Unit 2 Vocabulary - Research Methods

Fill in the blank: A ________ is a statement of the result that the researcher expects. A reasoned prediction. A guess based on some evidence. A suggested explanation for observed phenomena; a theory, a comprehensive and effective explanation, which is well supported by experimentation and observation, of a set of phenomena.

• hypothesis

• variable

• observation

• experiment

Fill in the blank: ________ is the scientific study of the mind; from the Greek, psyche which means “soul” and “-ology” which means logical scientific study. The science that studies behavior and the physiological and cognitive processes that underlie behavior. It is also the profession that applies the accumulated knowledge of this science to practical problems. It is much more than the study of the brain.

• psychology

• biology

• sociology

• neurology

Fill in the blank: ________ are people or animals on whom a study is conducted.

• subjects, participants

• researchers

• observers

• analysts

• sponsors

Fill in the blank: A ________ is a group that represents a larger group in a study.

• research sample

• control variable

• independent variable

• case study

Fill in the blank: The ________ is the larger group that the sample is supposed to represent.

• research population

• control group

• statistical mean

• sample size

Fill in the blank: ________ is the extent to which one can generalize the research results from a sample to the behavior and thoughts of the larger population.

• representativeness

• reliability

• validity

• bias

Fill in the blank: ________ are factors that change (ie, vary) in an experiment or other research study.

• variables

• constants

• controls

• outcomes

Fill in the blank: The ________ is that factor that the experimenter manipulates or changes in a study.

• independent variable

• dependent variable

• control group

• constant

Fill in the blank: The ________ is the factor in a study that changes or varies as a result of changes in the independent variable; the factor that the researcher measures.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control group

• constant

Fill in the blank: ________ are other factors besides the independent variable that may have influenced the research outcome and dependent variable.

• confounding variable

• dependent variable

• control group

• placebo effect