PSY301 Midterm 1

Empirical Method

Using evidence from observable experience as the basis of a conclusion.

Theory

An explanatory framework that provides an understanding of a natural phenomenon validated through observation and experimentation.

Hypothesis

An educated guess based on data that acts as a foundation for further investigation.

Skepticism

The practice of treating conclusions with caution and not accepting ideas on faith or authority.

Precision

The use of operational definitions to state hypotheses clearly.

Openness

The practice of fully disclosing procedures and results to allow for replication and peer review.

Falsifiability

The ability for a scientific theory to be disproven by data.

Parsimony

The degree to which a theory provides the simplest explanation of a phenomenon.

Data

A set of observations representing values of variables collected from research studies.

Systematic Research

Research that employs rigorous methods to ensure findings are not influenced by biases or emotions.

Comparison Group

A group in an experiment that differs in the independent variable from the treatment group.

Confound

A potential alternative explanation for research findings that threatens internal validity.

Availability Heuristic

A bias in intuition where people estimate frequency based on easily recalled instances.

Cherry Picking

The practice of selectively presenting evidence to support a specific argument while ignoring contradictions.

Confirmatory Hypothesis Testing

The tendency to only consider evidence that supports a hypothesis.

Common Sense Stories

Credible sources of information that are problematic due to their unverifiable origins.

Empirical Article

A journal article that includes predetermined headings like Results and Discussion.

Review Article

An article that provides an overview of a topic, often presenting a full theory rather than testing a part of it.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical method that averages the results of multiple studies to draw a conclusion.

Effect Size

The magnitude or strength of a relationship between two or more variables.

Margin of Error

A statistic indicating the probable true value of a percentage estimate in a population.

False Positive (Type I Error)

Concluding an effect exists in a population when it does not (e.g., throwing out good tomatoes).

False Negative (Type II Error)

Failing to detect an effect in a population when one actually exists.

Belmont Report - Respect for Persons

Principle requiring informed consent, autonomy, and protection for vulnerable populations.

Belmont Report - Beneficence

Principle requiring protection from harm and benefits to society.

Belmont Report - Justice

Principle requiring fair treatment and representative sampling of populations.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A committee that evaluates and monitors research involving human participants for ethical compliance.

Informed Consent

A written explanation of the study given to potential participants, detailing risks and benefits.

Deception in Research

The practice of misleading participants about study details for knowledge gain.

Debriefing

Providing a full explanation of the study to participants after its completion.

Vulnerable Populations

Groups such as children, prisoners, elders, and people with disabilities requiring special protection in research.

Ethical Considerations in Research

Factors beyond participant protection, including environmental safety and funding biases.