Psych U1 1. Key science skills

exam rev

Accuracy

The accuracy of a measurement relates to how close it is to the true value of the quantity being measured.

Precision

Refers to how closely a set of measurement values agree with each other.

Repeatability

The closeness of the agreement between the results of successive measurements of the same quantity being measured.

Reproducibility

The closeness of the agreement between the results of measurements of the same quantity being measured, carried out under changed conditions of measurement.

Validity

A measurement is said to be valid if it measures what it is supposed to be measuring.

Internal validity

A psychological investigation is said to be internally valid if it investigates what it sets out and/or claims to investigate.

External validity

Is —- if results of the research can be applied to similar individuals in a different setting.

Beneficence

The commitment to maximising benefits and minimising the risks and harms involved in taking a particular position or course of action.

Integrity

The commitment to searching for knowledge and understanding, and the honest reporting of all sources of information and results.

Justice

The moral obligation to ensure that there is fair consideration of competing claims.

Non-maleficence

Involves avoiding the causation of harm.

Respect

Involves consideration of the extent to which living things have an intrinsic value and/or instrumental value.

Confidentiality

The privacy, protection and security of a participant’s personal information.

Debriefing

Ensures that, at the end of the experiment, the participant leaves understanding the experimental aim, results and conclusions.

Informed consent procedures

Ensure participants understand the nature and purpose of the experiment before agreeing to participate.

Use of deception in research

Is only permissible when participants knowing the true purpose of the experiment may affect their behaviour.

Voluntary participation

Ensures that there is no coercion of or pressure put on the participant to partake in an experiment.

Withdrawal rights

Involves a participant being able to discontinue their involvement in an experiment at any time.

Random errors

Affect the precision of a measurement and are present in all measurements except for counting.

Systematic errors

Affect the accuracy of a measurement.

Personal errors

Include mistakes, miscalculations and observer errors when conducting research.

Uncertainty

All measurements are subject to uncertainty due to potential sources of variation.

Outliers

Readings that lie a long way from other results.

Controlled

Variables that a researcher holds constant in an investigation.

Independent

The variable for which quantities are manipulated by the researcher.

Dependent

The variable the researcher measures.

Extraneous

Any variable that is not the independent variable but may affect the results.

Confounding

Variables that have affected the results apart from the independent variable.