What is the order of the 6 steps of the scientific method?
- Observe a problem
- Gather information
- Create a hypothesis
- Design and test an experiment
- Analyze the data
- Repeat
What is a descriptive method of study? What 4 types of study are included in this?
A descriptive method of study is a method of study designed to record, capture, DESCRIBE a group. The 4 types are:
-Surveys
-naturalistic observation
-case studies
-participant observation
What are the disadvantages of naturalistic observation? (3)
There is no control over the environment, so there may be a confounding variable. Researchers bias and influence may misinterpret the information. Sometimes the only way to gain access to a group and observe is to participate in the group which may change data.
What are the advantages of naturalistic observation?(3)
- Sometimes it is the only way to gather data
- Other data that may be relevant may be observed
- It is real with minimal interference with the subjects(Hawthorne effect).
What are the advantages of a case study? (4)
- They allow us to document rare cases that would otherwise be forgotten.
- They are a good first step to complex or unknown ideas.
- They are very in-depth.
- They allow us to catch a glimpse of human nature?
What are the disadvantages of a case study? (2)
- There may be observation bias.
- Generalizations cannot be made to more people. It is very specific.
What are the advantages of a survey? (4)
- It is very cheap to do.2
- It is very easy to administer.
- It includes a lot of people that usually would not be able to participate in research.
- Sometimes it can be the only way to get answers.
What are the disadvantages of the survey method? (2)
- People may lie on a survey.
- The wording of a question can influence the results.
What are the 3 questions of correlational research?
- Do these variables covary?
- In what direction do they covary?
- How strong is the correlation between the two variables?
What are the 4 advantages of correlational research?
- It is a good step before the introduction of an experiment.
- Sometimes it is the only option for research.
- We can make predictions for future actions.
- It allows to take precautions.
What is participant observation research?
It is when a researcher poses as part of the group under investigation.
What are the four types of response bias associated with surveys? Describe them
-acquiescence bias - people tend to agree more with what is said than disagree
-social desirability bias - participants tend to answer in ways that are more socially acceptable
-volunteer bias - if researchers do not use random sampling and ask for volunteers, the volunteers may not represent the population due to some correlation
-illusory superiority - participants tend to see themselves as above average
What is the advantage of experimental research?
It allows us to describe, observe, and make conclusions about cause and effect relationships.
What variable is going to be manipulated in an experiment?
The independent variable
What is a control group?
A group in the experiment that is not exposed to the change in independent variable that can be measured against another group.
How do we control for an unknown independent variable?
Random assignment is used to take a COMPLETELY RANDOM (even chance, random choice) selection to make different groups.
What are the maximum and minimum R values for correlation?
1 and -1
What are the 5 characteristics of a good hypothesis?
It is testable, consistent with prior observations, simple, falsifiable, and specific.
What are the 3 types of population samples in experiments? Explain them
A simple random sample is when every individual in the population has an equal change of being chosen. A stratified random sample takes proportionate amounts of random samples from sub groups of the main group. A non-random sample follows the idea that not everybody is equally likely to participate.
What is the difference between descriptive statistics and inferential statistics?
Descriptive statistics are used to explain and describe the data such as mean median and mode, and inferential statistics are calculations made that infer causational values.
Why is mean value sometimes inaccurate?
Outliers have large affects on the final mean values.
How is the variance of a data set calculated?
It is the average of the squared differences between the mean and the values.
How is the standard deviation calculated?
It is the square root of the variance of a data set.
