Psychology Research Methods: Scientific Method and Experimental Design

What are the five parts of the scientific method?

1. Theory 2. Hypothesis 3. Experiment 4. Evaluation 5. Conclusion

What is the purpose of a hypothesis in the scientific method?

To make falsifiable predictions based on a theory.

What does it mean for a sample to be biased?

It means that the sample does not accurately represent the population being studied.

How can researchers help ensure their sample is not biased?

By using random sampling methods and ensuring diversity in the sample.

Define validity in the context of experimental design.

Validity refers to the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

Define reliability in the context of experimental design.

Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure across time and different contexts.

What is an independent variable?

The variable that is manipulated or changed in an experiment.

What is a dependent variable?

The variable that is measured or observed in response to changes in the independent variable.

What is a confound in experimental research?

A confound is an outside influence that affects the dependent variable and skews the results.

What is the norm of reciprocity in social compliance?

The expectation that people will respond favorably to each other by returning benefits for benefits.

What is open science?

A movement to make scientific research accessible to everyone, including removing paywalls and pre-registering hypotheses.