Research Methods: Measurement, Sampling, Surveys, and Correlations

What are operational definitions?

Operational definitions explain exactly how a variable will be measured or manipulated in a study.

Why is it important to establish construct validity?

It tells us whether a measure measures the concept/construct it is supposed to measure.

What is criterion validity?

Criterion validity refers to how well a measure relates to an established standard.

What is the difference between validity and reliability?

Validity refers to accuracy, while reliability refers to consistency.

What is interrater reliability?

Interrater reliability is when consistent scores are obtained regardless of who is observing.

What is face validity?

Face validity refers to a plausible operationalization.

What is internal reliability?

Internal reliability is when a participant gives a consistent score regardless of how the questions are asked.

What are scatterplots used for?

Scatterplots are helpful tools for visualizing reliability.

What is a self-report measure?

A self-report measure involves reporting on oneself.

What are the different types of measures?

Observational measures assess behavior, physiological measures assess physical responses.

What is test/retest reliability?

Test/retest reliability is how to test if something is reliable.

What is discriminant validity?

Discriminant validity tests whether things are not related.

What is an ordinal scale?

An ordinal scale ranks items, such as the order of finishers in a race.

What is an interval scale?

An interval scale does not have a true zero point.

How can one control for question order bias?

Avoid ordering questions in a way that leads to desired answers.

What are observer effects?

Observer effects are also known as expectancy effects.

What are common biases participants may have when answering surveys?

Participants may have faith in good, fence sitting, or faith in bad.

What are the advantages of open-ended questions?

They allow for more detailed responses but may require coding.

What is a Likert scale?

A Likert scale is a rating scale used to measure attitudes.

What is a major disadvantage of observational research?

Observational research cannot determine cause and effect.

What are nonprobability samples?

Nonprobability samples are those where not everyone has an equal opportunity to be selected.

What are disadvantages of online surveys?

Online surveys may not be representative of the entire population.

What is another term for probability sampling?

Random sampling is another term for probability sampling.

What is convenience sampling?

Convenience sampling is the most common type in behavioral research.

What is cluster sampling?

Cluster sampling involves sampling from groups that are already gathered.

What is stratified random sampling?

Stratified random sampling uses predetermined strata and may lead to oversampling.

What is observer bias?

Observer bias occurs when the observer's expectations influence their observations.

What is socially desirable responding?

Socially desirable responding is when participants answer in a way they think is acceptable.

What is the difference between population, sample, and census?

Population is the entire group, a sample is a subset, and a census includes everyone.

What are the different sampling techniques?

Sampling techniques include random sampling, stratified sampling, and convenience sampling.

What is the advantage of probability sampling?

Probability sampling allows everyone an equal chance of selection.

What is the disadvantage of probability sampling?

It can be more complex and time-consuming.

What is the difference between random assignment and random sampling?

Random assignment is used for internal validity, while random sampling is for external validity.

What is the most common sampling technique in behavioral research?

Convenience sampling is the most common technique.

What does bias in sample selection threaten?

Bias in sample selection threatens the validity of the research findings.

What is an outlier?

An outlier is a data point that differs significantly from other observations.

How do bar graphs help in making associations?

Bar graphs visually represent data to show comparisons and associations.

What are confidence intervals?

Confidence intervals provide a range of values that likely contain the true population parameter.

How do you read and interpret simple graphs?

Reading graphs involves understanding axes, scales, and data points.

What do scatterplots display in bivariate studies?

Scatterplots display the relationship between two variables.

What are curvilinear relationships?

Curvilinear relationships occur when a graph changes direction between two variables.

What effect can a single outlier have on a correlation coefficient?

A single outlier can significantly affect the strength and direction of the correlation coefficient.

What information does the correlation coefficient provide?

The correlation coefficient indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between variables.