Chapter 2 of Nairne's "Psychology", Fouth Edition. The Tools of Psycho
Terms
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- Scientific Method
- A multistep technique that generates knowledge derived from systematic observations of the world.
- Operational Definition
- Definitions that specify how concepts can be observed and measured.
- Correlational Research
- Used to solve the problem of prediction.
- Experimental Research
- A technique in which the investigator actively manipulates the environment to observe its effect on behavior.
- Ethical Principles
- Helps ensure that all research subjects are treated with dignity and respect.
- Descriptive Research
- Methods designed to observe and describe behavior.
- Reactivity
- When behavior changes as a result of the observation process.
- External Validity
- The extent to which results generalize to other situations or are representative of real life.
- Naturalistic Observation
- A descriptive research technique that records naturally occurring behavior as opposed to behavior produced in the laboratory.
- Participant Observation
- Where the observer attempts to become a part of the activities being studied, to blend in the group.
- Case Study
- A descriptive research technique in which the effort is focused on a single case, usually an individual.
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Multiple personality disorder
- Survey
- A descriptive research technique designed to gather limited amounts of information from many people, usually by administering some kind of questionnaire.
- Sample
- A subset of individuals from a target population.
- Random Sampling
- A procedure guaranteeing that everyone in the population has an equal likelihood of being selected for the sample.
- Achievement Tests
- Measure a person's current level of knowledge or competence in a particulkar subject.
- Aptitude Tests
- Designed to measure the potential for success in a given profession or area of study.
- Central Tendency
- The value around which scores tend to cluster.
- Mean
- The arithmetic average of a set of scores.
- Mode
- The most frequently occurring score in a set of scores.
- Median
- The middle point in an ordered set of scores; half of the scores fall at or below the mesian score, and half fall at or above the median score.
- Variability
- A measure of how much the scores in a distribution of scores differ from one another.
- Range
- The difference between the largest and smallest scores in a distribution.
- Standard Deviation
- An indication of how much individual scores differ or vary from the mean.
- Descriptive Statistics
- Mathematical techniques that help researchers describe their data.
- Inferential Statistics
- Mathematical techniques that help researchers decide whether data are representative of a population or whether differences among observations can be attributed to chance.
- Correlation
- A statistic that indicates whether two variables vary together in a systematic way; correlation coefficients vary from +1.00 to -1.00
- Correlation Coefficients
- Give the researcher a feel for how well the value of one variable can be predicted if the value of the second variable is known.
- Independent Variable
- The aspect of the environment that is manipulated in an experiment. It must consist of at least two conditions.
- Dependent Variable
- The behavior that is measured or observed in an experiment.
- Confounding Variable
- An uncontrolled variable that changes along with the independent variable.
- Internal Validity
- The extent to which an experiment has effectively controlled for confounding variables; internally valid experiments allow for the determination pf casuality.
- Random Assignment
- A technique ensuring that each participant in an experiment has an equal chance of being assigned to any of the conditions in the experiment.
- Placebo
- An inactive substance that resembles an experimental substance.
- Single-blind Study
- Experimental participants do not know to which condition they've been assigned; it's used to control for subject expectancies.
- Double-blind Study
- Neither participants nor research observers are aware of who has been assigned to the experimental and control groups; it's used to control for both subject and experimenter expectancies.
- Informed Consent
- The principle that before consenting to participate in research, people should be fully informed about any significant factors that could affect their willingness to participate.
- Debreifing
- At the conclusion of an experimental session, informing the participants about the general purpose of the experiment, including any deception that was involved.
- Confidentiality
- The principle that personal information obtained from the participant in research or therapy should not be revealed without the individual's permission.