Methods in Psychology - PSYCH 105

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terms from the Methods in Psychology lecture.

Empiricism

An approach to discover and know the world based on trusting our senses and observing through seeing, touching, and hearing.

Scientific Method

A procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts and develop theories that can be tested.

Operational Definition

A description of property in measurable terms, essential for clear measurement in research.

Reliability

The tendency for a measure to produce the same measurement whenever it is used to measure the same thing.

Demand Characteristics

Aspects of an observational setting that cause people to behave as they think someone else wants or expects.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method where individuals are observed in their natural environment without interference.

Correlation

A relationship between variables where variations in one variable are synchronized with variations in another.

Statistical Significance

Determined when the odds of random assignment failing are calculated, typically set at p < .05.

Confounding Variable

A variable that is different between groups in an experiment other than the independent variable, which may affect results.

Informed Consent

A key ethical principle in research ensuring participants are fully aware of the study's risks and benefits before agreeing to take part.

Internal Validity

The degree to which an experiment supports clear causal conclusions between the independent and dependent variables.

External Validity

The extent to which research findings can be generalized to settings, people, and times other than the ones studied.

Random Assignment

The process of randomly assigning participants to different groups in an experiment to eliminate pre-existing differences.

Type I Error

A false positive error that occurs when researchers conclude that there is a causal relationship between two variables when there is not.

Type II Error

A false negative error that occurs when researchers incorrectly conclude that there is no causal relationship between two variables when one does exist.