Psychology Chapter 1

debriefing

a procedure to inform participants about the true nature of an experiment after its completion

Questionnaire

a survey that is usually a printed form with questions that is given to a large number of people. Standardized questions. You gather a large amount of information in a short period of time, but they are impersonal, untruthful, unanswered

Hypothesis

a tentative statement or idea expressing a casual relationship between two events or variables that are to be evaluated in a research study

informed consent

agreement to participate in psychology research, after being appraised of the dangers and benefits of the research

Significant difference

an experimental difference that is statistically unlikely to have occurred because of chance alone and is most likely do to the systematic manipulation of variables by the researcher.

Scientific endeavor

an experimental process or investigation

participant

an individual who takes part in an experiment and whose behavior is observed as part of the data collection process

Naturalistic Observation

careful and objective observation of events from a distance, without observer intervention. Largely uncontaminated by the researchers presence. The behavior the researcher wishes to examine might not be exhibited

Objectivity

evaluating research and theory on their merits, without preconceived ideas

Accuracy

gathering data from the laboratory and the real world in precise ways.

Cross - Sectional

studies different group of people at the same time. Less time and money. Not consistent and less accurate

experimental group

A subject or group of subjects in an experiment that is exposed to the factor or condition being tested.

Why is psychology considered a science?

Psychologists use scientific principles, carefully defined methods, and precise procedures to develop an organized body of knowledge and to draw inferences, or make predictions about how people will behave

Healthy Skepticism

a cautious view of data, hypotheses, and theory until resuls are repeated, verified, and established over time

Theory

a collection of interrelated ideas and facts put forward to describe, explain, and predict behavior and mental processes.

variable

a condition or a characteristic of a situation or a person that is subject to change either within or across situations or individuals.

interview

a face to face meeting in which a researcher asks an individual a series of standardized questions. Allows a wider range of responses. Time consuming an no cause and effect relationships can be inferred.

sample

a group of participants who are assumed to be representative of the population about which an inference is being made.

Longitudinal

a group of subjects are studied for an extended period of time. You get detailed information on a specific group of people. It takes time and money

Experiment

a procedure in which a researcher systematically manipulates and observes elements of a situation in order to answer a question, and, to establish causality.

Case study

method of interviewing participants to gain info about their background. Provides extensive one to one. You can not make generalizations

What are the three principles of the scientific endeavor

objectivity, accuracy, and healthy skepticism

Independent variable

the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

control group

the group that does not receive the experimental treatment.

Ethics

the rules concerning proper and acceptable conduct that investigators use to guide their research

Scientific Method

the technique used in psychology to discover knowledge about human behavior and mental processes. It involved stating the problem, developing hypotheses, designing a study, collection and analyzing data, replicating results, and drawing conclusions and reporting results

double-blind tecnique

to avoid the risk of the self-fulfilling prophecy, researchers use this research technique in which neither the experimenter nor the participants know who is the control or the experimental group. Minimizes the potential effect of a researcher's subtle cues on participants

dependent variable

variable that is expected to change because of manipulation of the independent variable