Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Scientific Research
Used to discover accurate information about phenomena, including mind and behavior
A description that is as precise as possible about the aspects of problem and how it is to be studied in terms of observable events that can be measured
Theory
A coherent set of interrelated ideas that helps to make predictions and explain data Specific assumptions or predictions that can be tested to determine their accuracy
Hypothesis
Population
The entire group which the investigator wants to draw conclusions The subset of the population chosen by investigator for study
Sample
Random sample
A sample in which every member of the population has an equal chance of being selected
Laboratory observation
Observations of behavior in a controlled setting with many of the complex factors of the real world removed
Observation
Naturalistic observation
Observations of behavior in real-world setting with no effort made to manipulate or control the situation
Interviews
Interview
Asking questions to find out about a persons experiences and attitudes The tendency of participants to tell the interviewer what they think is socially acceptable or desirable rather than what they truly feel or think
Social desirability
Interviews
Questionnaires (surveys)
Similar to structured interviews except that the respondents read the questions and mark their answers on paper rather than verbally responding to an interviewer
Case Studies
Case study
An in-depth look at a single individual, used mainly by clinical psychologists when the unique aspects of an individuals life cannot be duplicated
StandardizedTests
Standardized tests
Tests that require people to answer a series of written and/or oral questions Individuals test score is totaled to yield a single score Individuals score is compared with the scores of a large group of similar people
Correlational Research
Correlational Research
Research with the goal of describing the strength of the relationship between two or more events or characteristics
Variable 2
Variable 1
Experimental Research
Experimental research
Allows psychologists to discover behaviors causes A carefully regulated procedure in which one or more factors believed to influence the behavior being studied are manipulated and all other factors are held constant
Experiment
Experimental Research
Independent variable
The manipulated, influential, experimental factor in an experiment The factor that is measured in an experiment Can change as the independent variable is manipulated
Dependent variable
Experimental Research
Experimental group
Control group
A comparison group that is treated in every way like the experimental group except for the manipulated factor Assignment of participants to experimental and control groups by chance
Random assignment
Random Assignment
Experimenter bias
The influence of the experimenters own expectations on the outcome of the research The influence of research participants belief
Placebo effect
Occurs when participants expectations, rather than the experimental treatment, produce the desired outcome Neither the experimenter nor the participants are aware of which participants are in the experimental group
Double-blind experiment
Informed consent
Participants must know what their participation will involve and any risks that might develop Researchers are responsible for keeping all of the data they gather on individuals completely confidential and, when possible, completely anonymous
Confidentiality
Debriefing
Informing participants of the purpose and methods used in a study after the study has been completed
Psychotherapy and behavioral medicine Rehabilitation of neuromuscular disorders Understanding and alleviating effects of stress and pain Discovery and testing of drugs to treat anxiety and severe mental illness
Human applications
Knowledge about drug addiction and relapse Treatment to help premature infants gain weight so they can leave the hospital sooner Knowledge about memory used to alleviate deficits of memory in old age
Ethnic gloss: Using an ethnic label in a superficial way that portrays an ethnic group as being more homogeneous than it actually is
Research on groups vs. the individual needs of the consumer Overgeneralization based on a small sample A single study usually is not the defining word about an issue or problem
Causal conclusions cannot be drawn from correlational studies Always consider the source of the psychological information and evaluate its credibility