Experimental Psychology Chapter 1

Experimental Psychology and Scientific Method

• Systematic estimation of observable events, such as quantity, size, or quality is fundamental to psychological measurement.
• Methodological gaps occur when research methods fail to adequately explore specific questions.
• Three essential tools in psychological science are observation, measurement, and experimentation.
• Basic research aims to test theories and explain psychological phenomena in humans and animals.
• Applied research focuses on solving real-world problems.
• Parsimony, also known as Occam's razor, favors the simplest explanation until proven otherwise.

Key Concepts in Research

• Antecedent conditions are circumstances existing before an event or behavior occurs.
• A cause-and-effect relationship links a specific behavior to antecedents, suggesting that the latter causes the former.
• Commonsense psychology refers to the everyday, non-scientific collection of psychological data to guide behavior.
• A case study document individual experiences and behaviors, useful for in-depth understanding.

Ethical Considerations in Research

• Informed consent ensures participants agree to research after understanding the study's nature and purpose.
• Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) safeguard participant rights and welfare.
• Minimal Risk indicates that research poses no greater risk of harm than encountered in daily life.
• Debriefing involves explaining the study's purpose and nature post-experiment.

Methodological Approaches

• Field studies are non-experimental, utilizing methods like naturalistic observation in real-life settings.
• Participant-observer studies involve researchers taking part in the group being studied.
• Qualitative research emphasizes words over numbers, focusing on self-reports and personal narratives.
• Naturalistic observation means observing behaviors as they occur in their natural environment.

Correlational and Quasi-Experimental Designs

• Correlation measures the degree of relationship between two variables, with coefficients such as r (correlation) or r² (coefficient of determination).
• Negative correlation indicates that an increase in one variable leads to a decrease in another.
• A quasi-experimental design resembles experiments but lacks random assignment or manipulation of antecedents.
• Longitudinal designs follow the same group over time to observe changes, while cross-sectional designs assess different groups at a single time point.

Sampling and Data Collection

• Sampling involves selecting subjects, with techniques like cluster sampling (sampling whole groups).
• Surveys often employ various tools like questionnaires and interviews.
• Response styles and biases affect how subjects answer questions, leading to potential distortions in data.

Visualizing Data

• Scatter plots visually represent data in a correlational study, with the x-axis for one variable and the y-axis for another.
• Regression analysis estimates relationships between variables, producing a regression line that best fits the data.

This quiz explores fundamental concepts of experimental psychology and the scientific method. It covers essential tools in psychological research such as observation, measurement, and experimentation, as well as the distinctions between basic and applied research. Test your understanding of key concepts including antecedent conditions and cause-and-effect relationships.