Psychology Research Methods: Scientific Method, Design, Measurement, and Ethics Flashcards | Quizlet

What characteristic means a theory must be testable and capable of being proven wrong?

Falsifiable

What are the five characteristics of science?

Deterministic, empirical, falsifiable, provisional, public

What does pseudoscience rely on?

Consensus-based claims, anecdotal evidence, unfalsifiable claims. It lacks peer review and self-correction.

What is a construct?

A hypothetical variable that can't be directly observed (e.g., happiness, intelligence)

What is an operational definition?

The procedures or tests by which a construct is observed or measured

What is construct validity?

The degree to which the operational definition measures the construct of interest

What is face validity?

The measure appears, on its surface, appropriate for measuring the construct

What are participant variables?

Pre-existing individual differences (age, gender, race). They are measured, not manipulated.

What is the predictor variable that is manipulated?

Independent variable

What is the outcome variable in an experiment?

Dependent variable. Outcomes in correlational studies are not called dependent variables.

What kind of claim does a descriptive design make?

Frequency/value (one variable)

What kind of claim does a correlational design make?

Association (two or more measured variables)

What kind of claim does an experimental design make?

Causal ('no causation without manipulation')

What is method match?

Actions = observation, ideas = self-report, physical state = monitoring

What type of test is a memory test scored with an answer key?

Observation (not self-report, because there is a correct answer)

What is the difference between categorical and continuous variables?

Categorical = groups or words that vary in kind. Continuous = meaningful numbers on a scale (at least 6 values) that vary in amount.

What is reliability?

Consistency: do you get the same result if you repeat it?

What is validity?

Accuracy: does the measure 'hit' the construct?

Which validity is a priority for all three claims?

Construct validity

What is external validity?

Whether results generalize to other people, settings, and times

What is internal validity?

Whether a causal conclusion is justified (no confounds)

What was the major moral problem of the Tuskegee study?

Men with syphilis weren't treated with penicillin after it became standard (mid-1940s). The study ran 1932-1972.

What does respect for persons mean in research ethics?

Acknowledge autonomy and protect those with diminished autonomy

What is beneficence in research ethics?

Do no harm, and maximize benefits and minimize harms (good risk-benefit ratio)

What is the difference between direct and conceptual replication?

Direct recreates the original methods as closely as possible. Conceptual tests the same idea with different methods, stimuli, or samples.