Sociocultural Key Terms and Concepts

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Confederate

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An actor who participates in a psychological experiment pretending to be a subject but in actuality working for the researcher.

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Content analysis

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A method used to analyze qualitative data in which the research looks for 'themes' or trends that emerge from the data.

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Covert observation

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A type of participant observation in which the identity of the researcher, the nature of the research project, and the fact that participants are being observed are concealed from those who are being studied.

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Cross-sectional design

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Comparing two or more groups on a particular variable at a specific time. The opposite is a longitudinal design where the researcher measures a change in an individual over time.

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Longitudinal study

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Research over a period of time using observations, interviews, or psychometric testing. Similar to a repeated measures design in an experiment.

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Meta-analysis

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Pooling data from multiple studies of the same research question to arrive at one combined answer.

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Method triangulation

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Using more than one method to gather data, such as interviews, observations, and questionnaires.

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Participant observation

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When a researcher joins a group in order to better observe and understand their behavior.

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Prospective research

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A study that attempts to find a correlation between two variables by collecting data early in the life of participants and then continuing to test them over a period of time to measure change and development.

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Retrospective research

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A study of an individual after an important change or development, requiring the research to 'reconstruct' the life of the individual prior to the event.