holt et al chpt 2

what is the scientific method?

a systematic process of involving observation, hypothesis formation, testing & theory development

what are the main types of psychological research?

descriptive, correlational, experimental

descriptive research:

observes & describes behaviour w/o manipulating variables (case studies, surveys)

Correlational Research

examines relationships btwn variables w/o implying causation

experimental research

manipulates 1 variable (IV) to determine its casual effect on another (DV)

independent variable

variable manipulated by the experimenter

confounding variable

an uncontrolled factor that may influence the results

random assignment

assigning participants to groups by chance to minimise bias

reliability

consistency of results

validity

accuracy of measurement

what are the ethical principals in psychological research?

1. informed consent

2. confidentiality

3. right to withdraw

4. debriefing

what is the replication crisis?

difficulty replicating many psychological findings, highlighting the need for consistency & reproductability