Chapter 2 - Research in psychology

A measure of central tendency that is the arithmetic average of the scores in a set of data

The degree to which test results or other research evidence occurs repeatedly

In an experiment, the group that receives no treatment or provides a baseline to compare performance or response against

Process of selecting a group of participants from a population whose members have an equal chance of being chosen

The process of selecting participants who are members of the population that the researcher wishes to study

A measure of central tendency that is the value or score that occurs most frequently in a data set

The degree in which test scores are interpreted correctly and used appropriately

A confound that occurs when an experimenter unintentionally encourages responses that support the hypothesis

Field of psych: goal to explore & understand the relationship among brain processes, behaviour & psych functioning

Research method that examines relationships between variables in order to analyse trends in data, test predictions etc

In scientific research, a specific, testable proposition about a phenomenon

A measure of central tendency, the halfway point in a set of data: half the scores fall above the median and half below

A measure of variability that is the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a data set

In research, the degree to which one variable is related to another

Factor or characteristic that is manipulated or measured in research

Variable manipulated by the researcher in an experiment

An integrated set of propositions that can be used to account, predict and even suggest ways of controlling phenomena

The study of how genes and environment work together to shape behaviour

Process selecting participants whose characteristics reflect the characteristics of the population they were drawn from

Referring to a correlation, or a difference between two groups, that is larger than would be expected by chance

Numbers that summarise a set of research data

A research method involving the intensive examination of some phenomenon in a particular individual, group or situation

Research design where neither the experimenter or the participants know who is the experimental or control groups

Numbers that represent research findings and provide the basis for research conclusions

Assigning participants in an experiment to various groups by random to ensure random variables are evenly distributed

In an experiment, any factor that affects the dependent variable, along with or instead of the independent variable

Procedures for systematically watching behaviour in order to summarise it for scientific analysis

A treatment that contains no active ingredient but produces an effect because the person receiving it believes it will

In an experiment, the group that receives the experimental treatment

Situation where researcher manipulates 1 variable then observes the effect on another variable & holding others constant

The process of watching without interfering as a phenomenon occurs in the natural environment

A set of mathematical procedures that help psychologists make inferences about what their research data mean

The study of potentially inheritable changes in gene expression cause by environmental that do not alter a cell's DNA

A measure of variability that is the average difference between each score and the mean of the data set

Process of selecting a group of participants from a population whose members do not have an equal chance of being chosen

Research method that gives people questionnaires or special interviews designed to obtain descriptions of their opinions

The process of assessing claims and making judgements on the basis of well-supported evidence

Use of in-depth methods like conversation and interviews to explore and understand the why and how of human behaviour

In an experiment, the factor affected by the independent variable

A statement that defines the exact operations or methods used in research

In an experiment, a confound in which uncontrolled or uncontrollable factors affect the dependent variable

A statistic, r, that summarises the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables