Principles of Scientific Research

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to the principles and methods of scientific research in psychology.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure; a test must be reliable to be valid, but a reliable test can be completely invalid.

Validity

The extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

Open Science Movement

An initiative to improve research transparency by sharing research publicly and focusing on replicability.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method that involves observing behavior in real-world settings.

Case Study

An in-depth study of a small number of individuals, often used for rare phenomena.

Self-Report Measures

Methods in which subjects assess their own characteristics, often subject to bias.

Halo Effect

The tendency of a positive characteristic to influence ratings of other unrelated characteristics.

Horns Effect

The tendency of a negative characteristic to influence ratings of other unrelated characteristics.

Correlation

A statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two variables are associated.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment.

Operational Definition

A specific definition of a variable that specifies how it is measured.

Placebo Effect

Improvement resulting from the expectation of improvement.

Nocebo Effect

Feeling harm as a result of the expectation of harm.

Double-Blind Study

A study design in which neither the researchers nor the participants know who is in the experimental or control group.

Statistics

The mathematics of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.

Descriptive Statistics

Statistics that summarize data, showing its basic features.

Inferential Statistics

Statistics that allow conclusions to be drawn from a sample about a population.

Statistical Significance

A measure that indicates whether the results of a study are likely to be due to chance.

Ethics in Psychology

Guidelines and principles governing the conduct of psychological research involving humans and animals.

Informed Consent

The process of informing study participants about the nature of the research and obtaining their agreement to participate.

Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)

An organization that sets guidelines for the ethical treatment of animals in research.