PSYC 1020H Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Jane Goodall, Descriptive Statistics, Statistical Inference
24 Jan 2017
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Qualitative research: meaning of an experience; data is words and narratives of experiences. Quantitative research: cause-and-effect relationships where variables may be defined ahead of time; involves empirical observations. Measurement and description: measure the phenomenon under study. Understanding and prediction: make and test hypotheses - a tentative statement about the relationship between two variables. Variables are any measurable conditions, events, characteristics or behaviours that are controlled and observed in the study. Application and control: data will be of practical value. Theory: system of interrelated ideas used to explain a set of observations. Make leap from description of behaviour to understanding behaviour. Scientific investigations are systematic (follow a sequence of steps). Step 1: formulate a testable hypothesis: variables must be clearly defined, operational definitions: describe the actions or operations that will be used to measure or control a variable. Used to establish precisely what is meant by each variable in context of study.
