Psy 3001 Research Methods UMN Sp. 2026 Final

Intuition

Accepting ideas based on instinct or 'gut feeling.'

Authority

Accepting information from experts, teachers, books, or traditions.

Empiricism

Knowledge gained through systematic observation and evidence.

Covariation of Cause and Effect

Changes in one variable are associated with changes in another.

Temporal Precedence

The cause must occur before the effect.

Elimination of Plausible Alternative Explanations

Other possible causes must be ruled out.

Hypotheses

Specific, testable predictions.

Theories

Broad explanations that organize observations and predict behavior.

APA-Style Scientific Manuscript Sections

Common Sections include Title Page, Abstract, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion, References.

Beneficence

Minimize harm and maximize benefits.

Informed Consent (Autonomy)

Participants must understand risks, procedures, and rights.

Debriefing

Explaining the true purpose after participation.

Justice

Fair selection of participants.

Belmont Report

Created ethical guidelines for human research.

IRB (Institutional Review Board)

Reviews research to ensure ethical treatment of participants.

Milgram's Obedience Study

Participants obeyed authority figures even when harming others.

Operational Definitions

Defining variables in measurable terms.

Experimental Methods

Manipulates an Independent Variable (IV) and measures a Dependent Variable (DV).

Independent Variable (IV)

Variable manipulated by researcher.

Dependent Variable (DV)

Outcome being measured.

Validity

Construct Validity measures what it claims to measure.

Basic Research

Conducted to increase knowledge.

Applied Research

Conducted to solve practical problems.

Reliability

Consistency of measurement.

Test-Retest Reliability

Same results over time.

Split-Half Reliability

Consistency across test items.

Interrater Reliability

Agreement between observers.

Reactivity

Participants change behavior because they know they're being studied.

Naturalistic Observation

Observe behavior in natural settings.

Survey Methods

Questionnaires and interviews to gather data.

Sampling

Population is the entire group of interest; Sample is a subset of the population.

Confounding Variable

Variable that unintentionally varies with the IV.

Inferential Statistics

Determine whether results are due to chance.

Null Hypothesis (H₀)

No effect/no difference.

Type I Error

False positive; rejecting true null hypothesis.

Type II Error

False negative; failing to reject false null hypothesis.