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Midterm 1 material
Research Design and Methodology
15
Psychology
Undergraduate 3
05/19/2014

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Categories of Good Psychological Research
Definition

1. Purely Applied Research

2. Theory Testing

Term
Purely Applied Research
Definition

- seeks to solve practical problems

- does NOT seek underlying explanations

- used in industry/military

- less costly

Term
Theory Testing
Definition
seeks to explain psychological phenomena
Term
Theory
Definition
an explanation for a phenomenon that can be falsified and that involves entities that cannot be directly observed
Term
Falsification
Definition

hypothetical facts that would prove the theory false

 

- For an explanation to be useful, it must be able to generate predictions.  As such, there must be some hypothetical facts that would prove the theory false

 

- it must always be possible to prove a scientific theory false

Term
How does theory testing work?
Definition
by using the theory to generate predictions (hypotheses) about observable events
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
a tentative statement about the relationship between observable variables
Term
Propositional Logic
Definition
how we tell that a result from a hypothesis proves/disproves a theory
Term
Modus Ponens
Definition

1. If p (theory) is true, then q (hypothesis) is true

2. P is true

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Therefore, q is true

Term
Pros/Cons of Modus Ponens
Definition

- valid argument

 

- NOT useful to science because it assumes the theory is true, which is what we are testing

Term
Validity
Definition
If the first 2 statements are true, then the conclusion must be true
Term
Affirming the Consequent
Definition

1. If p is true, then q is true

2. q is true

---------------------------------------------------------

Therefore, p is true

Term
Pros/Cons of Affirming the Consequent
Definition

- NOT a valid argument

 

- Because it is invalid, this means it is logically impossible to prove that a theory is true

 

- However, if a theory makes a prediction, and the prediction is true, then it increases our belief in the theory a little bit

Term
Modus Tollens
Definition

1. If p is true, then q is true

2. q is not true

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Therefore, p is not true

Term
Pros/Cons of Modus Tollens
Definition

- IS a valid argument

- useful to science

 

- science works by using modus tollens to prove theories false

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