Chapter 2: Psychological Research

Statistical analysis

________: determines how likely any difference found between the two variables is due to chance (how meaningful are the differences between the two groups ?)

Operational definition

________: a description of how the researcher will measure their variables; helps other researchers interpret the data and repeat the experiment.

Scientists

________ use deductive reasoning to empirically test their hypotheses.

Reliability

________: the ability to consistently produce a given result.

Inter rater

________ reliability: a measure of reliability that assesses the consistency of observations by different observers.Surveys.

Correlation

________ is limited because it tells us little about cause and effect.

Placebo effect

________: when people's expectations or beliefs influence or determine their experience in a given situation; expecting something to happen can actually make it happen.

Sample

________: a subset of individuals selected from a population.

Surveys

________: a series of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be administered as paper- and- pencil questionnaires, electronically, or verbally.

Theory

________: a well- developed set of ideas that propose an explanation for observed phenomena.

Population

________: the overall group of individuals that the researchers are interested in.

acceptable substitutes

Since animals and humans undergo many similar basic processes, animals are ________ for research that would be considered unethical in human participants.

Participants

________: the subjects of psychological research and actively participate in the process.

Validity

________: the extent to which a given instrument or tool accurately measures what its supposed to measure.

Deductive reasoning

________ begins with a generalization (hypothesis) that is used to reach logical conclusions about the real world.

review board

Institutional ________ (IRB): a committee of individuals that review proposals for research that involves human participants; their approval is required in order for the experiment to proceed.

Single blind study

________: one of the groups of participants are unaware which group theyre in (experiment or control) but the researcher knows which participants are in each group.

Deception

________: purposely misleading experiment participants to maintain the integrity of the experiment; the ________ in these cases cant be harmful and the participants must be fully briefed at the conclusion of the experiment.

Hypotheses

________ can be formulated either through direct observation of the real world or after.

blind study

Double- ________: both the researchers and the participants are unaware of which participants are in which group; helps to avid the placebo effect.

naturalistic observation

A benefit to ________ is its accuracy and ability to be universally applied.

Negative correlation

________: the variables move in opposite directions.

Inductive reasoning

________ uses empirical observations to form broad generalizations.

Illusory correlations

________: false correlations that occur when people believe that relationships exist between two things when no such relationship exists.

scientific hypothesis

A(n) ________ is falsifiable, or capable of being shown to be incorrect.

Correlation coefficient

________: a number from- 1 to +1 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between variables; usually represented by the letter r.

Scientists

________ use inductive reasoning to form theories, which in turn form hypotheses that are tested with deductive reasoning.

Deductive reasoning

________: ideas are tested against the empirical world.

Hypothesis

________: a testable prediction about how the world will behave and its often worded as an if- then statement.

Correlation

________: a relationship between two or more variables, but this relationship does not necessarily imply cause and effect; as one variable changes, so does the other.

Naturalistic observation

________ is not limited to research involving humans.

Inductive reasoning

________: empirical observations lead to new ideas.