Research Methods: Hypothesis Testing, Validity, and Threats to Validity

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture on Research Methods, focusing on hypothesis testing, validity, and associated threats to validity.

Hypothesis Testing

The process of evaluating a hypothesis by collecting and analyzing data.

Validity

The extent to which a study accurately measures what it is intended to measure.

Threats to Validity

Factors that can lead to incorrect conclusions or interpretations in research.

Operational Definition

A clear, precise definition of a variable used in a study.

Confounding Variables

Variables that might interfere with the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable.

Null Hypothesis

The hypothesis that there is no effect or no difference, serving as a starting point for statistical testing.

Causal Hypothesis

A hypothesis that proposes a cause-and-effect relationship between two variables.

Construct Validity

The degree to which a test measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure.

Statistical Validity

The accuracy of the statistical tests used to analyze the data.

External Validity

The extent to which study results can be generalized to a broader population.

Internal Validity

The degree to which an experiment accurately establishes a cause-and-effect relationship.

Placebo Effect

A change in a participant's behavior or condition due to their expectations of treatment, rather than the treatment itself.

Experimenter Effect

Any change in a participant's response caused by the behavior of the researcher.

Subject Effects

Responses by participants that may differ from their normal behavior due to the study context.

Ethical Principles

Guidelines that specify acceptable conduct in research and ensure participant welfare.

Sampling Bias

The error that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn.

Maturation

Changes in subjects due to the passage of time rather than the manipulation of an independent variable.

History

Influences on participants resulting from events occurring during the study.

Testing

Effects where prior exposure to testing influences subsequent outcomes.

Instrumentation

Changes in measurement tools or procedures that may affect study outcomes.

Regression to the Mean

The tendency for extreme scores to move closer to the average on subsequent measurements.

Attrition

The loss of participants from a study, which may affect the validity of the results.

Diffusion of Treatment

Changes in behavior due to information participants receive about other treatment conditions.

Sequence Effects

The impact of the order of conditions on a participant's performance.

Evidence-Based Practice

Clinical decision-making based on the integration of the best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values.

Research Design

The overall strategy or plan for conducting research.

Data Collection

The systematic gathering of information for research purposes.

Statistical Analysis

The application of statistical methods to interpret data and draw conclusions.

Quantitative Research

Research that focuses on quantifying relationships, behaviors, and phenomena.

Qualitative Research

A research method that seeks to understand human behavior through observation and interviews.

Research Ethics

Norms or standards that guide researchers to protect the rights of participants.

Feedback Loop

A process in which outputs of a system are used as inputs to that same system.

Case Study

A detailed analysis of a person, group, event, or situation, often accompanied by qualitative data.

Survey Research

A method of collecting data through questionnaires or interviews.

Variability

The extent to which data points in a data set differ from each other.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured to see if it is affected by the independent variable.

Theoretical Framework

A structure that supports a theory, outlining the relationships among concepts.

Literature Review

A comprehensive survey of existing research relevant to a specific topic or area of study.

Participant Observation

A qualitative research method where the researcher becomes involved in the community being studied.

Field Experiment

An experiment conducted in a real-world setting to study behaviors as they naturally occur.

Random Assignment

A method used to assign participants to different groups in an experiment, minimizing pre-existing differences.

Control Group

Participants in an experiment who do not receive the treatment and are used as a comparison.

Random Sampling

A technique where subjects are chosen randomly from a population, enhancing generalizability.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies to identify patterns.