Psychology Research Methods Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary terms covering research methods in psychology, including reasoning types, research designs, and ethical considerations.

Trephination

The practice of making a hole in the skull, believed by some ancestors to allow evil spirits to leave the body and cure mental illness.

Empirical

Grounded in objective, tangible evidence that can be observed time and time again, regardless of who is observing.

Deductive reasoning

A process where results are predicted based on a general premise.

Inductive reasoning

A process where conclusions are drawn from observations.

Theory

A well-developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena.

Hypothesis

A tentative and testable statement (prediction) about the relationship between two or more variables, often in an if-then format.

Falsifiable

The quality of a hypothesis being capable of being shown to be incorrect.

Clinical or case studies

Research focusing on one individual, typically in an extreme or unique psychological circumstance that differentiates them from the general public.

Genie

A famous case study of a child found at age $13$ who suffered severe abuse and social isolation, used to study effects on development.

Naturalistic observation

Observation of behavior in its natural setting without the interference of the researcher.

Observer bias

When observations may be skewed to align with observer expectations.

Surveys

A list of questions used to gather a large amount of data from a sample of a larger population.

Sample

A subset of individuals selected from a larger population.

Archival Research

Research that uses past records or data sets to answer various research questions or search for patterns.

Cross-Sectional Research

A research design that compares multiple segments of a population at a single time, such as different age groups.

Longitudinal Research

Studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly over an extended period of time.

Attrition

The reduction in the number of research participants as some drop out of a study over time.

Correlation

A relationship between two or more variables where one variable changes as the other does.

Correlation Coefficient

A number from $-1$ to $+1$, represented by $r$, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship between variables.

Positive Correlation

When two variables change in the same direction, both becoming either larger or smaller.

Negative Correlation

When two variables change in different directions, with one becoming larger as the other becomes smaller.

Cause-and-effect relationship

Changes in one variable cause changes in another, which can only be determined through experimental research design.

Confounding variable

An unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, giving a false impression of causality.

Illusory Correlations

Seeing relationships between two things when in reality no such relationship exists.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to ignore evidence that disproves established ideas or beliefs.

Experimental group

The participants in an experiment who experience the manipulated variable.

Control group

Participants who do not experience the manipulated variable, serving as a basis for comparison.

Operational definition

A description of what actions and operations will be used to measure dependent variables and manipulate independent variables.

Experimenter bias

When researcher expectations skew the results of a study.

Participant bias

When participant expectations skew the results of a study.

Single-blind study

An experiment in which the researcher knows group assignments but the participants do not.

Double-blind study

An experiment in which both the researchers and the participants are unaware of group assignments.

Placebo effect

When people's expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a given situation.

Independent Variable

The variable that is influenced or controlled by the experimenter.

Dependent Variable

The variable that the researcher measures to see the effect of the independent variable.

Population

The overall group of individuals that a researcher is interested in.

Random Sample

A subset of a larger population in which every member has an equal chance of being selected.

Random Assignment

Method of assigning participants to groups where everyone has an equal chance of being in the experimental or control group.

Quasi-experimental

A research design where participants cannot be randomly assigned to groups, such as when studying the effect of sex.

Statistical analysis

A process to determine how likely any difference between experimental groups is due to chance; results are significant if the odds are $5\%$ or less.

Peer-reviewed journal article

An article read by several other scientists with expertise in the subject matter who provide feedback before publication.

Reliability

The consistency and reproducibility of a given result.

Inter-rater reliability

A measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular event.

Validity

The accuracy of a given result in measuring what it is designed to measure.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that reviews proposals for research involving human participants to ensure ethical guidelines are followed.

Informed consent

The process of informing a participant about what to expect, risks involved, and the voluntary nature of the experiment.

Deception

Purposely misleading experiment participants to maintain the integrity of the experiment.

Debriefing

Providing complete and truthful information to participants at the conclusion of an experiment involving deception.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

A notoriously unethical study (1932-1972) where black men with syphilis were not informed of their diagnosis or treated with penicillin.

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

A committee that reviews proposals for research involving non-human animals to ensure ethical treatment.