Chapter 2: Research Methods

Independent & Dependent Variables

100

This is manipulated by the researchers

independent variable

200

This is measured by the researchers

dependent variable

300

This is how you will measure a variable.

operational definition

400

A teacher wonders how the amount of sleep her students get the night before a test affects their overall score. This is the independent variable.

amount of sleep

500

James wants to observe how a cat's response to water is affected by the temperature of it.  This is the dependent variable.

the cat's response

Correlation

100

Correlation is plotted on this

scatterplot

200

Correlation does NOT equal this

causation

300

If something is negatively correlated, the ___ of 1 variable predicts the ___ of the other 

presence, absence

400

If the number of a correlation shows the strength of it, this shows the direction.

the + or - sign

500

If r = -.2, the correlation is considered __.

weak

Biases & Confounding Variables

100

Controlling this will help eliminate or limit confounding variables.

environment

200

This is to not allow the researcher or the participants to know which group is the control group and which group is receiving the independent variable.

double-blind study

300

This is the type of participant bias where the participants give answers that reflect well upon themselves.

social desirability

400

This is the process of using participants as their own control group.

counterbalancing

500

This type of experiment is not a true experiment because the researcher cannot truly control the variables due to the participants being able to choose their own group.

Quasi-experiment

Methods to Test Hypotheses

100

This is the only method that proves causation.

experiments

200

This type of experiment is realistic because it is conducted in the world.

field experiment

300

Case study, survey, and naturalistic observation are all 3 this type of method.

descriptive methods

400

In a survey, this amount of variables are manipulated.

0

500

This method provides information of participants in their natural habitat, a realistic picture of behavior, and lots of data.

naturalistic observation

Sampling & Assignment

100

This is the entire group you are interested in studying.

population

200

This is the portion of the population that you actually do study.

sample

300

What is the form of sampling where you pick according to categories to ensure the sample looks like the population.

stratified sampling

400

This is the goal of random assignment.

to achieve equivalent groups

500

This is why psychology is "WEIRD"

western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic