Research Methods and the Social Self Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering social psychology research methods, ethics (IRB), William James's concept of the self, grit, mindsets (Dweck), praise effects, and categories of self-concept.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable manipulated by the researcher (the cause) in an experiment, where participants are randomly assigned into two or more conditions (e.g., experimental vs. control condition).

Dependent Variable (DV)

The outcome variable measured after an experimental manipulation to observe the effect of the independent variable.

Social Media Jealousy Experiment Model

An experimental model where 500 participants in a romantic relationship are randomly assigned to either scroll on their partner's social media for 20 minutes or watch TV for 20 minutes (IV) before completing a Relationship Jealousy Questionnaire (DV).

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A research ethics committee at colleges and hospitals that reviews and approves studies to minimize physical and emotional risks, ensure privacy and confidentiality, and guarantee informed consent.

Informed Consent

An ethical requirement ensuring that research participants freely choose to participate in a study, can quit at any time, and have any deception minimized and fully explained afterward.

"I" Self

Conceptualized by William James (1890) as the active "knower" self (analogous to a reader) that represents self-awareness.

"Me" Self

Conceptualized by William James (1890) as the contents of the self (analogous to a library) that represents self-concept.

Fixed Mindset

A self-theory (Dweck, 2006) positing that talent is innate and unchangeable, success or failure reflects natural talent, and effort is not very important.

Growth Mindset

A self-theory (Dweck, 2006) positing that talent is changeable and can improve with effort, failure is a natural part of learning, and feedback helps talent improve.

Grit

The passion and perseverance required to achieve long-term goals, which is positively correlated with a growth mindset (Duckworth et al., 2009; 2021).

Ability Praise

Praise focused on intelligence or talent (e.g., "You must be smart at these problems"), which leads students to choose easy problems to maintain the appearance of being smart (Mueller & Dweck, 1998).

Effort Praise

Praise focused on hard work (e.g., "You must have worked hard at these problems"), which leads students to choose challenging problems they can learn from and increases desire to persevere (Mueller & Dweck, 1998).

Impact of Praise Type on Problem Selection (Figure 2)

A chart from Mueller & Dweck (1998) illustrating that nearly 70% of students praised for ability chose easy problems, compared to about 50% praised for control and under 10% praised for effort.

Physical Self-Concept

Self-descriptions based on physical qualities that do not imply social interaction (e.g., "I am a young adult", "I am a brunette", "I am tall").

Social Self-Concept

Self-descriptions based on social roles, institutional memberships, or cultural identities (e.g., "I am a college student", "I am a daughter", "I am Dominican").

Attribute Self-Concept

Self-descriptions based on psychological or physiological states or traits (e.g., "I am intelligent", "I am caring", "I am tired").

Global Self-Concept

Broad or vague self-descriptions that do not distinguish an individual from other people (e.g., "I am a human being", "I am alive").