Chapter 2: Research Methods and Ethics

Vocabulary flashcards covering psychological research methods, experimental variables, sampling techniques, and ethical guidelines from Chapter 2.

Descriptive Research Methods

A type of investigation psychologists use to explore a phenomenon, which is useful for studying new or unexplored topics but cannot determine cause-and-effect relationships.

Survey Method

A type of descriptive research that uses questionnaires or interviews to gather data quickly from participants.

Correlational Method

A type of descriptive research examining the relationships or associations among variables.

Correlation Coefficient

The statistical measure, symbolized as $r$, that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables, ranging from $-1.00$ to $+1.00$.

Experimental Method

A research method involving the manipulation of an independent variable to uncover cause-and-effect relationships.

Random Assignment

The process of appointing study participants to the experimental or control groups, ensuring that every person has an equal chance of being assigned to either group.

Experimental Group

The members of an experiment who are exposed to the treatment variable or manipulation by the researcher.

Control Group

The participants in an experiment who are not exposed to the treatment variable, serving as the comparison group.

Independent Variable

The variable manipulated by the researcher to determine its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The characteristic or response that is measured to determine the effect of the researcher's manipulation.

Population

All members of an identified group about which a researcher is interested.

Sample

A subset of a population chosen for inclusion in an experiment.

Random Sample

A subset of the population chosen through a procedure that ensures all members of the population have an equal chance of being selected to participate in the study.

Representative Sample

A subgroup of the population with characteristics similar to those of the population of interest.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that reviews research involving human participants to determine whether the research adequately protects participants.