Psychology research methods key terms

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What is an aim?
A general statement of what the researcher intends to investigate; the purpose of the study.
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What is a bar chart?
A type of graph in which the frequency of each variable is represented by the height of the bars.
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What is behavioural changes?
When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable.
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What does the term 'bias' mean?
In the context of sampling, when certain groups may be over or under-represented within the sample selected.
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What is the BPS code of ethics?
A quasi-legal document by the British psychological society which instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants.
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What are the four major principles of the BPS code of ethics
1) respect 2) competence 3) responsibility 4) integrity
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What is a closed question?
Fixed choice of responses. For example yes and no questions.
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What are controlled observations?
Watching and recording behaviour within a structured environment.
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What is a correlation
A mathematical techique in which a researcher investigates an association between two variables, called co-variables.
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What is counterbalancing?
An attempt to control the effects of order in a repeated measures design. For example (ABBA).
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What is a co-variable?
Variables investigated within a correlation, for example height and weight.
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Why is height an weight not referred to as the dependent and independent variables?
Because the correlation investigation the association between the variables, rather than trying to show a cause and affect relationship.
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What is a covert observation?
Participants behaviour is watched and recorded without knowledge or consent.
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What is demand characteristics?
Any cue from the researcher or from the researcher situation that may be interpretaged by participants as revealing the purpose of the investigation. May lead to a participant changing heir behaviour within the research situation.
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What is the dependent variable?
The variable that is measured by the researcher. Any effect on the DV should be caused by the IV.
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What is descriptive statistics?
Use of graphs, tables and summary statistics to identify trends and a a lysergic sets of data.
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What is a directional hypothesis
State the direction of the difference or relationship.
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What does the term 'economy' mean?
The state of a country or region in terms ths production and consumption of goods and services.
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What does the term ethical issues mean?
Thèses arise when conflict exist between the rights of participants in research studies and the goals of research to produce authentic valid and worthwhile data.
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What is event sampling?
A target behaviour or event is first established then the researcher records this event every time it occurs.
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What does experimental design mean?
The different ways in which the testi g of participants can be organised in relation to the experiment condition
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Whag does experimental method mean?
Involves the manipulation of an independent variable to measure the effect on the DV. Experiments may be lab, field,natural, or quasi.
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What is an extraneous variable?
Nuisance variable may have an effect on the dependent variable if it is not controlled.
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What is an field experiment?
Takes place in a natural setting within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effect on the DV.
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What does the term generalistion mean?
Extent to which findings and conclusions from a particular investigation can be broadly applied to the population. Made possible if the participants are representative of the population.
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What is a hypothesis?
Clear, precise, testable statement that states the relationship between the variables to ve investigated.
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What is an independent groups design
Participants are allocated to different groups where each group represents one experimental condition.
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What is the independent variable
Some aspect of the experiment situation that is manipulated by the researcher- so the effect on the dependent variable can be measured
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What is an interview
It is when the interviewer asks the interviewee asks a set a question to assess the interviewees thoughts or experience the questions may be pre-set or may go along as the interview went along.
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What is an investigator effects?
Any effects of the investigator's behaviour on the research outcome/ the DV. May include everything from the design of the study to the study election of, and interaction with, participants during the research process.
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What is an lab experiment
An experiment that takes place in a controlled environment within which the researcher manipulates the IV and records the effects on the DV.
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What is a matched pairs design?
Pairs of participants are first matched on some variables that may affect the DV
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What is the mean
The arithmetic average calculated by adding up all the values in a set of data and dividing by the number of values there are.
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What does measures of central tendency mdan
The general term for any measure of the average value in a set of data.
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What does the term 'measure of dispersion' mean
The general term for any measure of the spread or variations in a set of sources.
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What does the term median mean
The central value in a set of dat when values are arranged from lowest to highest.
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What does the term meta-analysis mean
Refers to the process of combining results from a number of studies on a particular topic to provide an overall view. This may qualitative or quantitative data.
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What is the mode
The most frequently occurring value in set of data.
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What does the term naturalistic observation mean
Watching and recording behaviour in the setting within which it would normally occur.
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What does natural experiment mean
An experiment where the change in the IV is not brought about by the researcher but would have happened naturally even if the researcher had not been there. The researcher records the effect on the DV.
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What does the term negative correlation mean
As one co-variable increases the other decreases
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What does the term negative skew mean
A type of distribution in which the long tail is on the negative side of the oak and mo se of the distribution is concentrated on the right.
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What does non-directional hypothesis mean
Does not state the direction of the difference or relationship.
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What does non-participant observation mean
The researcher remains outside of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.
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What does normal distribution mean
A symmetrical spree of frequency data that forms a bell-shaped pattern. The mean, median, and mode are located at the highest peak.
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What is an open question
No fixed choice of response and répondent can answer in anyway they wish; for example, why d jd you take up smoking?
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What is operationalisation
Clearly defining variables in terms of how they can be measured.
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What does overt observation mean
Particopas behaviour is watched and recorded with their knowledge and consent.
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What does the participant observation mean
The researcher becomes a memeber of the group whose behaviour he/she is watching and recording.
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What does peer review mean
The assessment of scientific work by others who are specialists in the same field to ensure that any research intended for publication is high quality.
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What is a pilot study
A small scale version of N investigation that takes place before the real investigation is conducted. The aiM is to check the procedures materials measuring scales etc work and to allow the researcher to make changes or modifications if necessary,
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

A type of graph in which the frequency of each variable is represented by the height of the bars.

Back

What is a bar chart?

Card 3

Front

When a target behaviour is broken up into components that are observable and measurable.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

In the context of sampling, when certain groups may be over or under-represented within the sample selected.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

A quasi-legal document by the British psychological society which instructs psychologists in the UK about what behaviour is and is not acceptable when dealing with participants.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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