Psychology Research Methods Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering planning, doing, and analysing psychology research methods based on lecture notes.

Independent variable (IV)

The variable that the researcher manipulates or changes to see if it has an effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent variable (DV)

The variable that a psychologist measures within the study to see the effect of changing the IV.

Extraneous variables

Any other variables than the IV and DV that can affect the study and spoil results, such as noise or temperature.

Standardisation

The process of trying to control extraneous variables and keep other variables constant by using standardised procedures.

Lab experiment

A research method where the researcher directly manipulates the IV in a controlled environment.

Field experiment

A research method where the researcher directly manipulates the IV in a natural environment.

Natural experiment

An investigation where the IV is not directly controlled by the researcher but is pre-determined, such as comparing schizophrenic and non-schizophrenic groups.

Questionnaires

A self-report method consisting of a list of written pre-set questions that are the same for every participant.

Open Questions

Questions that have no fixed responses to choose from, providing in-depth qualitative data.

Closed Questions

Questions that have set responses to choose from, providing quantitative data that is easier to analyse.

Rating scales

A type of closed question that requires the participant to select a number representing their response.

Interviews

A face-to-face self-report method where the psychologist directly asks questions of the interviewee.

Social desirability bias

A tendency where people lie or exaggerate their responses to create a certain impression.

Overt observation

An observation where all participants know they are being watched, which is more ethical but may cause the observer effect.

Covert observation

An observation where participants are unaware they are being watched, which avoids the observer effect but raises ethical issues.

Participant observation

An observation where the researcher join the group they are studying to access greater depth of detail.

Non-participant observation

An observation where the researcher is not involved in the activities, allowing for greater objectivity.

Case studies

A detailed investigation into one person or a small group, often providing in-depth qualitative data for rare cases like brain damage.

Correlations

A research method that measures two co-variables to see if there is a positive, negative, or zero relationship between them.

Alternative hypothesis

A statement that predicts a difference in an experiment or a correlation between variables.

Null hypothesis

A statement that predicts no difference or no pattern/trends in the results of a study.

Experimental group

The group in a study where something new is being tested.

Control group

The group in an experiment used for comparison where the IV is not changed.

Repeated measures design

An experimental design where one group of participants takes part in both conditions of the experiment.

Independent measures design

An experimental design involving two different groups of participants where each group does a different condition.

Order effects

Problems such as practice, boredom, or fatigue that arise when participants take part in both conditions of a study.

Sample

A smaller group of participants drawn from a target population to take part in a study.

Target population

Entire group of people a psychologist wants to study.

Random sampling

A technique where every member of the target population has an equal chance of selection, such as pulling names out of a hat.

Opportunity sampling

A technique where the researcher selects people who are most convenient and willing to take part, often resulting in unrepresentative samples.

Self-Selected sampling

A technique where the researcher advertises for participants and people volunteer to take part.

Debrief

Informing participants after a study about its true purpose and checking for negative effects.

Quantitative data

Numerical data such as speeds, percentages ($\%$), or frequencies that is easy to identify patterns in.

Qualitative data

Descriptive data in the form of words, such as diary entries or social media posts.

Primary data

First-hand information collected by the researcher themselves, such as memory scores from a lab experiment.

Secondary data

Second-hand information collected by another source, such as crime statistics from police records.

Mode

A measure of central tendency representing the most common score in a set of data.

Median

The middle score in a set of data once the values have been put in numerical order.

Mean

The mathematical average calculated by adding all numbers together and dividing by the number of values.

Range

A measure of how dispersed data is, calculated by subtracting the lowest score from the highest score.

Normal distributions

A data pattern where middle scores are the most common and extreme scores are rarer, often seen in IQ results.

Internal validity

The extent to which a study is genuine and free from unwanted variables like demand characteristics.

Ecological validity

The extent to which a research study reflects a real-life situation.

Population validity

Refers to how representative a sample is of the target population.

Construct validity

The extent to which a study actually measures the specific concept it is intended to measure.

Reliability

The consistency of research; if research can be replicated and achieve the same results, it is reliable.

Inter-rater reliability

The level of consistency between two or more observers assessing the same behaviour.

Gender bias

Favouring one gender over another, such as sampling only men but applying results to everyone.

Cultural bias

Favouring certain cultural or ethnic groups over others in research sampling.

Observer effect

When participants change their behaviour specifically because they know they are being observed.