PSYC 110 - Research Methods(Completely solved)
Theory correct answers Explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes
observations and predicts behaviors or events; simplifies by organizing isolated facts; offers a
useful summary by linking facts with deeper principles
Hypothesis correct answers testable prediction; often implied by theory; directs research by
enabling us to test and reject or revise theories; specifies the results that would support a theory
and the results that would disconfirm it
Operational definitions correct answers carefully worded statement of the procedures used to
define research variables; specifies the procedure used to manipulate the IV or to measure the
DV in an experiment; with regards to the variables used, answers the 'what do you mean?'
question with a level of precision that enables others to repeat the study
Descriptive research correct answers describe behaviours, often through case studies, surveys, or
naturalistic observations, but doesn't measure how closely associated they are or perform
manipulations
Case studies correct answers Observation technique in which 1 person is studied in depth in hope
of revealing universal principles; analysis of a special individual; method you'd use to study the
impairments that an individual with a particular type of brain damage would show; method that
Jean Piaget used when he drew conclusions about children's thinking after carefully observing
and questioning only a few children; method that may mislead us if the single individual being
studied is atypical and unrepresentative of the larger population we wish to draw conclusions
about
Naturalistic observations correct answers watching and recording the natural behaviour of many
individuals; observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to
manipulate and control the situation; records behaviour in natural environments
Survey correct answers asking people questions; technique for obtaining the self-reported
attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random
sample of the group; the way questions are worded is an especially delicate matter, in terms of
how it might affect people's expressed opinions
Random Sample correct answers a sample that fairly represents a population because each
member has an equal chance of inclusion; typically sought in order to obtain a representative
sample of a population; situation where every person in a given population has an equal chance
of participating in a study
Population correct answers all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn
Correlational research correct answers A measure of the extent to which two factors vary
together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. DOES NOT PROVE
CAUSATION; indicates possibility of a cause-effect relationship; research design that associates
different factors but doesn't manipulate them
Theory correct answers Explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes
observations and predicts behaviors or events; simplifies by organizing isolated facts; offers a
useful summary by linking facts with deeper principles
Hypothesis correct answers testable prediction; often implied by theory; directs research by
enabling us to test and reject or revise theories; specifies the results that would support a theory
and the results that would disconfirm it
Operational definitions correct answers carefully worded statement of the procedures used to
define research variables; specifies the procedure used to manipulate the IV or to measure the
DV in an experiment; with regards to the variables used, answers the 'what do you mean?'
question with a level of precision that enables others to repeat the study
Descriptive research correct answers describe behaviours, often through case studies, surveys, or
naturalistic observations, but doesn't measure how closely associated they are or perform
manipulations
Case studies correct answers Observation technique in which 1 person is studied in depth in hope
of revealing universal principles; analysis of a special individual; method you'd use to study the
impairments that an individual with a particular type of brain damage would show; method that
Jean Piaget used when he drew conclusions about children's thinking after carefully observing
and questioning only a few children; method that may mislead us if the single individual being
studied is atypical and unrepresentative of the larger population we wish to draw conclusions
about
Naturalistic observations correct answers watching and recording the natural behaviour of many
individuals; observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to
manipulate and control the situation; records behaviour in natural environments
Survey correct answers asking people questions; technique for obtaining the self-reported
attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random
sample of the group; the way questions are worded is an especially delicate matter, in terms of
how it might affect people's expressed opinions
Random Sample correct answers a sample that fairly represents a population because each
member has an equal chance of inclusion; typically sought in order to obtain a representative
sample of a population; situation where every person in a given population has an equal chance
of participating in a study
Population correct answers all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn
Correlational research correct answers A measure of the extent to which two factors vary
together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. DOES NOT PROVE
CAUSATION; indicates possibility of a cause-effect relationship; research design that associates
different factors but doesn't manipulate them
