Psychology- Research In

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Critical Thinking

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The process of assessing claims or assertions and making judgements about them on the basis of well supported evidence.

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5-step process

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1. What am i being asked to believe or accept? What is the hypothesis?
2. What evidence is available to support the assertion? Is it reliable and valid?
3. Are their alternative ways of interpreting the evidence?
4. What additional evidence would help to evaluate the alternatives?
5. What conclusions are most reasonable based on the evidence and the number of alternative explanations?

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Hypothesis

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testable propositon

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Operational Definition

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used to describe the methods used and the behaviors studied in the research

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variable

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Something that takes on different values that can be measured or counted

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Theory

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An integrated set of tentative explanations of behavior and mental processes. Constantly formulated, evalutated, revised, and evaluated again.

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Four scientific goals

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1. Describe the phenomenon by gathering information about it
2. Make predictions and formulate hypotheses about the phenomenon
3. control variables to eliminate alternative hypotheses and establish cause and effect
4. Explain the phenomenon

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Sampling

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important process used to select subjects for an experiment

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random sample

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if every population member has an equal chance of being chosen for the study

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biased sample

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if every population member does not have an equal chance of being chosen for the study

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Naturalistic Observation

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observation without interference of a phenomenon as it occurs in its natural enviornment

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Case Studies

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An intensive examination of a phenomemnon in a particular individual, group, or situation, often combining observations, inverviews, tests, and analyses of written records

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Surveys

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involve asking people questions, in interviews or questionnaires, in order to obtain descriptions of behavior, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, and intentions

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Experiment

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extablish cause-effect relationships between variables and to help them choose among alternative hypotheses to explain a given phenomenon

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Independent Variable

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manipulated or controlled by the researcher

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dependent variable

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the measurment of the consequences

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experimental group

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experiences the independent variable

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control group

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recieves no treatment, thus providing a baseline against which to compare the experimental group

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confounding variables

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uncontrolled factors that might have affected the dependent variable

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rabdom variables

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uncontrolled factors such as differences in subjects' backgrounds, personalities, health, and so on that might confound research results

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random assignment

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how subjects are assigned to experimental and control groups to reduce the impact of random variables on the results

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placebo

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a treatment that contains no active ingredient but produces a change in the dependent variable