Psychology - Science Inquiry Skills

What is Psychology?

The systematic study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, and the factors that influence these.

Who made the Biopsychological model?

An American psychiatrist, George Engel

What is the Biopsychosocial Model?

A model that suggests that health and illness are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors, alongside individual health-related behaviours.

What is Empirical Evidence?

Data and information collected directly through observation or experimentation

What is the benefit of Empirical Evidence?

It allows researchers to draw accurate conclusions that are free from personal biases.

What is an Independent Variable (IV)?

The variable in an experiment that is systematically manipulated or changed by the researcher; regarded as the 'cause'.

What is a Dependent Variable (DV)?

The variable used to observe and measure the effects of the independent variable; regarded as the 'effect'.

What are Extraneous Variables?

Variables that can affect or cause an unwanted change in the dependent variable, hindering conclusions about cause and effect.

What is an Experimental Group?

The group of participants in an experiment who are exposed to the active treatment or experimental condition.

What is a Control Group?

The group of participants exposed to baseline conditions, providing a standard of comparison to determine whether the independent variable affected performance.

What are Experimenter Effects?

Unintentional impacts on participant behaviour or data interpretation resulting from the personal characteristics, mood, health, or unconscious biases of the researcher.

What is an Observational Design?

A research design that studies natural behaviours in a real-world setting without manipulating an independent variable, relying instead on pre-existing groups.

What is Qualitative Data?

Non-numerical information describing qualities or characteristics (such as words, descriptions, meanings, pictures, and transcripts).

What is Quantitative Data?

Numerical information about the quantity or amount of what is being measured (such as Likert rating scales, test scores, or physical metrics).

What is Objective Quantitative Measures?

Numerical data collected via direct, external measurement (e.g., physiological brain monitoring devices) that does not depend on personal opinion.

What is Subjective Quantitative Measures

Numerical data based on an individual's personal estimate, rating, or opinion (e.g., self-reported hours of sleep).

What is Informed Consent?

An ethical standard requiring researchers to inform participants of all study aspects, potential risks, and discomforts, and formally record their agreement.

What is Adequate Debriefing?

An ethical obligation to fully inform participants of the true nature, purpose, results, and conclusions of a study once participation ends.

What is the “Right to Withdraw” principle?

An ethical principle guaranteeing that participants can leave a research study at any time without penalty or pressure.

What is Freedom from Coercion?

An ethical guideline requiring that participants have complete freedom to choose whether or not to participate without undue pressure or force.

What is the Delphi Technique?

A process where questionnaires are sent to experts to form an expert opinion

What is an advantage of the Delphi Technique?

Receives opinion from experts and avoids biases since the questionnaires are completed independently.

What is a disadvantage of the Delphi Technqiue?

Participants cannot debate/challenged the other expert’s opinions since they commenced independantly

What is a Focus Group?

A focus group is an informal discussion between participants that are monitored by an interviewer

What is an advantage of a Focus Group?

The interviewer can question participants to clarify their points

What is an disadvantage of a Focus Group?

Discussion can be impacted by bias, power and competition