Research Methods
PSY 225 Research Methods
Spring 2013
Review Sheet Exam 1
CHAPTER 1
Why is the methods course believed to provide a “foundation” for other psychology courses? Hint: process vs. content.
A methods course teaches a process (of doing research) that applies to other content courses.
How do research psychologists use the terms determinism and objectivity?
+Determinism= the idea that events, including psychological ones, have causes statistical determinism= events can be predicted, but only with a probability>chance.
+ Objectivity= eliminating such human factors as expectations & bias
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
Theory
Hypothesis
+Well-established principle that has been developed to explain some aspects of the natural world
+Predicts events in general terms
+Has been extensively tested & is generally accepted
+Specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study
+ Makes a specific prediction about a specified set of circumstances
+ A speculative guess that has yet to be tested
+can be deduced from a theory
What are the four main goals of scientific psychology?
+Description= identify regularly occurring sequences of events (stimuli, environmental events, responses, behavioral events), classification
+Prediction= study correlations/association among psychological phenomena make predictions with some degree of confidence
+Explanation= study the causes of psychological phenomena
+Applied= apply principles of behavior learned through research to change human behavior for the better (in a particular setting)
CHAPTER 2
What determines whether and IRB will undertake an expedited or a full formal review? The degree of risk to be encountered by participants
How does an IRB decide between studies involving “minimal risk” versus higher levels of risk?
Expedited Review
Full Review
Minimal risk (subjects facing situations like those encountered in daily living that might involve
Spring 2013
Review Sheet Exam 1
CHAPTER 1
Why is the methods course believed to provide a “foundation” for other psychology courses? Hint: process vs. content.
A methods course teaches a process (of doing research) that applies to other content courses.
How do research psychologists use the terms determinism and objectivity?
+Determinism= the idea that events, including psychological ones, have causes statistical determinism= events can be predicted, but only with a probability>chance.
+ Objectivity= eliminating such human factors as expectations & bias
What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?
Theory
Hypothesis
+Well-established principle that has been developed to explain some aspects of the natural world
+Predicts events in general terms
+Has been extensively tested & is generally accepted
+Specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in your study
+ Makes a specific prediction about a specified set of circumstances
+ A speculative guess that has yet to be tested
+can be deduced from a theory
What are the four main goals of scientific psychology?
+Description= identify regularly occurring sequences of events (stimuli, environmental events, responses, behavioral events), classification
+Prediction= study correlations/association among psychological phenomena make predictions with some degree of confidence
+Explanation= study the causes of psychological phenomena
+Applied= apply principles of behavior learned through research to change human behavior for the better (in a particular setting)
CHAPTER 2
What determines whether and IRB will undertake an expedited or a full formal review? The degree of risk to be encountered by participants
How does an IRB decide between studies involving “minimal risk” versus higher levels of risk?
Expedited Review
Full Review
Minimal risk (subjects facing situations like those encountered in daily living that might involve