PSYC 101 Ch.2


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Flashcard 1

Q: What is intuition?

A: Intuition is the ability to reach a conclusion without effortful reasoning or evidence, often based on personal experience or emotion.

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Flashcard 2

Q: Why do we study research methods in psychology?

A: To identify misleading claims, be smarter consumers, understand the world, and accurately interpret and understand psychology and neuroscience studies.

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Flashcard 3

Q: What is the scientific method?

A: A procedure for using empirical evidence to establish facts, involving theory development, hypothesis testing, and gathering empirical evidence.

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Flashcard 4

Q: What is empiricism?

A: The conviction that accurate knowledge of the world can be acquired through observation.

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Flashcard 5

Q: What is dogmatism?

A: The tendency to cling to one's beliefs, often without considering new evidence or alternative viewpoints.

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Flashcard 6

Q: What is a theory?

A: An explanation of natural phenomena that guides scientific inquiry.

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Flashcard 7

Q: What is a hypothesis?

A: A falsifiable prediction made by a theory, which can be tested through observation and experimentation.

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Flashcard 8

Q: What does "falsifiable" mean in scientific research?

A: A hypothesis or theory is falsifiable if it can be proven untrue through empirical evidence.

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Flashcard 9

Q: What is the third-variable problem?

A: The issue where a third variable might be causing the correlation between two other variables, making it difficult to establish causality.

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Flashcard 10

Q: What is an operational definition?

A: A description of a property in measurable terms, ensuring that a concept can be accurately observed and measured.

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Flashcard 11

Q: What is construct validity?

A: The extent to which an operational definition accurately measures the intended property.

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Flashcard 12

Q: What is power in research?

A: The ability of a measurement tool to detect the presence of differences or changes in the property being measured.

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Flashcard 13

Q: What is reliability in research?

A: The consistency of a measurement tool in detecting the same results under the same conditions.

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Flashcard 14

Q: What is observer bias?

A: When an observer's expectations influence what they believe they observe and what they actually observe.

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Flashcard 15

Q: What is a double-blind study?

A: A study where neither the researchers nor the participants know which condition the participants are in, helping to reduce bias.

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Flashcard 16

Q: What is a demand characteristic?

A: Aspects of an observational setting that cause participants to behave in a way they think the researcher expects.

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Flashcard 17

Q: What is naturalistic observation?

A: A research technique where participants are observed in their natural environments without their knowledge, reducing demand characteristics.

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Flashcard 18

Q: What is a confound?

A: A variable that influences both the independent and dependent variables, making it difficult to determine causality.

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Flashcard 19

Q: What is the scientific method?

A: A process of observing, hypothesizing, testing, interpreting results, and reporting conclusions in a structured way to uncover truths about the world.

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Flashcard 20

Q: What is a case study?

A: A research method that involves studying a single individual in-depth to gain insights into specific behaviors or phenomena.

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Flashcard 21

Q: What is random sampling?

A: A technique for selecting participants that ensures every member of a population has an equal chance of being included in the sample.

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Flashcard 22

Q: What is replication?

A: The process of repeating an experiment with a new sample from the same population to confirm the original findings.

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Flashcard 23

Q: What is internal validity?

A: The degree to which an experiment allows us to draw accurate conclusions about causal relationships within the study.

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Flashcard 24

Q: What is external validity?

A: The extent to which the findings of an experiment can be generalized to other settings, populations, or times.

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Flashcard 25

Q: What is construct validity?

A: The degree to which a test or experiment measures the concept it is intended to measure.

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Flashcard 26

Q: What is a sample in research?

A: A partial collection of people drawn from a population for the purpose of research.

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Flashcard 27

Q: What is the mean in statistics?

A: The average value of a set of data, calculated by adding all the values and dividing by the total number of data points.

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Flashcard 28

Q: What is the mode in statistics?

A: The value that appears most frequently in a data set.

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Flashcard 29

Q: What is the median in statistics?

A: The middle value in a data set, dividing the data into two equal halves.

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Flashcard 30

Q: What is variability in statistics?

A: The extent to which the measurements in a data set differ from each other.

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Flashcard 31

Q: What is correlation?

A: A relationship between two variables in which changes in one variable are synchronized with changes in another.

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Flashcard 32

Q: What is the correlation coefficient (r)?

A: A mathematical measure of both the direction and strength of a correlation between two variables.

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Flashcard 33

Q: What is causality?

A: The relationship between cause and effect, determining how one variable influences another.

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Flashcard 34

Q: What is random assignment?

A: A procedure for assigning participants to experimental conditions by chance, helping to control for potential confounding variables.

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Flashcard 35

Q: What is a type I error in research?

A: A false positive, where researchers conclude that there is a causal relationship when there is none.

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Flashcard 36

Q: What is a type II error in research?

A: A false negative, where researchers fail to detect a causal relationship that actually exists.

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Flashcard 37

Q: What is the p-value in inferential statistics?

A: The probability value that indicates whether the results of a study are statistically significant (p < 0.05).

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Flashcard 38

Q: What is the difference between correlation and causation?

A: Correlation is a statistical relationship between two variables, while causation indicates that one variable directly influences another.

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Flashcard 39

Q: What is inferential statistics?

A: Statistical methods used to determine whether the differences observed in a sample are likely to be true for the population.

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Flashcard 40

Q: What is the WEIRD bias in psychology?

A: A bias where most psychological studies are conducted on Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations, which may limit generalizability.

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Flashcard 1

Q: What is empirical evidence in the scientific method?

A: Empirical evidence is data or information obtained through observation and experimentation, forming the foundation of scientific inquiry.

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Flashcard 2

Q: How does using empirical evidence require critical thinking?

A: Critical thinking involves asking tough questions about the evidence, ensuring it’s interpreted without bias, and determining if it reveals the whole truth.

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Flashcard 3

Q: Why do people with the same evidence often draw different conclusions?

A: Beliefs, biases, preferences, and personal experiences influence how people interpret evidence, leading to different conclusions based on the same data.

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Flashcard 4

Q: How do our beliefs color our view of new evidence?

A: Our beliefs can cause us to see only what we expect, reinforcing our existing views and making us interpret mixed evidence in a way that aligns with our initial beliefs.

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Flashcard 5

Q: How do beliefs influence the evidence we consider?

A: Beliefs shape the standards we hold for different types of evidence and influence which evidence we choose to focus on or ignore.

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Flashcard 6

Q: What is critical thinking in research?

A: Critical thinking involves doubting your own conclusions and questioning what you don't see or what is missing in the evidence.

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Flashcard 7

Q: What can happen if we ignore missing evidence?

A: Ignoring missing evidence can lead to erroneous conclusions and an incomplete understanding of the issue at hand.

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Flashcard 8

Q: What is the principle of human dignity in research involving human participants?

A: Human dignity in research involves respecting participants' autonomy, ensuring their welfare, and distributing risks and benefits equally without prejudice.

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Flashcard 9

Q: What are the three core principles of research ethics involving human participants?

A:

1. Respect for persons – allowing participants to make informed decisions without undue influence.

2. Concern for welfare – maximizing benefits and minimizing risks to participants.

3. Justice – distributing risks and benefits fairly without discrimination.

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Flashcard 10

Q: What is informed consent in research?

A: Informed consent involves a participant’s verbal agreement to participate after being fully informed of the study's risks and potential harms.

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Flashcard 11

Q: What are the rights of research participants regarding consent?

A: Participants have the right to withdraw from a study at any time without penalty. If they are minors, consent must be obtained from their legal guardians.

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Flashcard 12

Q: What are the key aspects of research ethics for human participants?

A:

- Compensation for participation

- Protection of personal data

- Freedom from coercion (no psychological pressure to participate)

- Protection from harm

- Risk-benefit analysis

- Deception must be justified and followed by debriefing

- Debriefing explains the study’s true purpose and nature

- Confidentiality of personal information

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Flashcard 13

Q: What are the 3 Rs in animal research ethics?

A:

1. Reduce – Minimize the number of animals used.

2. Refine – Adjust experiments to reduce stress on animals.

3. Replace – Use alternative methods to replace animal testing when possible.

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Flashcard 14

Q: What are the key protections for animals in research?

A: Animal research must comply with significant protections, including those provided by the CCAC (Canadian Council on Animal Care) and ACC (Animal Care Committees).

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Flashcard 15

Q: What is the purpose of a risk-benefit analysis in research ethics?

A: A risk-benefit analysis evaluates whether the potential benefits of a study outweigh the risks to participants, ensuring ethical research practices.

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Flashcard 16

Q: What is the role of deception in research?

A: Deception is sometimes used in research when necessary, but it must be followed by debriefing, where participants are fully informed about the true nature and purpose of the study.

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