Social Psyche- Ch 2. Research Methods

Basic Researchers

Psychologists who create and improve theories to predict social behavior.

Applied Researchers

Psychologists who translate findings of basic researchers into social action and apply psychological ideas to the real world.

Scientific Method

A systematic way of creating knowledge involving observing, hypothesizing, testing hypotheses, and interpreting results.

Hypothesis

A specific statement a researcher makes before a study about expected outcomes based on prior observation.

Constructs

Theoretical ideas that cannot be directly observed, such as attitudes and personality.

Operationalize

The process of specifying how a construct will be defined and measured.

Archival Studies

Research using stored information originally created for another purpose.

Naturalistic Observation

A research design where data is gathered by observing people in their natural environment.

Reactivity

Changes in behavior when people know they are being observed.

Participant Observation

A technique in naturalistic observation where a researcher disguises themselves to study a group more authentically.

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency of participants to provide dishonest responses to maintain a positive impression.

Case Study

An in-depth study of an event or individual to test a hypothesis.

Quasi-Experiment

A research design where outcomes are compared across groups that were not randomly assigned.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to test its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The measured outcome in an experiment that is affected by the independent variable.

Confounding Variables

Co-occurring influences that make it difficult to determine causality.

True Experiment

A design where participants are randomly assigned to groups to establish cause-effect relationships.

Random Assignment

A method to create equivalent groups at the start of an experiment to eliminate confounding variables.

Standard Deviation

A measure of how much variability exists in a data set.

Correlation

A statistical test that assesses whether two or more variables are related to each other.

Positive Correlation

When one variable increases, leading to an increase in another variable.

Negative Correlation

When one variable increases, leading to a decrease in another variable.

Statistical Significance

The likelihood that results are due to the independent variable rather than chance.

Reliability

The consistency of measurement over time or across multiple tests.

Internal Validity

Confidence that data patterns are due to what is being tested, not flaws in the experiment design.

External Validity

The extent to which results of a study can generalize to other populations or settings.

Informed Consent

Participants' right to know what they will be asked and any potential risks prior to a study.

Debriefing

Details given to participants after a study, including hypotheses and the opportunity to ask questions.

Institutional Review Boards (IRB)

Committees that evaluate the ethical implications of research studies.

American Psychological Association (APA)

An organization that provides psychologists with scholarly information and ethical standards.