Experimental Methods of Research
expain what standardization is and its effect on validity and reliability
-consistency in the way the experiment or study is conducted
-validity-High: Minimizes situational confounding variables, ensuring observed effects are due to the IV.
-reliability-High: Procedures are consistently followed and documented, making the study highly repeatable.
What are self-report methods of psychology and examples
The participants tell the researchers how they are feeling or what they think. Questionnaires and interviews are examples of this.
What are extraneous and confounding variables? Give an example of each
extraneous: external factors not being studied that could potentially influence the outcome of a research study, specifically the dependent variable
confounding: an "outside" variable that affects both the independent and dependent variables in a study, making it appear as though there is a direct relationship between the two when there isn't, or obscuring a true relationship
Naturalistic Observation strength and weakness
High ecological validity (behavior is genuine and in a natural setting).
Lack of control over variables; potential for observer bias and reactivity (if subjects know they're watched).
Name 5 ethical considerations concerning people in psych studies
right to withdraw, informed consent
confidentiality, privacy,
debriefing, minimize harm
What are the strengths and limitations of the experimental methods?
High control over extraneous variables, allowing for precise manipulation of the Independent Variable (IV).
Artificial environment (low ecological validity), high risk of demand characteristics (participants guessing the aim).
What is the difference between an experiment and a correlational study?
experiments manipulate one or more variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships, while correlational studies observe and measure naturally occurring variables to find associations but cannot prove causation
What are open and closed questions? What are strengths and weaknesses of both?
Open: can have any response- strength in depth info but weakness is they are hard to quantify
Closed: you must choose from options on how to answer- strength quantifiable but they can force answers that may not fit what the person really thinks
What is the effect of naturalistic observations on validity
Low (Cannot establish causation; many confounding variables)
What are 2 types of experimental design? Explain what they mean.
Repeated measures: same people used in different conditions
Independent measures: different people used in different conditions
Matched pairs: different people used in different conditions but are similar to the people in the other condition
evaluate the effects of correlational studies on validity, reliability and generalizability
validity- Low (Only measures the strength of a relationship, not causation)
reliability- Moderate to High (Depends on the reliability of the underlying measurement tools)
generalizability- High (Often conducted using large, representative datasets)
I dentify 4 reasons why is replication important
Strengthens Findings
Identifies Potential Problems
Improves Understanding of Human Behavior
Ensures Reliability
What are covert and overt observations?
covert observations the participants do not know they are being watched so they act more naturally.
Overt participants know they are being watched.
say their purpose (explain why/when you would use them-like what kind of data goes on each OR what does the data show us): bar graph, line graph, and scattergram
bar- show comparisions between data or groups
line-A line graph connects a series of data points with lines to show how data changes over time, helping to identify trends, patterns, and continuous data. Its primary purpose is to visualize sequential information
scatter plot- A scatter plot is a graph that displays data points to show the relationship between two variables, with each point representing an individual observation. Its main purpose is to visualize potential correlations, helping to identify patterns
Researchers are investigating memory in noisy and quiet settings concerning the learning of new information. What is the independent and dependent variables? Would this study have good ecological validity and why?
Independent: noise level Dependent: memory
liekly poor ecological validity because they would have to intriduce noice into a setting. People would likely not normally have noice when they are learning new info.
evaluate te effect of self reports on validity, reliability, and generalizability
validity- Low (Measures only association; relies on honesty and introspection
reliability-Moderate to High (If questions are clear, unambiguous, and standardized
generalizability- High (If a large, representative sample is used)
What is observer bias and how can it be eliminated?
The observer has expectations and therefore looks for behaviours they are interested in. To correct this the observer could be unaware of the studies aims or have a structured checklist for behavior
What is the effect of a naturalistic observation on generalizability
Moderate to High (If the context is representative of real-life settings)
What is standard deviation and what does it show when it is high or low
it measures how far the raw scores are from the mean
- A low standard deviation means the data points are clustered tightly around the average, indicating consistency, while a high standard deviation means the data points are more widely spread out
evaluate quantitative data's effects on validity, reliability, abd generalizability
validity-High: Results are precisely measured, making it easier to establish a clear cause-and-effect relationship.
reliability- High: Numerical findings are easy to replicate and verify under the same conditions.
generalization- High: Can use large, representative, and randomized samples to apply findings to a broader population.
evaluate a sase study in terms of strength and weakness and its effect on generalizability
Provides rich, in-depth data on rare or complex phenomena; can inspire new hypotheses.
Findings are specific to a single individual, group, or event; high potential for researcher bias.
Very Low (Findings are highly contextual and individual-specific)
explain internal, external, and construct validity- why is validity important?
Internal Validity: The extent to which a study accurately establishes a cause-and-effect relationship between variables, free from confounding factors.
Construct Validity: The extent to which the research instrument or test actually measures the intended theoretical construct, not something else.
Effect - The study's results may be limited to the conditions of the experiment, making them irrelevant to real-world situations.
OR If external factors influence the outcome, the study's findings may be unreliable, and the true cause of the effect cannot be determined.
What is inter rater reliability and give 2 reasons why it is important
--a measure of how consistently different raters agree when assessing, scoring, or rating the same thing
Valid results: When multiple raters consistently produce similar results, it increases the confidence that the findings are a true reflection of the phenomenon being studied.
What does a positive and negative correlation mean (define) and do each of them look like when graphed?
pos- both things go up or down together (the colder it is, the more clothes we wear) line goes up as it goes right
neg- one goes up and the other goes down (the colder it gets, the lower ice cream sales are) line goes down as it goes right