Chapter 2 Research Methodology

Question 1

Name and explain the steps of how to test a hypothesis

Answer 1

1. Devise a hypothesis from a theory
2. Perform a literature review so you can find existing knowledge, perhaps on different levels
3. Devise a study
4. Carry out study and collect data
5. Analyze Data results
6. Present findings to scientific community

Question 2

Name the 4 goals of science and explain each idea

Answer 2

Description - What is the phenomenon that is happening
Prediction - When does it occur
Control - What causes it to occur
Explanation - Why it occurs

Question 3

Name the stages of critical thinking

Answer 3

1. Question the information (source, credibility, etc)
2. What is the definition of each part of the claim (basically, be specific)
3. Always stay vigilant - peer review might not be enough

Question 4

Good theories are

Answer 4

falsifiable - meaning they can easily be proven false

open to creating multiple hypotheses

Question 5

Name and explain the scientific method

Answer 5

Used to conduct research:

1. Come up with a theory, which is an observation/relationship between two events
2. From the theory, devise a hypothesis that can be tested
3. Test out the hypothesis via research
4. Based on conclusion, either support hypothesis to continue collecting data or refute hypothesis and craft another theory

Question 6

Descriptive research

Answer 6

observing behavior in order to describe the behavior objectively and systematically (measuring time spent in a conversation, recording people eating food in cafeterias)

Question 7

Case Studies

Answer 7

intensive examination of an unusual person organization in some way that can be studied further

Question 8

observational studies

Answer 8

participant observation -> when the observer is part of the participants
naturalistic observation -> observing without altering any of the outcome, passive, no alterations

Question 9

coding

Answer 9

dividing behavior up into noticeable behaviors (ie. Walks slowly, talks a lot, when observing a person driving while using a cell phone)

Question 10

reactivity

Answer 10

the difference in behavior a person will experience between when he/she knows he/she is being observed as opposed to not being observed

Question 11

observer bias

Answer 11

Observers which might look up upon certain behaviors or believe certain cultural norms might impart bias due to their own differences

Question 12

Experimenter Expectancy Effect

Answer 12

an observer’s observations can change based on their expectations (ie think mice trainers who were told their mice were bred to be smart)

Question 13

Self-report methods

Answer 13

Surveys or interviews, but the drawback is that people will impart their own biases into their responses (ie less people will actually admit to driving with a cell phone)

Question 14

Directionality Problem

Answer 14

We don’t so much know if A will cause B or B causes A even if there’s a strong correlation between the two variables

Question 15

Third Variable Problem

Answer 15

Correlational plots cannot detect if a variable C actually causes both A and B

Question 16

Experiments prove ___ by

Answer 16

causation by manipulating an independent variable and measuring the resulting dependent variable

Question 17

International Review Board

Answer 17

IRB - checks for privacy issues, relative risks, informed consent, and maintained access to data

Question 18

relative risk

Answer 18

Any sort of risk that one might run into while in an experiment; risk/benefit ratio must be assessed

Question 19

Deception can be used when

Answer 19

knowing the study’s goals will alter behavior from what’s desired to be observed, that is, deception can then be used to steer the participant away from the goal of the study; this must be shared after the study

Question 20

Construct Validity

Answer 20

How accurate a variable is of what it’s supposed to measure or represent (ie bad cv is when you give a chem test to a psych class)

Question 21

External Validity

Answer 21

How applicable data from a study can be applied to a more general group of other

Question 22

Internal Validity

Answer 22

How much the results of a study or experiment are due from the independent variable and not a confounding variable

Question 23

Reliability vs accuracy

Answer 23

Reliability is when data is noticeably consistent, whereas accuracy measure how much error is present with a study’s methodology

Question 24

Random error

Answer 24

error that occurs randomly and values change (difference in pressing a stop watch after or before an event happens)

Question 25

systematic error

Answer 25

Error that is constant and applicable in every trial for the same reason