Module 0.1-0.6 Research Methods and Stats

Critical Thinking

Analyzing and evaluating information logically.

Hindsight Bias

Belief that past events were predictable.

Peer Reviews

Evaluation of work by others in the field.

Theory

Well-substantiated explanation of phenomena.

Hypothesis

Testable prediction based on theory.

Falsifiable

Can be proven false through evidence.

Operational Definitions

Specific definitions for measuring variables.

Replication

Repetition of a study to confirm results.

Case Study

In-depth analysis of a single subject.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing subjects in their natural environment.

Survey

Method for collecting data from a group.

Social Desirability

Tendency to respond in a favorable manner.

Self Report Bias

Distortion in self-reported data.

Sampling Bias

Non-representative sample affecting results.

Population

Entire group being studied.

Correlation

Relationship between two variables.

Correlational Coefficient

Numerical index of relationship strength.

Variable

Any factor that can change.

Scatterplot

Graph showing relationship between two variables.

Illusory Correlation

Perceived relationship not supported by data.

Regression Towards the Mean

Extreme values tend to return to average.

Experiment

Controlled study to test hypotheses.

Experimental Group

Group receiving the treatment in an experiment.

Control Group

Group not receiving treatment for comparison.

Random Assignment

Randomly placing subjects into groups.

Single Blind Procedure

Participants unaware of group assignment.

Double Blind Procedure

Both participants and researchers unaware of groups.

Placebo Effect

Change due to belief in treatment.

Independent Variable

Factor manipulated by the researcher.

Confounding Variable

Extraneous factor affecting results.

Experimenter Bias

Researcher's expectations influence outcomes.

Dependent Variable

Outcome measured in an experiment.

Validity

Accuracy of a measure or study.

Quantitative Research

Research focused on numerical data.

Qualitative Research

Research focused on descriptive data.

Informed Consent

Participants agree to study with full understanding.

Debriefing

Explaining study purpose after participation.

Descriptive Statistics

Summarizing data using numbers.

Histogram

Bar graph representing frequency distribution.

Mode

Most frequently occurring value.

Median

Middle value in ordered data.

Mean

Average of all values.

Percentile Rank

Percentage of scores below a specific score.

Skewed Distribution

Asymmetrical distribution of data.

Range

Difference between highest and lowest values.

Standard Deviation

Measure of data variability around the mean.

Normal Curve

Bell-shaped distribution of data.

Inferential Statistics

Drawing conclusions from sample data.

Meta-analysis

Combining results from multiple studies.

Statistical Significance

Likelihood that results are not due to chance.

Effect Size

Magnitude of a relationship or difference.