2.3 You Can Be an Informed Consumer of Psychological Research

Question 1

valid research

Answer 1

the conclusions drawn by the researcher are legitimate

Question 2

Construct validity

Answer 2

refers to the extent to which the variables used in the research adequately assess the conceptual variables they were designed to measure

Question 3

reliability

Answer 3

refers to the consistency of a measured variable

Question 4

Statistical significance

Answer 4

refers to the confidence with which a scientist can conclude that data are not due to chance or random error

Question 5

Statistical conclusion validity

Answer 5

refers to the extent to which we can be certain that the researcher has drawn accurate conclusions about the statistical significance of the research

Question 6

Internal validity

Answer 6

refers to the extent to which we can trust the conclusions that have been drawn about the causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables

Question 7

confounding variables

Answer 7

variables other than the independent variable on which the participants in one experimental condition differ systematically from those in other conditions

Question 8

Confounding

Answer 8

occurs when a variable that is not part of the research hypothesis is “mixed up,” or confounded with, the variable in the research hypothesis

Question 9

experimenter bias

Answer 9

a situation in which the experimenter subtly treats the research participants in the various experimental conditions differently, resulting in an invalid confirmation of the research hypothesis

Question 10

double-blind experiment

Answer 10

both the researcher and the research participants are blind to condition

Question 11

external validity

Answer 11

refers to the extent to which the results of a research design can be generalized beyond the specific way the original experiment was conducted

Question 12

Generalization

Answer 12

refers to the extent to which relationships among conceptual variables can be demonstrated in a wide variety of people and a wide variety of manipulated or measured variables

Question 13

replication

Answer 13

the process of repeating previous research, which forms the basis of all scientific inquiry

Question 14

meta-analysis

Answer 14

a statistical technique that uses the results of existing studies to integrate and draw conclusions about those studies