Psychological Research Methods

Vocabulary flashcards to help understand key concepts in psychological research methods.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe, after an outcome is known, that one would have foreseen it.

Intuition

The ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.

Overconfidence

The tendency to overestimate one’s own abilities or knowledge.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method where behavior is observed in its natural environment without manipulation.

Case Study

An in-depth analysis of an individual subject.

Operationalizing

The process of defining a research variable into measurable factors.

Hypothesis

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

Replication

The repetition of research to confirm findings.

Correlation

A statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two variables fluctuate together.

Causation

The action of causing something to occur; understanding direct cause-and-effect.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to see how it is affected by the independent variable.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment.

Placebo

An inert substance given to a control group in an experiment.

Sampling Bias

A bias in which a sample is collected in such a way that some members are less likely to be included than others.

Surveys

Research methods used to collect data from a predefined group of respondents.

Psychological Research

The systematic investigation of psychological phenomena.

Double Blind Procedure

An experimental procedure in which both the researchers and participants do not know which group is receiving the treatment.

Theory

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses.

Confounding Variables

Variables other than the independent variable that may affect the dependent variable.