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Psychology
Attempt to study the subjective objectively
Nomothetic Approach
The deriving of universal laws/simple rules that describe the behavior of all material objects
Variables
Any characteristic that is objectively registered & quantified
Constructs
Theoretically defined variable
Operationalization
Expressing a construct in terms of observable behavior
Independent variable
A variable that isn’t changed by the other variables trying to be measured (cause)
Dependant Variable
Something that depends on other factors (mainly independent variable manipulation) (effect)
Idiographic Approach
Focuses on the individual & emphasises the unique personal experience of human nature
Quantitative Research
Research that operates with variables - quantity
Qualitative Research
Research that goes beyond the objective/observational, comes in forms of text
Sample
The group of individuals taking part in the research study
Credibility
Degree to which the results of the study can be trusted to reflect reality
Bias
Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Generalizability
The extent to which results of a study can be applied beyond the sample to the general population
Confounding Variables
Variable that can potentially distort the relationship between the independent & dependant variables
Target Population
Group of people to which the findings of the study can be generalized
Representativeness
Representativeness refers to the confidence that a sample from which evidence is generated is sufficiently similar to the intended population.
Random Sample
Every subject gets an equal chance to be chosen for a specific study/treatment group
Stratified Sample
Splitting participants into subgroups called strata based on characteristics they share
Convenience Sample
Recruiting participants who are easily available
Self Selected Sample
Recruiting volunteers/advert responses
Independent Measures Design
Using different participants for each condition of the experiment
Matched Pairs Design
Pairs of participants are matched in terms of key variables. One member of each pair is then placed into the experimental group and the other member into the control group.
Repeated Measures Design
Taking multiple measures of the same variable taken on the same or matched subjects either under different conditions or over two or more time periods.
Order Effect
When participants' responses in the various conditions are affected by the order of conditions to which they were exposed.
Counterbalancing
A technique used to deal with order effects when using a repeated measures design— data is collected & treatment order is swapped
Construct Validity
Characterizes the quality of operationalizations
Internal Validity
Characterizes methodological quality of experiment
External Validity
Characterizes the generalizability of experiment
Ecological Validity
Refers to the extent of which findings can be generalized to other settings or situations
Selection
Occurs if groups are not equivalent at the start of the experiment— apart from IV, they differ in another variable
History
Refers to outside events that happen to participants in the course of the experiment
Maturation
Natural developmental process such as fatigue or growth, which may skew the data/supply false data
Testing Effect
The first measurement of the DV mat affect the second (& subsequent) measures
Instrumentation
Occurs when the instrument measuring the DV changes slightly between measurements (commonly the “human observer”)
Regression to the Mean
Source of bias where the initial score on the DV is extreme; extreme scores have a purely statistical tendency to become more average on subsequent trials
Experimental Mortality
Some participants drop out during an experiment, which poses a problem if dropouts are not random
Demand Characteristics
Situation where participant understands the purpose of the experiment & subsequently changes behavior to fit the interpretation
Experimenter Bias
Researcher unintentionally exerts influence on participants
Single Blind Study
Patients don’t know which treatment group they’re in
Double Blind Study
Neither participant & experimenter know which treatment group they’re in
Experiment
A scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact.
Correlational Study
Unlike experiments, the research is unable to manipulate any variables