Psychology Research Methods and Ethics

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic research methodology, experimental design variables, statistical concepts, and bioethics principles based on lecture material.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to define the experimental and control groups.

Dependent Variable

The variable that the researcher actually measures to observe the outcome or result of the study.

Operationalize

The act of defining a variable by telling the audience exactly how it will be measured in a specific study.

Random Assignment

A procedure used to place participants into experimental conditions randomly to rule out initial group differences and average out the groups.

Blind (Participant)

A condition in which participants do not know whether they are receiving the actual treatment or a placebo until the study ends.

Placebo Effect

A psychological phenomenon where individuals given a fake treatment experience behavioral or symptom changes simply because they believe they are receiving treatment.

Double-Blind Procedure

An experimental setup where neither the participants nor the researchers conducting assessments know which treatment condition participants were assigned to.

Hippocampus

An area of the brain responsible for helping in memory formation.

Experimental Group

The group of participants in an experiment that receives the actual treatment or condition being tested.

Control Group

The group of participants in an experiment that receives a placebo or standard condition to serve as a comparison against the experimental group.

American Psychological Association (APA)

The organization that establishes the code of ethics that psychologists must follow when conducting research, teaching, or doing clinical work.

Tuskegee Study

A 40-year study launched in 1932 in Alabama involving 600 black men that unethically misled participants, withheld treatment for syphilis, and performed invasive spinal tests.

Informed Consent

An ethical requirement obligating researchers to inform participants beforehand about what to expect, including risks and benefits, so they can decide whether to participate.

Do No Harm

An ethical guideline stipulating that researchers must prioritize participant safety by minimizing physical or psychological harm during a study.

Confidentiality

An ethical obligation to keep all research records and participant identity information private and protected from public disclosure.

Debriefing

An explanation provided to participants after a study completes to explain its purpose, answer questions, and verify that no harm was done.

Hypothesis

A narrow, specific, and testable statement or educated guess framed specifically for a given study.

Theory

A broad explanation that integrates many different hypotheses to explain findings across multiple studies and spark new research ideas.

Population

The entire target group of interest that a researcher wants to study, such as all college students.

Sample

The specific, smaller subset of individuals drawn from the larger population who actually participate in the study.

Case Study

A descriptive research method involving an in-depth examination of a single individual or unique case.

Naturalistic Observation

A descriptive research method in which behavior is systematically observed and recorded in its natural environment without researcher interference.

Positive Correlation

A statistical relationship in which two variables move in the same direction, both increasing or both decreasing together.

Negative Correlation

A statistical relationship in which two variables move in opposite directions, one increasing while the other decreases.