Psychology Definitions

Key vocabulary flashcards covering research methods, experimental designs, hypotheses, ethics, and study types in psychology.

Independent variable

The factor that the researcher changes or manipulates.

Dependent variable

The factor that is measured to see the effect of the independent variable.

Population

The entire group of people a researcher wants to study.

Sample

A smaller group selected from a population to participate in a study.

Random sampling

Selecting participants by chance so everyone has an equal chance of being chosen.

Stratified sampling

Dividing a population into groups and randomly selecting people from each group.

Convenience sampling

Choosing participants who are easy to access.

Allocation

How participants are assigned to different groups or conditions in a study.

Placebo effect

When a person's expectations of a treatment cause a change in how they feel or respond.

Experimenter effect

When a researcher's expectations unintentionally influence the results of a study.

Single-blind procedure

When participants do not know which treatment or condition they are receiving.

Double-blind procedure

When neither participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who receives each treatment.

Extraneous variables

Factors other than the independent variable that could affect the results.

Confounding variable

An unwanted factor that changes with the independent variable and may affect the results.

Repeated measures design

A design where the same participants take part in every condition.

Matched subjects design

A design where participants with similar characteristics are paired and placed in different conditions.

Independent groups design

A design where different participants take part in each condition.

Alternative hypothesis

A prediction that there will be an effect, difference or relationship between variables.

Null hypothesis

A prediction that there will be no significant effect, difference or relationship between variables.

Generalisations - when appropriate

Applying research findings to a larger population when the sample and study support this.

Ethical considerations

Principles that protect participants' rights, safety and wellbeing during research.

Role of experimenter

To conduct the study fairly, consistently and according to the correct procedures.

Participant's rights

Protections that ensure participants are treated fairly and can make informed choices.

Confidentiality

Keeping participants' personal information private.

Voluntary participation

Participants freely choose whether to take part in a study.

Withdrawal rights

Participants can leave a study without being unfairly penalised.

Informed consent

Agreement to participate after receiving enough information about the study.

Deception in research

Deliberately misleading participants or withholding important information about a study.

Debriefing

Explaining the study's true purpose and procedures to participants after it ends.

Professional conduct

Behaving honestly, responsibly and respectfully when conducting research.

Experiment

A research method that manipulates an independent variable to investigate its effect on a dependent variable.

Correlational method

A method that examines the relationship between two variables without manipulating them.

Case studies

Detailed investigations of one person, group or event.

Observations

Collecting data by watching and recording behaviour.

Interviews

Asking participants questions to gather information about their thoughts, feelings or experiences.

Quasi-experiment

A study that investigates the effect of a variable when participants are not randomly assigned to conditions.

Self-report

A method where participants provide information about themselves, such as through surveys or questionnaires.

Replication

Repeating a study to see whether similar results are found.