Psychology Perspectives and Research Methods

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts in psychology related to perspectives, research methods, and ethical guidelines.

Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes and behavior.

Cognitive Bias

A systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms one’s preconceptions.

Hindsight Bias

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

Overconfidence Bias

The tendency to overestimate one’s own abilities, knowledge, and predictions.

Empirical Evidence

Information that is acquired through observation or experimentation.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to research including observation, hypothesis, experimentation, analysis, and conclusion.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables.

Falsifiable

A characteristic of a hypothesis or theory that can be proven false through evidence.

Peer Review

A process where other experts in the field evaluate research before it is published.

Replication

Repetition of a study to see if the original results can be reproduced.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure in producing similar results under the same conditions.

Validity

The extent to which a research study measures what it intends to measure.

Experimental Method

Research method that manipulates variables to establish cause and effect.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effects.

Dependent Variable

The variable observed and measured to determine the effect of the independent variable.

Confounding Variable

An outside influence that changes the effect of a dependent and independent variable.

Operational Definitions

Specific explanations of abstract concepts that a researcher plans to assess.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment or condition being tested.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment and is used for comparison.

Random Assignment

A process of assigning participants to groups by chance, minimizing bias.

Placebo Effect

The phenomenon in which participants experience changes due to their expectations of treatment rather than the treatment itself.

Sample Bias

A bias that occurs when the sample is not representative of the population being studied.

Generalizability

The extent to which findings from a study can be applied to other contexts or populations.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method involving observing subjects in their natural environment without interference.

Case Study

An in-depth analysis of a single individual or group.

Correlational Research

Research that examines the relationships between variables without manipulating them.

Third Variable Problem

The situation in which a third variable influences both the independent and dependent variable.

Scatterplot

A graph that displays values for typically two variables for a set of data.

Correlation Coefficient

A statistical measure that describes the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Positive Correlation

A relationship between two variables where both move in the same direction.

Negative Correlation

A relationship between two variables where one variable increases as the other decreases.

Experimental Bias

When a researcher's expectations about the outcome of an experiment influence the results.

Single-Blind Study

A study in which participants are unaware of whether they are in the experimental or control group.

Double-Blind Study

A study in which both the participants and researchers do not know which group participants belong to.

Informed Consent

A process for getting permission before conducting a healthcare intervention on a person.

Confidentiality

The ethical principle that limits access to personal information about participants.

Deception in Research

Misleading participants about the true purpose of a study.

Debriefing

Providing participants with full information about the study's purpose and procedures after their participation.

The American Psychological Association (APA)

A professional organization representing psychologists in the United States; provides guidelines for ethical research.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies.

Effect Size

A quantitative measure of the magnitude of a phenomenon.

Statistical Significance

A statistical result that is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone.

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

Committees that review and approve research proposals to ensure ethical standards.

Protect Participants from Harm

An ethical guideline requiring that researchers minimize potential risks to participants.

Informed Assent

A process of obtaining permission for participation from individuals unable to give informed consent.