Research Methods and Statistics

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to research methods and statistics.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation that must be falsifiable, meaning it can be supported or rejected.

Operational Definition

A clear, precise, quantifiable definition of your variables that allows for replication and collection of reliable data.

Qualitative Data

Descriptive data that captures qualities, such as eye color.

Quantitative Data

Numerical data that is ideal and necessary for statistical analysis.

Population

Everyone the research could potentially apply to.

Sample

The specific people (or person) chosen for a study.

Correlation

Identifying the relationship between two variables; does not imply causation.

Positive Correlation

When both variables increase and decrease together.

Negative Correlation

When one variable increases while the other decreases.

Placebo Effect

An observed effect on behavior that is caused by the placebo, demonstrating the effectiveness of the experimental treatment.

Double-Blind Study

An experiment where neither the participant nor the experimenter knows which condition participants are assigned to.

Confound

An error or flaw in a study that is accidentally introduced, often referred to as a confounding variable.

Inferential Statistics

Statistics used to make inferences about a population based on the data collected from a sample.

Random Assignment

The process of randomly assigning participants to either control or experimental groups to increase the chance of equal representation.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable that is purposefully altered by the researcher to look for effects.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The measured variable that is dependent on the independent variable.

Statistical Significance

Results indicating they are not due to chance; often represented as p < .05.

Effect Size

Indicates that data has practical significance; the larger the effect size, the more meaningful the results.

IRB Approval

Ethical guidelines that require review and approval from an Institutional Review Board for studies involving people.

Surveys

Research method usually turned into correlation, subject to self-report bias.

Case Study

An in-depth study of one person, which may collect a lot of information but does not imply cause and effect.

Meta-Analysis

Combining multiple studies to increase sample size and examine effect sizes.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that show the shape of the data.

Random Sample

Method for selecting participants in which everyone has a chance to participate, increasing generalizability.

Convenience Sample

Selecting participants based on availability, resulting in lower representativeness and generalizability.

Sampling Bias

When a sample is not representative due to convenience sampling.

Cognitive Bias

Bias in thinking and judgment that can affect research outcomes.

Range

The distance between the smallest and largest numbers in a data set.

Standard Deviation

The average amount the scores are spread from the mean, with a larger number indicating more spread.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to find information that supports preexisting beliefs.

Hindsight Bias

The inclination to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.

Hawthorne Effect

When people change their behavior because they are being observed.