IB Psychology SL Command Terms

Flashcards containing key vocabulary and command terms from psychology lecture notes.

Describe

Give a detailed account.

Identify

Provide an answer from a number of possibilities.

Outline

Give a brief account or summary.

Explain

Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.

Suggest

Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer.

Contrast

Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.

Discuss

Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

Evaluate

Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.

Design

Produce a plan, simulation or model.

Investigate

Observe, study, or make a detailed and systematic examination, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Predict

Give an expected result.

Analysing data

The way researchers analyse data through data presentation, inductive content analysis or statistics.

Approach

Theoretical underpinning used to support the development of the study.

Approaches to research

Qualitative and quantitative approaches to researching behaviour and/or cognition.

Bias

Factors that may affect the results of the study. These include researcher bias, participant bias, and sampling bias.

Case study

A detailed analysis over time of an area of interest (a case) to produce context-dependent knowledge.

Cognitive processes

Any mental function involved in the acquisition, storage, interpretation, manipulation, transformation, and use of knowledge.

Cognitive schemas

Mental representations.

Convenience sampling

The process of selecting people who are able to participate in the study at a given time.

Correlational research

A type of study investigating relationships between variables without any control over the setting; a focus on two variables

Credibility

The degree to which the research gives a true picture of what is being investigated and the results represent the perceptions and opinions of the research participants.

Data presentation

The collection of raw data, which is then processed in a variety of ways and displayed in a table, graph, or chart, so that possible trends in the results can be seen.

Dependent Variable

The measurement generated by the manipulation of the Independent Variable.

Descriptive statistics

The spread of the data and measures of central tendency.

Digital technology

Electronic technology that generates, stores, and processes data (for example, smart phones and computers).

Ethical considerations

Considerations that are paramount in any psychology investigation; they concern the ethics of treating participants fairly and without harm.

Experiments

A series of observations conducted under controlled conditions to study a relationship with the purpose of drawing causal inferences about that relationship.

External validity

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized or transferred to another sample or context.

Field experiment

The researcher may/may not manipulate the Independent Variable, but conducts the experiment in a real-life environment. As a result, extraneous variables cannot be controlled.

Genes

Genes are made up of DNA that provides the blueprint for the structure and function of the human body. This could include behaviour.

Generalization

Term used in quantitative approaches based on probability sampling where the results are applicable to the whole target population.

Hormones

Chemicals released by specific glands in the body to regulate medium- and long-term changes in the body.

Hypothesis

A statement that is testable and falsifiable based on the results of an experiment or observation.

Independent samples/independent measures design

Uses two separate groups of participants. For example, one group of participants is assigned to the control group while the other group is assigned to the experimental or treatment condition.

Independent Variable

The factor that the experimenter manipulates.

Inductive content analysis

Used in qualitative research to determine the meaning or purpose of data as it appears in the transcript or field notes.

Inferential statistics

Statistical information that attempts to highlight relationships and trends in the data.

In-group/out-group

Groups with which an individual identifies (in group) or does not identify (out-group).

Internal validity

The rigor of the study and the extent to which the researcher took alternative explanations into account.

Interviews

Qualitative interviews include unstructured, semi structured and focus-group interviews. These are used to gain an insight into people’s thoughts, opinions and feelings from their own point of view.

Localization of function

The concept that specific parts of the cerebral cortex are relatively specialized for particular types of cognitive and behavioural processes.

Matched pair designs

Randomly assign one of a pair to either the control or the experimental group. Researchers may match individuals on specific characteristics, such as ethnicity or age.

Methodological triangulation

Tests a theory or a psychological phenomenon using different methods of inquiry.

Natural experiments

Researchers find naturally occurring variables and study them.

Naturalistic observations

Observations of naturally occurring behaviour in a natural setting.

Neural networks

Develop in the brain by the making and breaking of synaptic connections between neurons.

Neuroplasticity

The development of neural networks through repetition and neural pruning that is both genetic and subject to environmental influences.

Neurotransmission

It is enough for students to know that nerve impulses travel along neurons until they reach a synapse.

Neurotransmitters

Mediate the events at the synapse.

Participant bias

When participants act according to how the researcher may want them to act, for example, due to the social desirability effect.

Purposive sampling

Participants are chosen because they possess characteristics salient to the research study.

Qualitative research

Exploratory and used to gain an insight into psychological phenomena of interest.

Quantitative research

Exposes participants to each condition making up the Independent Variable.

Quasi-experiments

Participants are grouped based on a characteristic of interest, such as gender, ethnicity, or scores on a depression scale.

Random sampling

The process where every member in the target population has an equal chance of being selected.

Raw data

The original measurements on a variable as collected by the researcher prior to cleaning.

Reliability

The consistency of a study in terms of the extent to which a test or measure produces the same results in repeated trials.

Repeated measures design

Exposes participants to each condition making up the Independent Variable.

Replication

The degree to which the study can be repeated by the same or different researchers and achieve comparable results.

Research design

Overall structure of a study that might include one or more methods.

Research method

The technique used to sample, collect, and analyse data; considered as one possible component of the research design.

Sampling bias

Occurs when the sample is not representative of the target population, whether the sample is based on selection criteria (qualitative research) or probability sampling (quantitative research).

Sampling technique

Selecting participants for a study.

Schema theory

A branch of cognitive science focused on how the brain structures knowledge.

Self-selected/volunteer sampling

Individuals choose to participate in the study.

Snowball sampling

Participants who are already in a study help the researcher to recruit more participants through their social network.

Standardization/control

Eliminating or controlling any factor that could affect the results of the study, apart from the Independent Variable.

Stereotypes

A generalized and rather fixed way of thinking about a group of people.

Survey

There are two types of surveys, interviews and questionnaires.

Technologies

Refers to digital/modern technology.

Transferability

A qualitative term for when findings from a study can be transferred to settings and/or populations outside the study only if the findings of a particular study are corroborated by findings of similar studies (for example, in multiple case studies).

Triangulation

An approach used to ensure enough evidence is available to make a valid claim about the results of a study.

Twin and kinship studies

Also referred to as twin and family studies.

Validity

The degree to which the results accurately reflect what the research is measuring.