research methods

The validity of a measure refers to the:

ACCURACYwith which it measures the construct.

If a measure is consistent over multiple occasions, it has:

test-retest reliability

cross-sectional survey

A sample surveyed at one point in time:

simple random sample

- Each element in sampling frame is assigned a number - A table of random numbers is then used to select elements for the sample (see Appendix for Table of Random Numbers) - Each element has an equal chance of selection independent of any other event in the selection process. -Most fundamental technique in probability sampling but laborious.

reliance on available subjects (convenience sampling)

- Sampling from subjects who are available (AKA Accidental, Haphazard, or Convenience Sampling)

inter-rater reliability

A measure of how similarly two different test scorers would score a test.

Census Study

A population surveyed at one point in time:

quota sampling

A relative proportion of the total population is assigned for the target population' s characteristics (e.g., gender, ethnic groups), grouped into strata and the required number of participants from each stratum (given set of characteristics) is then selected

selection bias

Bias that causes control and experimental groups to be different because of how they were selected (i.e. the control group are volunteers and the experimental group received an incentive)

compensatory rivalry

Comparison condition practitioners or clients compete with the experimental group; practitioners' extra efforts might improve the effectiveness of routine-treatment or clients' in one group could become more motivated to improve because of the awareness that they are not receiving the same treatments benefits as another group.

measurement bias

Credibility of study conclusion can be compromised if measures are biased

cohort study

Different samples from a population whose members do not change

trend study

Different samples from a population whose members may change

history

Events that occur between pre-test and post-test that were not a part of the researcher's design and could influence the results

systematic sampling

Every nth item in the target population is selected

non-reponse bias

If a substantial proportion of randomly selected people choose not to participate in the study, the ultimate sample is not really random and might not be representative of the population. EXAMPLE: Email invites might have disappeared into the Spam folder, or the code used in the email may not have rendered properly on certain devices (like cell phones). Certain groups were more inclined to answer.

face validity

Measures whether a test looks like it tests what it is supposed to test.

test-retest

Participants' being familiar with the test

Give the formula for the Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design

R O1 X O2R O1 O2 Where: R= Group O1 = Observation 1X = Intervention O2 = Observation 2

R before V never V before R

R before V never V before R

multistage cluster sampling

Sampling in which elements are selected in two or more stages, with the first stage being the random selection of naturally occurring clusters and the last stage being the random selection of multilevel elements within clusters.

diffusion or imitation of treatments

Service providers or service recipients are influenced unexpectedly in ways that tend to diminish the planned differences in the way a tested intervention is implemented among the groups being compared ("cross contamination")

Maturation

Subjects changing over time

Parameter

The summary description of a variable in a population

stratified sampling

This sample is selected by dividing the population into subgroups and then taking a fixed number of units from each group using the simple random sample

instrumentation changes

Using different measure of the dependent variable at pretest and posttest

Purposive or Judgmental Sampling

When a researcher uses his or her own judgment in selecting sample members (e.g., handpick community leaders or experts known for their expertise on target population)

ambiguity

X causes Y? or Y causes X?

statistic

a sample of the population

maximum variation sampling

a sampling method that selects study participants that represent a wide range of characteristics that are present in the population and are of interest to the research

Homogenous sampling

a type of purposive sampling technique in which participants are chosen based on a trait or characteristic of interest to the researcher (opposite of maximum variation sampling)

deviant case sampling

a type of purposive sampling that focuses on unusual or very specific cases

A hospital wants to survey religious participants in their city about what they seek from a hospital chaplain, so they randomly select 555 religious meetings in the city and survey every participant in those meetings.

cluster random sample

Measurement reliability refers to the:

consistency of the scores.

ratio

differences between measurements

parallel forms reliability

different people, tested at the same time with different test

internal consistency reliability

different questions, same construct

A measure has high internal consistency reliability when:

each of the items correlates with other items on the measure.

internal validity

extent to which we can draw cause-and-effect inferences from a study

external validity

extent to which we can generalize findings to real-world settings

The extent to which we can generalize the results of a study to other participants is called:

external validity

construct validity

if a measure relates to other variables within a system of theoretical relationships ex) You want to measure "marital satisfaction" and upon gathering data you also develop certain theoretical expectations of behavior in relation to marital satisfaction. → If there is low marital satisfaction then there is a higher chance for family violence.

When you are confident that the experimental manipulation produced the changes you measured in the dependent variable, your study probably has good ________ validity.

internal

The three common types of validity in psychological research are _____

internal, external, and construct

A professor asks the first 555 students who arrive to class to participate in a research study about young adult sleep patterns.

none

attrition

participants drop out of an experiment before it is completed

resentful demoralization

participants in control group become less productive and less motivated

statistical regression/ regression to the mean

participants initially had extreme scores but became more moderate

theoretical sampling

process used in data collection that is controlled by the emerging theory; researcher collects, codes, and analyzes the data

Ordinal

rank, order

snowball sampling

recruitment of participants based on word of mouth or referrals from other participants

Each law firm in one state registers its phone number with the state court system. An employee of the state court system uses a computer to select 500500500 random registered phone numbers, and the law firms associated with those numbers will be selected for an audit.

simple random sample

A large company surveys 100 employees by taking random samples of 10 managers and 90 non-managerial employees. What type of sample is this?

stratified random sample

compensatory equalization

subject demands treatment received by the other group

A large bakery mass produces cakes on an assembly line. Each shift, a quality control expert randomly selects one of the first ten finished cakes, and every tenth cake thereafter. Employees weigh those cakes and give the cakes a detailed visual check. What type of sample is this?

systematic random sample

known groups validity

testing whether an instrument accurately differentiates between groups that differ in respect to the variable being measured. p) 148 ex) the validity of an instrument designed to measure depression might be tested by seeing if it accurately differentiates between people who are in treatment for depression and those who are not treated

panel study

the same people are surveyed at two or more points in time

Reliability refers to whether we are truly measuring the concept of interest in our study.

true

Scientists always try to maximize reliability and validity in their research.

true

Intensity Sampling

unusual cases selected, but ones that are not so extremely unusual as to depart from what is normal, usual, or expected, that could supply misleading information

content validity

used to assess content and a complete range of knowledge; collecting data from subject matter experts ex) LCSW Exam - An exam that test whether or not individuals have enough knowledge to acquire a license to practice clinical social work Both the administrator of the test and test-taker must agree that everything on the measure includes test items that measure what it's intended. Cannot include subjects that have nothing to do with it

test-retest reliability

using the same test on two separate occasions to measure consistency

A TV show host asks his viewers to visit his website and respond to an online poll. What type of sample is this?

voluntary response sample

research reactivity

when a participant responds simply because of the researcher's attention