PSY-387: Exam #2 (Combined Terms)

Error variance

Systematic variance

Experimental validity

the extent to which a study accurately measures what it intends to measure and supports correct conclusions about cause and effect.

P-hacking

the practice of manipulating data analysis or selectively reporting results to make findings appear statistically significant when they may not truly be.

Internal validity

the extent to which a study can confidently show that changes in the dependent variable are caused by the independent variable and not other factors.

Attrition

the loss of participants over the course of a study, which can bias results if the dropout is not random.

History effect

a threat to validity that occurs when external events outside the study influence participants’ behavior during the experiment.

Construct validity

the extent to which a test or experiment truly measures the theoretical concept it is intended to measure.

Convergent validity

the degree to which a measure is positively related to other measures of the same construct.

Divergent (discriminant) validity

the degree to which a measure is not related to measures of different, unrelated constructs.

Expectancy Effects

Changes in participants’ behavior that occur because of what they believe or expect will happen in a study.

Demand Characteristics

Cues in a study that signal to participants how they are expected to behave, influencing their responses.

Good Participant Effect

When participants try to behave in a way that confirms the researcher’s hypothesis.

Defiant Participant Effect

When participants intentionally act opposite to what they believe the researcher expects.

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency for participants to respond in ways that make them appear more favorable or acceptable.

Hawthorne Effect

When participants change their behavior simply because they are being observed or studied.

Single-Blind Experiment

A study in which participants do not know which condition they are in, but the researcher does.

Double-Blind Experiment

A study in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is in each condition.

External Validity

The extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other people, settings, and situations.

Population Validity

The extent to which study findings can be generalized to the broader population.

Ecological Validity

The extent to which study findings can be generalized to real-world settings.

Psychological Realism

The extent to which the psychological processes in a study reflect those in real life.

Meta-Analysis

A statistical technique that combines the results of multiple studies to identify overall trends or effects.

Cross-Sectional Research

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

Longitudinal Research

A research method that studies the same group of people over an extended period of time.

True Experiment

A study in which the researcher manipulates an independent variable and randomly assigns participants to conditions to establish causation.

Quasi-Experiment

A study that examines cause-and-effect relationships without random assignment to conditions.

Natural Experiment

A study in which the independent variable occurs naturally and is not manipulated by the researcher.

Cohort Study

A type of longitudinal research that follows a group of people who share a common characteristic over time.

Observational Research

A method in which researchers observe and record behavior without manipulating variables.

Correlational Research

A method that examines the relationship between two variables without determining causation.

Correlation ≠ Causation

The principle that a relationship between two variables does not mean that one causes the other.

Archival Research

A method that uses existing records or data sets to answer research questions.

Ex Post Facto Research

A study that examines existing differences between groups to determine possible causes after the fact.

Observational Method

A research approach focused on systematically observing and recording behavior.

Observation as Design

Using observation as the primary method of a study, where data is mainly collected by systematically watching and recording behavior.

Observation as Technique

Using observation as a tool within a broader research method to support or supplement other forms of data collection.

Interrater Reliability

The degree to which different observers consistently agree in their observations.

Structured (or Systematic) Observation

A method where behaviors are observed and recorded according to a predefined system.

Event Coding

A recording method where each occurrence of a specific behavior is counted.

Interval Coding

A recording method where behaviors are noted as occurring or not within specific time intervals.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in its natural environment without interference.

Naturalistic Observation on Social Media

Studying behavior as it naturally occurs on social media platforms.

Public Interactions

Observing interactions that occur openly between individuals in public or online spaces.

Hashtag Tracking

Monitoring the use and spread of specific hashtags to study trends or behaviors.

Social Network Analysis

Examining relationships and connections between individuals within a network.

Content Analysis

A method of analyzing communication or media content to identify patterns or themes.

Naturalistic Participant Observation

A method where the researcher becomes part of the group being observed in a natural setting.

Controlled Observation

Observing behavior in a structured or laboratory setting where some variables are controlled.

Controlled Participant Observation

A method where the researcher participates in the group while observations occur in a controlled setting.

Role-Play and Simulation

A method where participants act out roles or scenarios to study behavior.

Active Role-Play (Participant as Actor)

A simulation where participants actively perform roles in a scenario.

Stanford Prison Experiment

A famous study that examined the psychological effects of perceived power roles in a simulated prison setting.

Non-Active Role-Play (Participant as Observer)

A simulation where participants observe rather than act in the scenario.

Participant as Both Actor and Observer

A method where participants both engage in and observe the scenario.

Storms (1973)

A study demonstrating that perspective influences how people interpret behavior in social interactions.

Diaries in Observational Research

A method where participants record their own behaviors or experiences over time.

Verbal Protocols

A method where participants verbalize their thoughts while performing a task.

Case Study

An in-depth investigation of a single individual, group, or event.

Hypotheses

Testable predictions about the relationship between variables in a study.

Fishing

The practice of searching through data without a clear hypothesis to find any statistically significant relationships.

Summary

A brief statement that captures the main ideas of a text in a condensed form.

Paraphrase

Restating information from a source in your own words while keeping the original meaning.

Technique

A specific method or tool used to collect or analyze data within a study.

Design

The overall plan or structure of a study that outlines how the research will be conducted.