PSYC 241 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: External Validity, Dependent And Independent Variables, Internal Validity
23 Jan 2013
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Document Summary
Hypothesis- a testable prediction about the conditions under which an event will occur. Theory- an organized set of principles used to explain observed phenomena. Basic research- research whose goal is to increase the understanding of human behaviour, often by testing hypothesis based of a theory. Applied research- research whose goals are to enlarge the understanding of naturally occurring events and to find solutions to practical problems. Operational definition- the specific procedures for manipulating or measuring a conceptual variable. Construct validity- the extent to which the measures used in a study measure the variables they were designed to measure and the manipulations in an experiment manipulate the variables they were designed to manipulate. Social psychologists use self-reports and observations to measure variables. Bogus pipeline technique- a procedure is which research participants are (falsely) led to believe that their responses will be verified by an infallible lie-detector: participants therefore report facts about themselves more accurately.
