Psychology science inquiry skills

# Psychology Science Inquiry Flashcards

## Experimental Research

Front: What is experimental research?

Back: Research where researchers manipulate the independent variable to identify its effect on the dependent variable. Assesses cause and effect relationships.

## Non-experimental Research

Front: What is non-experimental research?

Back: Research where variables cannot be manipulated but only measured. Cannot assess causality, only suggest relationships.

## Independent Variable

Front: What is an independent variable?

Back: The variable purposely manipulated by researchers in an experiment.

## Dependent Variable

Front: What is a dependent variable?

Back: The variable measured to see the effect of the independent variable.

## Extraneous Variable

Front: What is an extraneous variable?

Back: Variables not being studied that may still influence results. Need to be controlled where possible.

## Types of Extraneous Variables

Front: What are the three types of extraneous variables?

Back:

1. Participant variables (mood, background, culture)

2. Environment variables (noise, temperature, time of day)

3. Researcher variables (beliefs, background, biases)

## Hawthorne Effect

Front: What is the Hawthorne Effect?

Back: When participants change their behavior due to being in a study.

## Social Desirability Effect

Front: What is the Social Desirability Effect?

Back: When participants change behavior to be seen as desirable.

## Placebo Effect

Front: What is the Placebo Effect?

Back: When results occur due to expectations rather than the actual intervention.

## Demand Characteristics

Front: What are Demand Characteristics?

Back: Cues that influence participant behavior by suggesting the research purpose.

## Experimenter Effect

Front: What is the Experimenter Effect?

Back: When a researcher's values and beliefs influence the study (e.g., asking leading questions, recording biased data).

## Controlled Variable

Front: What is a controlled variable?

Back: Variable kept the same or accounted for to reduce impact on results.

## Methods of Controlling Variables

Front: What are methods for controlling participant variables?

Back:

- Random allocation to groups

- Matched groups

- Repeated measures design

- Single/double blind studies

## Directional Hypothesis

Front: What is a directional hypothesis?

Back: A testable prediction of the relationship between 2+ variables that includes a specific prediction of the direction of results.

## Non-directional Hypothesis

Front: What is a non-directional hypothesis?

Back: A testable prediction of the relationship between 2+ variables that does not specify the direction (predicts difference or no difference).

## Research Aim Structure

Front: How should a research aim be structured?

Back: "To identify the effect of [independent variable] on [dependent variable]" - includes both variables but no prediction.