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Questions and Answers
What are constructs in psychological research?
What are constructs in psychological research?
- Abstract, conceptual variables that cannot be directly observed (correct)
- Quantitative measures of psychological traits
- Observable behaviors measured directly
- Simple variables that can be manipulated easily
Which of the following is an example of an operational definition of 'trust'?
Which of the following is an example of an operational definition of 'trust'?
- A survey measuring feelings of security
- Self-reported confidence levels
- The ability to confide in others
- The willingness to be vulnerable to the actions of another party (correct)
What type of claim describes the rate or level of a variable of interest?
What type of claim describes the rate or level of a variable of interest?
- Causal claim
- Frequency claim (correct)
- Association claim
- Qualitative claim
What is a defining characteristic of an association claim?
What is a defining characteristic of an association claim?
How can motivation be operationalized in research?
How can motivation be operationalized in research?
What is the difference between measured and manipulated variables?
What is the difference between measured and manipulated variables?
Which of the following best describes a frequency claim?
Which of the following best describes a frequency claim?
In the context of operational definitions, what does 'reverse-coded' mean?
In the context of operational definitions, what does 'reverse-coded' mean?
What is an example of a causal claim?
What is an example of a causal claim?
What type of claim is made when stating that happy people spend more time with others?
What type of claim is made when stating that happy people spend more time with others?
What was the primary observation of Monkey A in the study?
What was the primary observation of Monkey A in the study?
Which type of study is most likely to support the claim that doing random acts of kindness can make you happy?
Which type of study is most likely to support the claim that doing random acts of kindness can make you happy?
What is the main variable in the claim that exercise is correlated with improved well-being?
What is the main variable in the claim that exercise is correlated with improved well-being?
Which theory suggests the importance of comparison to others in feelings of dissatisfaction?
Which theory suggests the importance of comparison to others in feelings of dissatisfaction?
What is a characteristic of a good theory in research?
What is a characteristic of a good theory in research?
Which claim is being made by asserting that happy people tend to savor the present moment?
Which claim is being made by asserting that happy people tend to savor the present moment?
How might one best operationalize the variable 'doing random acts of kindness' in a study?
How might one best operationalize the variable 'doing random acts of kindness' in a study?
What potential result would one expect from an experiment testing the impact of deep breathing on well-being?
What potential result would one expect from an experiment testing the impact of deep breathing on well-being?
What type of claim is inherent in the phrase 'exercise and moving your body is really correlated with improved well-being'?
What type of claim is inherent in the phrase 'exercise and moving your body is really correlated with improved well-being'?
What aspect of the study's design supports the theory behind the grape and cucumber exchange?
What aspect of the study's design supports the theory behind the grape and cucumber exchange?
How does applied research differ from basic research?
How does applied research differ from basic research?
What research question did Chang et al., 2019 aim to explore?
What research question did Chang et al., 2019 aim to explore?
What does 'falsifiable' mean in the context of theories?
What does 'falsifiable' mean in the context of theories?
What type of participants might be best suited for a study on the effects of deep breathing on well-being?
What type of participants might be best suited for a study on the effects of deep breathing on well-being?
What is the role of basic research in scientific advancement?
What is the role of basic research in scientific advancement?
What percentage of teenagers had access to a smartphone in 2018 according to a Pew survey?
What percentage of teenagers had access to a smartphone in 2018 according to a Pew survey?
What alarming trend was reported in the 2017 study published in Clinical Psychological Science?
What alarming trend was reported in the 2017 study published in Clinical Psychological Science?
According to the findings, what type of activities decreased the likelihood of adolescents experiencing mental health issues?
According to the findings, what type of activities decreased the likelihood of adolescents experiencing mental health issues?
What did Orben and Przybylski's research find regarding digital technology use and adolescent well-being?
What did Orben and Przybylski's research find regarding digital technology use and adolescent well-being?
What was one of the fears stoked by some researchers regarding smartphone usage among adolescents?
What was one of the fears stoked by some researchers regarding smartphone usage among adolescents?
Which outcome was NOT linked to engagement with screens in the 2017 study?
Which outcome was NOT linked to engagement with screens in the 2017 study?
What is a key characteristic of the method used by Orben and Przybylski in their research?
What is a key characteristic of the method used by Orben and Przybylski in their research?
What aspect of life was found to significantly affect mental health positively?
What aspect of life was found to significantly affect mental health positively?
What percentage of participants assigned to the difficult task reported smelling coffee in the room?
What percentage of participants assigned to the difficult task reported smelling coffee in the room?
Which group was more likely to report noticing the scent of coffee?
Which group was more likely to report noticing the scent of coffee?
What type of claim is made by stating 'happy people spend more time with other people in general'?
What type of claim is made by stating 'happy people spend more time with other people in general'?
What type of study would likely be conducted to support the claim that 'doing random acts of kindness can make you happy'?
What type of study would likely be conducted to support the claim that 'doing random acts of kindness can make you happy'?
What was the primary focus of the follow-up questions asked to the students in the experiment?
What was the primary focus of the follow-up questions asked to the students in the experiment?
What percentage of participants assigned to the easy task reported noticing the coffee smell?
What percentage of participants assigned to the easy task reported noticing the coffee smell?
According to Dr. Santos, what is one suggested way to improve wellbeing during a pandemic?
According to Dr. Santos, what is one suggested way to improve wellbeing during a pandemic?
Which statement best describes the relationship between social interaction and happiness as per Dr. Santos' claim?
Which statement best describes the relationship between social interaction and happiness as per Dr. Santos' claim?
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Study Notes
Constructs in Research
- Constructs are abstract concepts that cannot be directly observed, e.g., trust and motivation.
- Operational definitions translate constructs into measurable variables through specific operations or procedures.
Examples of Constructs
- Trust: Defined as "the willingness to be vulnerable to another party," can be measured through multi-item scales.
- Motivation: Defined as "persistent effort directed toward a goal," measured by the time participants spend on tasks.
- Meaningfulness: Defined as "seeing the fruits of your labors," operationalized by assembling and deciding to destroy items (e.g., Bionicles).
Research Claims in Psychological Science
- Frequency Claim: Describes the rate or level of a variable, focusing on a single variable.
- Association Claim: Suggests a relationship between two variables, indicating correlation.
- Causal Claim: Proposes that a change in one variable causes a change in another.
Characteristics of Claims
- Frequency claims always involve one variable, while association claims include at least two variables.
- Association claims reflect correlations, e.g., the proximity between height and weight.
Good Theories
- Supported by data, demonstrating consistent results across varied designs and samples.
- Must be falsifiable; can lead to hypotheses that could fail empirical validation.
- Should be parsimonious, explaining phenomena with minimal assumptions.
Research Types
- Basic Research: Aims to enhance general knowledge, not focused on solving practical issues.
- Applied Research: Address specific real-world problems and applies findings to solutions.
Example Study
- A study on whether diversity training impacts bias against women and minorities involved randomly assigning employees to different training conditions and measuring resultant attitudes and behaviors.
Screen Time and Adolescent Well-Being
- The prevalence of smartphone access among teenagers has risen dramatically, correlating with reports of mental health issues.
- Early studies suggested a direct negative impact of screen time on well-being, while recent analyses show a tenuous relationship.
Exercises for Understanding
- Determine types of claims (frequency, association, causal) based on summarized findings about happiness and social interactions.
- Analyze examples of constructs and their operational definitions to grasp measurement techniques.
Experimental Design Considerations
- To test hypotheses about well-being, design experiments with clear operationalization of compassion actions versus their effects.
- Consider recruiting diverse participants to ensure broader applicability of findings in well-being studies.
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