SOCPSY 1Z03 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Internal Validity, Dependent And Independent Variables
31 Jan 2020
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Document Summary
Methodology: set of systematic procedures that guide the collection and analysis of data. Theory: set of interrelated hypothesis that explains some observable behaviors or events. Objectives of research: describe reality in accurate terms. Surveys, field observation, experiments, archival studies are all used: ex. Researchers conduct polls during election years to learn how americans feel about political candidates. Their goal is to describe public sentiment: ascertain whether a correlation exists between two or more behaviors or attributes, two variables can be correlated without one causing the other. Correlation alone is not sufficient evidence for causation: discover causes of some behavior or event, differences or changes in one variable produce differences or changes in the other, test existing theories and develop new ones. Summary: objectives of research include describing reality, identifying, correlations between variables, testing casual hypothesis, and testing theories.
