Basics of Research Methods 5

Population

The entire group you want to observe and draw conclusions for. (e.g., "All university students in Hungary").

Sample

Selected from the units

Representative Sample

A sample that accurately reflects the demographics (age, gender, ethnicity) of the population.

Random Sampling

A method where every member of the population has an equal chance of being picked. This is the best way to get a representative sample.

Direct Observation

Watching and recording behavior objectively (e.g., with a stopwatch or camera).

Observer Effect

People act differently when being watched.

Observer Bias

Researchers see what they expect to see

Questionnaires / Surveys

Participants self-report their attitudes or behaviors.

Social Desirability Bias

People fake good to look better.

Psychological Tests

Standardized measures of traits (e.g., IQ, personality).

Case Studies

In-depth investigation of a single individual. Might be hard to generalize the findings.

Mean

The average

Median

The middle score

Mode

The most frequent score

Variability

How spread out is the data.

Correlation Coefficient (r)

Measures the strength of a relationship between two variables. Can be Positive or Negative. It does not imply CAUSATION.