Chapter 2: Psychology’s Scientific Method

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the scientific method, research designs, data analysis, ethics, and health/wellness concepts.

Scientific Method

A systematic process used in psychology to study mind and behavior, including observing, hypothesizing, testing, drawing conclusions, and evaluating theories.

Theory

A system of ideas that explains observations and makes predictions, providing a basis for research.

Observation

Noticing a phenomenon with curiosity and critical thinking.

Hypothesis

An educated guess derived from a theory that can be tested.

Test

Empirical examination of a hypothesis using data collection and analysis.

Operational Definition

A precise description of how a variable will be measured.

Variable

Anything that can change across observations or experiments.

Data Analysis

The mathematical processing of collected data to determine outcomes.

Draw Conclusions

Deciding whether the data support the hypothesis.

Evaluate Theory

Assessing a theory through replication, reliability, and meta-analysis.

Replication

Repeating a study to verify results.

Reliability

Consistency of measurements across time or observers.

Meta-analysis

A statistical method that combines results from multiple studies.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize data (e.g., mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation).

Inferential Statistics

Statistics that allow conclusions about populations from samples and indicate statistical significance.

Correlation

A relationship between two variables; it does not prove causation.

Correlation Coefficient (r)

A value between -1.00 and 1.00 indicating strength and direction of a relationship.

Scatter Plot

A graph showing the relationship between two variables.

Positive Correlation

As one variable increases, the other tends to increase.

Negative Correlation

As one variable increases, the other tends to decrease.

Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

A correlation does not establish cause and effect; third-variable explanations may exist.

Longitudinal Design

A study design that measures variables across multiple time points.

Experimental Research

A study design that manipulates an independent variable to test its effect on a dependent variable.

Independent Variable

The variable that the researcher deliberately manipulates.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured and observed.

Experimental Group

Participants exposed to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Control Group

Participants treated the same as the experimental group except for the lack of manipulation.

Random Assignment

Assigning participants to groups by chance to control for biases.

External Validity

Whether results generalize to real-world settings and populations.

Internal Validity

Whether observed effects are due to the manipulation of the independent variable rather than other factors.

Bias

Systematic errors or expectations that can influence results.

Experimenter Bias

Researchers' expectations that can influence study outcomes.

Demand Characteristics

Cues that may influence participants’ behavior in a study.

Placebo Effect

A change in behavior due to participants’ expectations rather than the treatment.

Double-Blind

Neither participants nor researchers know group assignments to prevent bias.

Descriptive Research

Research aiming to describe phenomena rather than explain why they occur; includes observation, surveys, interviews, and case studies.

Sample

A portion of the population observed in a study.