Research Methods I

These flashcards cover key concepts, methods, and biases related to research methods in psychology, as discussed in the lecture.

Descriptive Method

A research method that involves observing and describing naturally-occurring patterns without intervention or manipulation by the researcher.

Correlational Method

A research method used to determine whether a relationship exists between two dependent variables.

Experimental Method

A research method that investigates the effects of manipulating one variable on another.

Hawthorne Effect

The alteration of behavior by study participants due to their awareness of being observed.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories.

Naturalistic Observation

A descriptive research method where researchers observe subjects in their natural environment without interference.

Case Study

An in-depth study of a single individual or a small group, often used in clinical psychology.

Survey

A research method involving the collection of data from a large number of respondents about their attitudes or behaviors.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to see its effect.

Scatterplot

A graphical representation used to visualize the relationship between two quantitative variables.

Causation vs. Correlation

Causation implies that one event is the result of the occurrence of another event, while correlation indicates a relationship between two variables without implying a cause-and-effect relationship.