midterm cogs 14a 2nd

COGS 14A Midterm 2 Flashcards


Steps in Research

  • What is the first step in research?
    Identify a topic.

  • At what step do you consider ethics, validity, and limitations?
    Design the study.

  • What is the final step in research?
    Communicate results.

  • What is the purpose of a pilot study?
    To find potential problems before conducting full research.


Validity & Research Design

  • Laboratory experiments generally have low ______ validity.
    Ecological validity.

  • What type of validity is concerned with generalizing findings outside the experiment?
    External validity.

  • A WEIRD sample can be an issue with what type of validity?
    External validity.

  • What does WEIRD stand for?
    Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic.


APA Paper Structure

  • Where in an APA paper can you find the theoretical importance?
    Introduction.

  • Where can you find details about the study design?
    Methods section.


Key Research Terms

  • What is an operational definition?
    An assigned observable behavior that is a proxy for a theoretical construct.

  • What is a confederate in an experiment?
    An experimenter acting as a participant.

  • What is a case study?
    Examining individuals with rare conditions.


Research Methods

  • What is the best-fitting unit of analysis for neuroscience?
    Neurons.

  • What fields use experimentation as a method?
    Psychology, Linguistics, Neuroscience.


Non-Experimental Research Methods

  • What type of research method observes subjects in their natural state?
    Field studies.

  • What is a disadvantage of non-experimental methods?
    Cannot make causal inferences.


Experimental Research Methods

  • What method quantifies the onset or duration of a cognitive operation?
    Reaction time.

  • What does an EEG measure?
    Electrical activity in the brain.

  • What is the primary advantage of MEG over EEG?
    Better spatial resolution.

  • Why must MEG be conducted in a shielded room?
    To prevent interference from Earth’s magnetic field.

  • What is a disadvantage of PET scans?
    Poor temporal resolution.

  • What technique uses the BOLD signal?
    fMRI.

  • What makes TMS unique?
    It induces electrical current in neurons.


Ethical Considerations

  • What document established the first protocol for human research ethics?
    Nuremberg Code.

  • What principle does deception in research conflict with?
    Respect for persons - informed consent.

  • What principle was most violated in the Henrietta Lacks case?
    Respect for persons.

  • What committee oversees human research ethics?
    Institutional Review Board (IRB).

  • What committee oversees animal research?
    Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).


Statistical Concepts

  • The average value in a population is called a…
    Parameter.

  • The average value in a sample is called a…
    Statistic.

  • What type of data has equal intervals but no true zero?
    Interval data.

  • What type of data has a true zero?
    Ratio data.

  • What type of statistical test is used for nominal data?
    Chi-squared test.

  • What type of statistical test compares means of two groups?
    t-test.

  • What statistical test is used for comparing more than two groups?
    ANOVA.


Data Analysis

  • What measure of central tendency is affected by outliers?
    Mean.

  • If a dataset has extreme outliers, what is the best measure of central tendency?
    Median.

  • What is the typical amount that scores differ from the mean called?
    Standard deviation.

  • If a dataset has a long right tail, it is ______ skewed.
    Positively skewed.

  • If a dataset has a long left tail, it is ______ skewed.
    Negatively skewed.

  • What type of correlation exists if both variables increase together?
    Positive correlation.

  • What type of correlation exists if one variable increases while the other decreases?
    Negative correlation.

  • What does Pearson’s correlation coefficient measure?
    Strength and direction of a linear relationship.

  • What correlation coefficient value indicates no relationship?
    0.

  • Which r-value is the weakest: +0.68, +0.33, -0.49, -0.81?
    +0.33.


Observational vs Experimental Studies

  • What is an advantage of observational studies?
    Can study variables that cannot be manipulated.

  • What is a disadvantage of observational studies?
    Cannot establish causation.

  • What is the third variable problem?
    A third variable influences both the independent and dependent variables.


Miscellaneous

  • What Boolean search operator ensures both terms appear in results?
    AND.

  • What type of data can be counted but not divided into smaller units?
    Discrete data.

  • What type of data can take any value within a range?
    Continuous data.

  • What is a nuisance variable?
    An uncontrolled variable that adds variability.

  • What effect do nuisance variables have on a study?
    Increase variability.

  • What kind of statistical analysis predicts outcomes from multiple variables?
    Multiple regression.

  • What must researchers do when deception is used in a study?
    Explain it in debriefing.

  • What type of analysis finds the line of best fit?
    Linear regression.

  • What does a high standard deviation indicate?
    Greater spread in the data.

  • Can non-experimental research methods determine causation?
    No.


This is the complete set of notes for COGS 14A Midterm 2. Good luck! 🚀

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