Psych=Science
What is the most important characteristic of scientific research? (starts with a D)
Data driven
What is a variable?
Event, situation, thought, or behavior that can change/be measured
What are the four goals of psychology?
Description, prediction, causality, and explanation
What is the difference between an IV and DV?
An IV influences the DV + is manipulated by the researcher. A DV is what we are measuring/is the outcome
What are the three rules for determining causality?
1. Temporal precedence 2. Covariation of cause and effect 3. Alternative explanations
Give one example of a participant variable...
A sample of CSULA students tends to be hispanic, female, and in their mid twenties. This is different from participants at the construction site...
Give one example of basic research? Applied?
...
What is construct validity?
Do our measures actually tap into what we want them to (e.g., anxiety). This is based on the operationalization of measures.
What did Professor Donaldson say was the hallmark of psychology? (It blew his mind when he learned it)
That we attempt to make invisible things (e.g., the mind) concrete through measurement, such as stats and research methods.
What is the difference between experimental and non-experimental methods?
Non-experimental methods examine relationships and do not manipulate, whereas experimental methods do manipulate and are interested in group differences.