PSYC100 slides 9

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to research methods discussed in PSYC100, including descriptive, correlational, and experimental designs, as well as associated concepts like variables, correlation coefficients, and validity issues.

Descriptive Methods

Research methods used to describe what is occurring.

Observational Studies

A type of descriptive research method where researchers observe and record behavior.

Self-reports

A type of descriptive research method where participants provide information about themselves, often through surveys or interviews.

Case Studies

A type of descriptive research method that involves an in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or phenomenon.

Correlational Methods

Research methods used to test the relationship between factors or variables.

Experimental Methods

Research methods designed to investigate what causes an outcome, involving manipulation of variables.

Operational Definition

A precise description of how a variable will be measured or manipulated in a study.

Correlation Coefficient

A statistical measure indicating the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables, ranging from -1.0 to +1.0.

Positive Correlation

A relationship between two variables where both tend to increase or decrease together.

Negative Correlation

A relationship between two variables where one tends to increase as the other decreases.

No Correlation

A relationship between two variables where there is no consistent pattern or link between them.

Directionality Problem

In correlational research, the inability to determine which variable is the cause and which is the effect.

Third Variable Problem

In correlational research, the possibility that an unmeasured variable is actually responsible for the relationship between two observed variables.

Random Assignment

The process of assigning participants to experimental groups (e.g., experimental vs. control) such that each participant has an equal chance of being in any group.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment or is exposed to the manipulated independent variable.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or is exposed to a baseline condition, used for comparison.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable that is manipulated by the experimenter to determine its effect on an outcome.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The variable that is measured in an experiment to see if it changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation.

Confound

An extraneous variable that systematically varies along with the independent variable, making it difficult to determine the true cause of changes in the dependent variable.

Validity

The extent to which a measure accurately assesses what it's intended to measure, or the extent to which a study's conclusions are accurate and justifiable.

Internal Validity

The extent to which an experiment can establish a trustworthy cause-and-effect relationship, free from the influence of confounds.