Screening potential participants for study eligibility.

Measurement

Assigning numerical values to variables or observations.