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Science
Science TERM 2
Skeptics
DEFINITION 2 We must be skeptical when reading and conducting research information. It is important to ask questions and seek answers. TERM 3
Empirical
DEFINITION 3 Gaining knowledge through observation. It is a scientific explanation. Empiricists know something based on experiencing through the senses. TERM 4
Rational
DEFINITION 4 A way ofacquiringknowledge through logic and reasoning. TERM 5
Parsimonious
DEFINITION 5 The simple most direct route with less complex explanations.
General
Broader explanations rather than limited. Example: using more than one method. TERM 7
Tentative
DEFINITION 7 Complete explanations. TERM 8
Authority
DEFINITION 8 Getting information from an expert source. Information that has already been gathered. Note that experts tend to be biased. TERM 9
Rationalism
DEFINITION 9 Draws conclusions from pure reason. They reject the idea of authority. Rene Descartes was a rationalist. TERM 10
Scientific Method
DEFINITION 10 Testing hypotheses, collecting data, observation, theory, and conclusion.
Quasi-experimental
Research
Hybrid of differential and experimental research. TERM 17
Positivist Approach
DEFINITION 17
- Mainly Quantitative. Ex: Pain in a number scale. Should be fact not opinion because using fact minimizes biases. - Positivists believe that knowledge comes from experience, and nothing is self-evident. - The objective phenomena is eventually knowable.- They also believe that all behaviors are naturally determined.- Nature is regular, and knowable. - Humans are part of the natural world. TERM 18
Quantitative Method
DEFINITION 18 Anything with measurement. Ex: neural activity, MRI, heart rate, hormones, time, distance, and reaction time...etc. TERM 19
Secondary Data Analysis
DEFINITION 19 Data that already exists and is being re-evaluated. TERM 20
Interpretive Data Analysis
DEFINITION 20
- Mainly qualitative.- There is a strong emphasis of people's understanding of ones owns actions and values as well as those of others., - Sense of self and interactions with others.- Must be empathetic.
Qualitative Method
Such as participant observation, indepth interviews, and focus groups. TERM 22
Basic
Research
DEFINITION 22 Increases scientific understanding of phenomena without any particular goals. TERM 23
Theory
DEFINITION 23 Collection of ideas about how and why variables are related. TERM 24
Primary Sources
DEFINITION 24 Scientific literature sources such as journal articles. These sources publish research studies and theories. TERM 25
Hypotheses
DEFINITION 25 Predicted relationships which can be correlational or differential.
9 Rules for Resolving Ethical Issues
- Protect the confidentiality of respondents- Do not place pressure on the respondents- Make the subject's participation painless- Identify sponsors- Disclose the basis on which respondents have been selected. - Place no hiddenidentification codes on questionnaires- Honour promises to provide respondents with research report- Informed consent is a key concern- Debrief subjects TERM 32
Nominal
DEFINITION 32 A level of measurement that involves no underlying continuum, and the assignment of numeric values is random. Ex: gender, religious affiliation. TERM 33
Ordinal
DEFINITION 33 Implies an underlying continuum, and the values are ordered but intervals are not equal. Ex: community size, rank. TERM 34
Interval
DEFINITION 34 Involves an underlying continuum, numeric values are assigned to reflect equal intervals. There is no zero point. Ex: time, intelligence. TERM 35
Ratio
DEFINITION 35 Involves an underlying continuum, and numeric values assigned reflect equal intervals. Zero points cannot exist. Ex: weight, age in years, reaction time.
Conceptualization
The process through which we specify precisely what we "mean" when we use a particular term. TERM 37
Operationalization
DEFINITION 37 The process through which we specify precisely what we "do" to measure or manipulate the variable. TERM 38
Validity
DEFINITION 38 The extent to which a measure reflects a concept, reflecting neither more nor less than what is implied by the conceptual definition. Basically means Accuracy. TERM 39
Reliability
DEFINITION 39 The extent to which, on repeated measures, and indicator yields similar readings. Basically means Consistency. TERM 40
Face Validity
DEFINITION 40 One of the types of validity (accuracy) Does the test appear to measure what it is supposed to measure?
Self-administered questionnaires
-Individual delivered questionnaires such as going door to door.- Group-administered questionnaires such as the psych 100 class.- Mailed questionnaires do not have a high rate of return.- Internet- based surveys are difficult because you generally don't know who the population or sample are.- Telephone interviews are easy for people to say no to because they can just hang up the phone. TERM 47
Advantages of Questionnaires
DEFINITION 47
- The data is easy to collect- It is easy to keep confidentiality- Can be done at the participants convenience TERM 48
Disadvantages to Questionnaires
DEFINITION 48
- Mail questionnaires have bad rates of return- Social Desirability- Unmotivated participants perhaps from sleepiness, hungary, not even time, or lack of understanding. -Uncooperativeparticipant TERM 49
Social Desirability/Acquiescence
DEFINITION 49 When participants answer how the think you want them to respond, or how they think society in general expects them to respond. TERM 50
Content Items
DEFINITION 50 -Opinions-what do you think of...-Attitudes-right v.s. wrong- Knowledge-ex: geo, history, science, questions-Behaviour-ex: how many newspapers recycled?
Types of Questions
- Pre-coded, single-choice questions. ex: sex, yes or no.2) Open-ended questions. participants answer the question in his or her words. 3) Presence-absence questions.4) Rank- ordering questions.5) Likert- type questions. rating on a continuum. ex: strongly agree to strongly disagree. TERM 52
Sampling
DEFINITION 52 The process of selecting a sample from the population. The sample must be representative of the population. TERM 53
Probability Samples
DEFINITION 53 Some form of random selection procedure used in one or more of the stages of the sampling process. TERM 54
Non-probability Samples
DEFINITION 54 No random selection procedure used in the sampling process. TERM 55
Simple Random Sample
DEFINITION 55 May not represent the population adequately. Each person has an equal chance of being chosen.
Convenience Sample
Sample selection motivated by convenience to the researcher. Ex: Psychology participant pool. TERM 62
Purposive Sample
DEFINITION 62 Uses judgment and deliberate effort to pick subjects who meet the criteria in order to get a representative sample. Ex: clinical cases, specific experts. TERM 63
Referral Sample
DEFINITION 63 Used when participants with specific characteristics are difficult to locate, such as people involved in deviant groups such as motorcycle gangs or people who are suspected of bank robbery. TERM 64
Experiment Bias
DEFINITION 64 Blind observers. Don't know what you're expecting to find., TERM 65
Archival
Research
DEFINITION 65 Looking back at some source that is pre-existing. And comparing. Content Analysis.
Meta Analysis
Statistical procedure allowing comparison and combination of results from existing studies. There are three steps: 1) identify relevant variables 2) locate relevant research to review
