Psychology Research Methods and Statistics

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental terms in psychological research, scientific methods, statistical concepts, and ethics.

Scientific Method

A step-by-step process used to study questions and test ideas.

Empiricism

Learning through observation and evidence.

Variables

Things that can change or be measured in a study.

Theory

An explanation supported by lots of evidence.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about what will happen.

Steps of Scientific Investigation

Ask a question $\rightarrow$ make a hypothesis $\rightarrow$ test it $\rightarrow$ collect data $\rightarrow$ analyze results $\rightarrow$ draw a conclusion.

Operational Definition

A clear description of how a variable will be measured or tested.

Direct Observation

Watching and recording behavior directly.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in its normal, natural setting.

Psychological Testing

Using tests to measure things like intelligence, personality, or abilities.

Physiological Testing

Measuring physical or biological responses, such as heart rate or brain activity.

Archival Records

Using existing records or documents to collect information.

Interview

Asking people questions to collect information.

Survey/Questionnaire

Asking many people the same questions to collect information.

Correlation Studies

Studying whether two variables are related.

Case Study

An in-depth study of one person, group, or situation.

Experiment

A study where researchers change one variable to see its effect on another.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable the researcher changes.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable being measured or affected.

Experimental Group

The group that receives the treatment or changed variable.

Control Group

The group that does not receive the treatment; used for comparison.

Statistics

Numbers used to organize and understand data.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize and describe data.

Inferential Statistics

Statistics used to make conclusions about a larger population.

Central Tendency

A number that represents the center of a set of data.

Mean

The average.

Median

The middle number when data is put in order.

Mode

The number that appears most often.

Standard Deviation

Shows how spread out the data is from the average.

Correlation

A relationship between two variables.

Correlation Coefficient

A number from $-1$ to $+1$ that shows the strength and direction of a correlation.

Positive Correlation

Both variables increase or decrease together.

Negative Correlation

One variable increases while the other decreases.

Statistical Significance

Shows that a result is unlikely to have happened by chance.

Sample

The smaller group of people actually studied.

Population

The entire group the researcher wants to study.

Placebo

A treatment with no real effect, used for comparison.

Double-Blind Study

Neither the participants nor researchers know who receives the treatment.

Experimenter Bias

When a researcher's expectations affect the results.

Social Desirability Bias

When people give answers that make them look better instead of giving truthful answers.

Deception

Giving participants incomplete or misleading information when necessary for a study.

Animals in Research

Using animals in psychological research to study behavior or biological processes while following ethical rules.