Abnormal Psychology Chapter 4

Front 1

In genetics research, thestudy of first-degree relatives reared indifferent families and environments. Ifthey share common characteristics, suchas a disorder, this finding suggests that those characteristics have a genetic component.

Back 1

adoption studies

Front 2

Approach to researchemploying subjects who are similar to clinicalclients,allowingreplicationof a clinicalproblem under controlled conditions

Back 2

analogue model

Front 3

Research strategies forcomparing genetic markers in groups ofpeople with and without a particular disorder.

Back 3

association studies

Front 4

Measured rate of a behaviour before introduction of an intervention that allows comparison and assessment of the effects ofthe intervention.

Back 4

baseline

Front 5

Research procedure inwhich a single person or small group isstudied in detail. The method does notallow conclusions about cause-and-effectrelationships, and findings can be generalizedonlywithgreatcaution.

Back 5

case study method

Front 6

Degree to which researchfindings have useful and meaningful applicationstorealproblems.

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clinical significance

Front 7

Participants in each age group of across-sectional research study.

Back 7

cohort

Front 8

Observation that people of differentagegroupsalsodifferin their valuesandexperiences.

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cohort effect

Front 9

Outcomeresearch that contrasts two or more treatmentmethodstodeterminewhichismosteffective.

Back 9

comparative treatment research

Front 10

Any factor occurring in a research study that makes the results uninterpretablebecause its effects cannot be separated fromthose of the variables being studied

Back 10

confound

Front 11

Group of individuals in aresearch study who are similar to the experimentalsubjectsin everywaybutarenotexposedtothetreatmentreceivedbytheexperimentalgroup;theirpresenceallowsforacomparisonofthedifferentialeffectsofthetreatment.

Back 11

control group

Front 12

Degree to which two variables areassociated.

Back 12

correlation

Front 13

Computed statisticreflecting the strength and direction of anyassociation between two variables. It canrange from +1.00 through zero (indicating no association) to –1.00, with the absolute value indicating the strength, and the signreflecting the direction.

Back 13

correlation coefficient

Front 14

Limit to the generalizabilityoflongitudinalresearchbecausethegroupunderstudymaydifferfromothersin cultureandexperience.

Back 14

cross-generational effect

Front 15

Methodology toexamine a characteristic by comparing differentindividualsofdifferentages.Contrastwithlongitudinaldesign.

Back 15

cross-sectional design

Front 16

In an experimentalresearch study, the phenomenon that is measuredandexpectedtobeinfluenced

Back 16

dependent variable

Front 17

The possibility that, when twovariables, A and B, are correlated, variable Acauses variable B, or that B causes A.

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directionality

Front 18

Procedure in outcomestudies that prevents bias by ensuring thatneither the subjects nor the providers of theexperimental treatment know who isreceiving treatment and who is receivingplacebo.

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double-blind control

Front 19

How big the difference between two group is

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effect size

Front 20

Thegenetic mechanisms that ultimately contributeto the underlying problems causing thesymptomsand difficultiesexperiencedbypeoplewith psychological disorders

Back 20

endophenotypes

Front 21

Psychopathology researchmethod examining the prevalence, distribution,andconsequences of disorders inpopulations.

Back 21

epidemiology

Front 22

Research method that can establishcausationbymanipulating the variablesinquestion and controlling for other alternative explanations of any observedeffects.

Back 22

experiment

Front 23

Extent to which researchstudy findings generalize, or apply, to peopleand settings not involved in the study

Back 23

external validity

Front 24

Genetic studies that examinepatterns of traits and behaviours among relatives.

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family studies

Front 25

Extent to which researchresults apply to a range of individuals notincluded in the study.

Back 25

generalizability

Front 26

Studies that seek tomatch the inheritance pattern of a disorderto that of a genetic marker; this helpsresearchers establish the location of thegene responsible for the disorder.

Back 26

genetic linkage analysis

Front 27

Inherited characteristic forwhich the chromosomal location of theresponsible gene is known.

Back 27

genetic marker

Front 28

Specific genetic makeup of anindividual

Back 28

genotype

Front 29

Ongoing scientific attempt to develop a comprehensive map ofall human genes.

Back 29

human genome project

Front 30

Educated guess or statement to betested by research.

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hypothesis

Front 31

Number of new cases of a disorderappearing during a specific time period

Back 31

incidence

Front 32

Phenomenon that ismanipulated by the experimenter in aresearch study and expected to influence thedependent variable.

Back 32

independent variable

Front 33

Ethical requirementwhereby research subjects agree to participateina research study only after they receive full disclosure about the nature of the study andtheirown role in it.

Back 33

informed consent

Front 34

Extent to which the resultsof a research study can be attributed to theindependent variable after confoundingalternative explanations have been ruledout.

Back 34

internal validity

Front 35

Degree of behaviour change withdifferent interventions (e.g., high, low).

Back 35

level

Front 36

Systematic study ofchanges in the same individual or groupexamined over time

Back 36

longitudinal design

Front 37

Single-case experimentaldesign in which measures are taken on two ormore behaviours, or on a single behaviour intwo or more situations. A particular interventionisintroducedforeachatdifferenttimes.Ifbehaviourchangeiscoincident witheachintroduction,thisisstrongevidencetheinterventioncausedthechange

Back 37

multiple baseline

Front 38

Association betweentwo variables in which one increases as theother decreases.

Back 38

negative correlation

Front 39

The tendency to see all participants as one homogeneousgroup

Back 39

patient uniformity myth

Front 40

Observable characteristics orbehaviours of an individual.

Back 40

phenotype

Front 41

In an outcomeexperiment, a control group that does notreceive the experimental manipulation butis given a similar procedure with an identicalexpectationofchange,allowingtheresearchertoassessanyplaceboeffect.

Back 41

placebo control group

Front 42

Behaviour change resultingfrom the person’s expectation of changerather than from the experimental manipulationitself.

Back 42

placebo effect

Front 43

Association between twovariables in which one increases as the otherincreases.

Back 43

positive correlation

Front 44

Number of people displaying a disorderin thetotalpopulationatanygiventime

Back 44

prevalence

Front 45

In genetics research, the individualdisplaying the trait or characteristic beingstudied. Also known as index case.

Back 45

proband

Front 46

Method for placing individualsinto research groups that assures each one ofan equal chance of being assigned to anygroup, to eliminate any systematic differencesacrossgroups

Back 46

randomization

Back 47

repeated measurement

Front 48

Plan of experimentation usedto test a hypothesis

Back 48

research design

Front 49

Literally “the view back,” data collected by examining records or recollections of the past. It is limited bythe accuracy, validity, and thoroughness ofthe sources.

Back 49

retrospective information

Front 50

Combination of the cross-sectionalandlongitudinalresearchmethodsinvolvingrepeatedstudyofdifferentcohortsovertime.

Back 50

sequential design

Front 51

Researchtactic in which an independent variable ismanipulated for a single individual, allowingcause-and-effect conclusions, but with limited generalizability.

Back 51

single-case experimental design

Front 52

Probability thatobtaining the observed research findingsmerely by chance is small

Back 52

statistical significance

Front 53

Ability of a hypothesis, for example,to be subjected to scientific scrutiny and to be accepted or rejected, a necessary conditionforthehypothesistobeuseful.

Back 53

testability

Front 54

Studies of the effectiveness of clinical interventions, including the comparison of competingtreatments.

Back 54

treatment outcome research

Front 55

The direction of change of a behaviour orbehaviours (e.g., increasing, decreasing).

Back 55

trend

Front 56

In genetics research, the comparisonoftwinswithunrelatedorless closely related individuals. If twins, particularlymonozygotictwinswhoshareidenticalgenotypes,sharecommoncharacteristicssuchasadisorder,eveniftheywererearedindifferentenvironments,thisisstrongevidenceofgeneticinvolvementin thosecharacteristics.

Back 56

twin studies

Front 57

Degree of change in a phenomenonovertime.

Back 57

variability

Front 58

Removing a treatment tonote whether it has been effective. Insingle-case experimental designs, abehaviour is measured (baseline), an independentvariable is introduced (intervention), and then the intervention iswithdrawn. Because the behaviourcontinues to be measured throughout(repeated measurement), any effects of theintervention can be noted. Also calledreversal design.

Back 58

withdrawal design