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50 Terms
1
archival research
Method of research using past records or data sets to answer various research questions or to search for interesting patterns or relationships.
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attrition
Reduction in number of research participants as some drop out of the study over time.
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3
cause-and-effect relationship
Changes in one variable cause the changes in the other variable; can be determined only through an experimental research design.
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clinical or case study
Observational research study focusing on one or a few people.
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confirmation bias
Tendency to ignore evidence that disproves ideas or beliefs.
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confounding variable
Unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, often giving the false impression that changes in one variable cause changes in the other variable.
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7
control group
A group that serves as a basis for comparison and controls for chance factors that might influence the results of the study.
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8
correlation
Relationship between two or more variables; when two variables are correlated, one variable changes as the other does.
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correlation coefficient
A number from -1 to +1, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between variables.
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10
cross-sectional research
Research that compares multiple segments of a population at a single time.
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11
debriefing
The process of informing participants about the purpose of the study after it has concluded.
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12
deception
Purposely misleading experiment participants to maintain the integrity of the experiment.
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13
deductive reasoning
Reasoning from general premises to arrive at specific conclusions.
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14
dependent variable
The variable that the researcher measures to see how much effect the independent variable had.
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15
double-blind study
An experiment in which both the researchers and the participants are blind to group assignments.
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16
empirical
Grounded in objective, tangible evidence that can be observed repeatedly.
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experimental group
The group designed to answer the research question with experimental manipulation as the only difference from the control group.
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18
experimenter bias
When researcher expectations skew the results of the study.
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19
fact
An objective and verifiable observation established using evidence collected through empirical research.
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20
falsifiable
Describing a hypothesis that can be disproven by experimental results.
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21
generalize
Inferring that results for a sample apply to a larger population.
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22
hypothesis
A testable prediction about how the world will behave if an idea is correct.
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23
illusory correlation
The perception of a relationship between two variables when no such relationship exists.
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24
independent variable
The variable that is influenced or controlled by the experimenter.
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inductive reasoning
Reasoning in which conclusions are drawn from observations.
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informed consent
The process of informing a participant about what to expect in an experiment and acquiring their consent.
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Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
A committee that reviews proposals for research involving non-human animals.
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Institutional Review Board (IRB)
A committee that reviews proposals for research involving human participants.
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29
inter-rater reliability
The measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular event.
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30
longitudinal research
Research studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly over time.
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naturalistic observation
The observation of behavior in its natural setting.
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negative correlation
A relationship where two variables change in opposite directions.
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observer bias
When observations are skewed to align with observer expectations.
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operational definition
A description of how variables will be measured and manipulated in a study.
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opinion
Personal judgments, conclusions, or attitudes that may not be accurate.
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participants
Subjects of psychological research.
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peer-reviewed journal article
An article reviewed by experts in the field before publication.
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placebo effect
Changes in participants' experience based solely on their expectations.
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population
The overall group of individuals the researchers are interested in studying.
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positive correlation
A relationship where two variables change in the same direction.
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random assignment
A method ensuring all participants have an equal chance of being assigned to any group.
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random sample
A subset of a population in which every member has an equal chance of being selected.
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reliability
The consistency and reproducibility of a given result.
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44
replicate
To repeat an experiment using different samples to determine reliability.
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sample
A subset of individuals selected from a larger population.
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single-blind study
An experiment where the researcher knows the participants' assignments but the participants do not.
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statistical analysis
The process of determining how likely differences between experimental groups are due to chance.
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48
survey
A list of questions answered by research participants for data collection.
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theory
A well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena.
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validity
The accuracy of a given result in measuring what it was designed to measure.
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