Key terms from Chapter 2 of Wayne Weiten's Psychology: Themes and Variations, 2nd Canadian edition.
Terms : Hide Images
| 95092175 | Hypothesis | A tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables | |
| 95092176 | Variables | Any measurable conditions, events, characteristics, or behaviors that are controlled or observed in a study | |
| 95092177 | Theory | A system or interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations | |
| 95092178 | Operational definition | Describes the actions or operations that will be used to measure or control a variable | |
| 95092179 | Data collection techniques | Procedures for making empirical observations and measurements | |
| 95092180 | Journal | Periodical that publishes techinal and scholarly material, usually in a narrowly defined area of inquiry | |
| 95092181 | Research methods | Consist of various approaches to the observation measurement, manipulation and control of variables in empirical studies. | |
| 95092182 | Experiment | A research method in which the investigator manipulates a variable under carefully controlled conditions and observes whether any changes occur in a second variable as a result | |
| 95092183 | Independent variable | Condition or event that an experimenter varies in order to see its impact on another variable | |
| 95092184 | Dependent variable | The variable that is thought to be affected by manipulation of the independent variable | |
| 95092185 | Experimental group | Consists of the subjects who receive some special treatment in regard to the independent variable | |
| 95092186 | Control Group | consists of similar subjects who do not receive the special treatment given to the experimental group | |
| 95092187 | Extraneous variables | Any variables other than the independent variable that seem likely to influence the dependent variable in a specific study | |
| 95092188 | Confounding of variables | Occurs when two variables are linked together in a way that makes it difficult to sort out their specific effects | |
| 95092189 | Random assignment | Occurs when all subjects have an equal chance of being assigned to any group or condition in the study | |
| 95092190 | Naturalistic Observation | A researcher engages in careful observation of behavior without interfering with the subjects | |
| 95092191 | Case Study | An in-depth investigation of an individual subject | |
| 95092192 | Survey | Usually a questionnaire | |
| 95092193 | Statistics | The use of mathematics to organize, summarize, and interpret numerical data | |
| 95092194 | Mode | The most frequent score | |
| 95092195 | Variability | refers to how much the scores in a data set vary from each other and from the mean | |
| 95092196 | Standard deviation | An index of the amount of variability in a set of data | |
| 95092197 | Correlation | exists when two variables are related to each other | |
| 95092198 | Correlation coefficient | A numerical index of the degree of relationship between two variables | |
| 95092199 | Inferential statistics | Used to interpret data and draw conclusions | |
| 95092200 | Statistical significance | Said to exist when the probability that the observed findings are due to chance is very low | |
| 95092201 | Replication | The repetition of a study to see whether the earlier results are duplicated | |
| 95092202 | Sampling bias | Exists when a sample is not representative of the population from which it was drawn | |
| 95092203 | Social desirability | When someone answer a question based on what they think is socially appropraite | |
| 95092204 | Experimenter bias | Occurs when a researchers expectations or preferences about the outcome of a study influence the results obtained | |
| 95092205 | Double-blind procedure | Research strategy in which neither subjects nor experimenters know which subjects are in the experimental or control groups | |
| 95092206 | Anecdotal evidence | consists of personal stories about specific incidents and experiences | |
| 95092207 | Descriptive statistics | Statistics that are used to organize and summarize data. | |
| 95092208 | Internet-mediated research | Refers to studies in which data collection is done using the web | |
| 95092209 | Median | the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it | |
| 95092210 | Mean | The arithmetic average of the scores in a distribution | |
| 95092211 | Participants | persons or animals whose behavior is systematically observed in a study | |
| 95092212 | Placebo Effect | This occurs when participants' expectations lead them to experience some change even though they receive empty, fake, or ineffectual treatment | |
| 95092213 | Population | the much larger collection of animals or people (from which the sample is drawn) that researchers want to generalize about | |
| 95092214 | Response set | A tendency to respond to questions in a particular way that is unrelated to the content of the questions. | |
| 95092215 | Sample | The collection of subjects selected for observation in an empirical study | |
| 95092216 | Steps in a scientific investigation | Formulate a hypothesis, Select the Research Method and Design the Study, Collect the Data, Analyze the Data and Draw Conclusions, Report Findings | |
| 95092217 | Advantages of experimental research | have a better sense of cause and effect; allow for control of variables and subjects and environment; cost; replication is easy | |
| 95092218 | Disadvantages of experimental research | artificiality; limited scope; ethical concerns or practical realities of manipulating independent variables | |
| 95092219 | Descriptive/Correlational Research | These methods include naturalistic observation, case studies and surveys. These are distinguished by the lack of control to manipulate the independent variable under study. These methods permit investigators to only describe patterns of behaviour and discover links or associations between variables. | |
| 95092220 | Advantages of Descriptive/Correlational Research | These methods give researchers a way to explore questions that could not be examined with experimental procdures; broadens the scope of phenomena that psychologists are able to study. | |
| 95092221 | Disadvantages of Descriptive/Correlational Research | INvestigators cannot control events to isolate cause and effect; correlational research cannot demonstrate conclusively that two variables are casually related. | |
| 95092222 | Positive correlation | two variables co-vary in the same direction; a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with large values of the other and small with small | |
| 95092223 | Negative correlation | two variables co-vary in the opposite direction; a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with small values of the other | |
| 95092224 | Strength of the correlation | The closer the correlation to either -1.00 or +1.00, the stronger the relationship | |
| 95092225 | Prediction | As a correlation increases in strength gets closer to either -1.00 or +1.00, the ability to predict one variable based on knowledge of the other variable increases. | |
| 95092226 | Correlation and Causation | Correlation is not equivalent to causation! | |
| 95092227 | Ethical Guidelines for Research in Canada | 1. Respect for the Dignity of Persons 2. Responsible Caring 3. Integrity in Relationships 4. Responsibility to Society |
