PSYCH/SOC RESEARCH METHODS

Control variables: used to increase confidence in results

Observational study: correlations not cause and effect
Confederates: researchers pretending to be participants
Operationalization: measuring a difficult to measure variable example pain scale
Randomization: decreases effect of confounding variables
Quasi-experimental study: non-random assignment of participants to control and exp. Groups
Placebo effect: seems beneficial even though no effect causing
Double-blind study: Neither researchers nor participants know their group
Single blind study: one of damn knows their group, can influence result
Positive control: will produce results, make sure measurement is good
Negative control: does not produce results, identifies procedural error or confounding variables
Counterbalancing: remove the effect of order of stimuli
Exposure: not controlled or introduced by researchers
Outcome: measured in observation and study
Retrospective study: looks back in time, how past influence is present
Prospective study: looks forward in time for results in future
Cohort study: some shared characteristic
Case control study: one group with exposure and the other without
Case study: long term study of a person/group
Longitudinal study: overtime, same group
Cross-sectional study: same time, different group
Qualitative methods: describes instead of quantifying ex: surveys, direct observation, interviews, ethnographic research
Ethnographic research: observation through daily life
Pearson 's correlation coefficient NOT causation: 1=strong correlation, 0 = none, -1 = weak
P-value < 0.05 = significant
Validity: how true is the value or relationship
Internal validity: how well the study is conducted (confounding or bias can alter it )
External validity: how applicable to real world
Reliability: replication, how consistent the results are when repeated
Reproductivity: other research set same results?
Biases: selection bias (skewed), sampling bias, social desirability bias (response bias)
Attrition bias: selection bias, occurs when participants choose not to continue an ongoing study
Implicit bias: unconsciously affect behavior
Experimenter bias: unintentionally affect results
Hawthorne effect/ observer bias: behavior changes when someone is watching