Psychology Research Knowledge Assessment

True Experiment

a study where the researcher manipulates the IV, measures the DV, and randomly allocates participants to conditions.

Quasi Experiment

A research method where researchers study the effect of an independent variable, but participants are not randomly assigned to groups.

Cofounding Variables

An outside variable that affects the results of a study, making it difficult to determine whether the independent variable caused the effect on the dependent variable

Reliability

The consistency of a research method or measurement, meaning it produces similar results when repeated under similar conditions.

Credibility

How believable and trustworthy the findings of a qualitative study are.

Generalizability

The extent to which research findings can be applied to other people, populations, or situations.

Internal Validity

The extent to which a study shows that the independent variable caused the change in the dependent variable, rather than other factors.

External Validity

The extent to which research findings can be generalized to other people, settings, and situations.

Self-Selected (Volunteer) Sample

A sampling method in which participants choose to take part in a study themselves.

Opportunity (Convenience) Sample

A sampling method where researchers select participants who are easiest to access.

Random Sample

Randomly selected participants

Stratefied Sample

A sampling method where the population is divided into subgroups, and participants are randomly selected from each subgroup in proportion to its size.

Snowball Sample

A sampling method where existing participants recruit or refer other people to participate in the study.

WEIRD Sample

A sample made up of people from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic societies.

Overt Observation

An observation in which participants know they are being observed by a researcher.

Covert Observation

An observation in which participants do not know they are being observed.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method where researchers observe participants in their normal, real-life environment without manipulating variables.

Controlled Observation

A research method where researchers observe participants in a controlled setting, often with specific conditions or procedures.

Participant Observation

A research method where the researcher joins a group and takes part in its activities while observing their behavior.

Non-Participant Observation

A research method where the researcher observes participants without joining in or taking part in their activities.

Structured Interview

An interview where the researcher asks every participant the same predetermined questions in the same order.

Test-Retest Reliability

The consistency of results when the same test is given to the same participants on two different occasions.

Semi-Structured Interview

An interview with predetermined questions but also allows the researcher to ask follow-up questions.

Focus Group Interview

A research method where a researcher interviews a small group of people together to explore their opinions, experiences, or attitudes.

Rapport Interview

Building trust and a comfortable relationship between the researcher and participant so the participant feels safe sharing honest answers.

Interviewer Effects

When an interviewer's behavior, appearance, tone, or characteristics influence a participant's responses.

Ambigious Questions

Questions that are unclear or can be interpreted in more than one way, causing participants to misunderstand them.

Implicit Bias

Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence a person's judgments, decisions, or behavior without them realizing it.

Double Barreled Questions

Questions that ask about two different things at once, making it difficult to answer accurately.

Unrealistic Objectivity

The idea that researchers can be completely free from personal biases, values, and opinions when conducting research, even though this may not be realistic.

Conformity Effect

When participants change their answers or behavior to match the opinions or behavior of others in a group.

Recall Bias

When participants inaccurately remember or report past experiences, affecting the accuracy of research findings.

Recency Effect

When people remember the most recently presented information better than information presented earlier.

Optimism Bias

The tendency for people to believe that positive events are more likely to happen to them and negative events are less likely to happen to them than to other people.When people's responses to hypothetical situations differ from how they would actually behave in real life.

Hypothetical Bias

When people's responses to hypothetical situations differ from how they would actually behave in real life.

Thematic Analysis

A qualitative research method used to identify and analyze repeated patterns or themes in data, such as interviews.

Coding

The process of labeling and organizing qualitative data into categories based on similar ideas or patterns.

A priori coding

A coding method where researchers create categories before analyzing the data, based on existing theories, research, or expectations.

Emergent Coding

A coding method where categories are developed while analyzing the data, based on patterns that appear in the responses.

Interview Guide

A list of planned questions or topics that a researcher uses to guide an interview.

Questionnaires

A research tool that collects data by asking participants a series of written or digital questions.

Surveys

A research method used to collect information from people about their opinions, behaviors, attitudes, or experiences, often through questionnaires or interviews. Includes the analysis of the data.

Likert Scale

A rating scale used to measure people's attitudes or opinions by asking how strongly they agree or disagree with a statement.

Acquiescence Bias

When participants tend to agree with statements or questions regardless of their actual beliefs or opinions.

Non-Response Bias

When people who do not participate in a study differ meaningfully from those who do, making the results less representative.

Case Study

A research method that investigates one person, group, or situation in depth to gain detailed information.

Longitudinal

A research method that studies the same participants over an extended period of time to observe changes.

Cross-Sectional

A research method that compares different people or groups at one specific point in time.

Retrospective

A research method that looks back at past events or experiences to investigate a research question.

Prospective

A research method that follows participants into the future to observe outcomes or changes over time.

Idiographic

An approach in psychology that focuses on understanding the unique experiences and characteristics of an individual in depth.

Nomothetic

An approach in psychology that studies groups of people to identify general laws, patterns, and principles of behavior.

Triangulation

Using multiple research methods, data sources, or researchers to study the same topic to improve the credibility of findings.

Methodological Triangulation

Using two or more research methods to study the same topic to increase the credibility of findings.

Data Triangulation

Using different sources of data to study the same research question and increase the credibility of findings.

Researcher Triangulation

Using multiple researchers to study the same topic to reduce individual bias and improve the credibility of findings.

Theoretical Triangulation

Using different theories or perspectives to interpret the same data to gain a more complete understanding of a topic.

Representational Generalizability

The extent to which a research sample accurately represents the larger population being studied.

Meta-Analysis

A research method that combines the results of multiple studies on the same topic to identify overall patterns and draw stronger conclusions.

6 Concepts

• Bias: Systematic errors or influences that affect research findings.

• Causality: The relationship between cause and effect.

• Measurement: How researchers define and measure variables or behaviors.

• Change: How behavior or mental processes develop or differ over time.

• Responsibility: The ethical obligations researchers have toward participants and society.

• Perspective: Different ways of explaining or understanding behavior.