Psychology 120 Research Methods

Front 1

Define basic research.

Back 1

Research conducted to advance scientific knowledge

Front 2

Define applied research.

Back 2

Research designed to solve practical problems

Front 3

What are the six steps to the scientific method?

Back 3

1) Identify questions of interest and review literature
2) Develop a testable hypothesis
3) Select a research method and collect the data
4) Analyze the data and accept or reject the hypothesis
5) Publish, replicate, and seek scientific review
6) Build a theory

Front 4

What is a specific prediction about how one variable relates to another?

Back 4

Hypothesis (must be falsifiable)

Front 5

What is an interrelated set of concepts that explain a body of data?

Back 5

Theory

Front 6

Define informed consent.

Back 6

A participant’s agreement to take part in a study after being told what to expect

Front 7

Define debriefing.

Back 7

Informing participants after the research about the purpose of the study, the nature of the anticipated results, and any deceptions used

Front 8

What guidelines has the APA developed to regulate research with human participants?

Back 8

Informed consent
Voluntary participation
Restricted use of deception
Debriefing
Confidentiality
Alternate activities

Front 9

What are the four key research methods?

Back 9

Experimental
Descriptive
Correlational
Biological

Front 10

What is a carefully controlled scientific procedure that involves manipulation of variables to determine cause and effect?

Back 10

Experiment

Front 11

Define independent variable.

Back 11

An experimental factor that is manipulated to determine its causal effect on the dependent variable

Front 12

Define dependent variable.

Back 12

An experimental factor that is measured; it is affected by (or dependent on) the independent variable

Front 13

Define experimental group.

Back 13

A group receiving treatment in an experiment.

Front 14

Define control group.

Back 14

A group receiving no treatment in an experiment

Front 15

What are some potential problems with the researcher in an experiment?

Back 15

Experimental bias – researcher influences results in expected direction
Ethnocentrism – believing one’s culture is typical of all cultures or correct

Front 16

What are some potential problems with the participant in an experiment?

Back 16

Sample bias – the participants are not representative of the larger population
Participant bias – experimental conditions influence the participant’s behavior or metal processes

Front 17

What is a research method that observes and records behavior without producing casual explanations?

Back 17

Descriptive research

Front 18

What are the three types of descriptive research?

Back 18

Naturalistic observation
Surveys
Case studies

Front 19

What is the observation and recording of behavior in the participant’s natural site or habitat?

Back 19

Naturalistic observation

Front 20

What is a research technique that questions a large sample of people to assess their behaviors and attitudes?

Back 20

Survey

Front 21

What is an in-depth study using a single research participant?

Back 21

Case study

Front 22

What is a scientific study in which the researcher observes or measures (without directly manipulating) two or more variables to find the relationships between them?

Back 22

Correlational research

Front 23

What are the three types of correlation?

Back 23

Positive – two variables move (or vary) in the same direction
Negative – the two factors vary in opposite directions
Zero – no relationship

Front 24

What is a scientific study of the brain and other parts of the nervous system?

Back 24

Biological research