Psych I: Methods Unit Test Study Guide
The main objective of this unit is to get our heads wrapped around the kinds of questions
Psychology tries to answer, and the kinds of research the field uses to answer those
questions.
This will be a 60-point test (most tests in this class count for 100 points). It will include a
small number of multiple-choice questions, some vocabulary questions, and an open-
response question. IMPORTANT: when I ask you to do vocabulary IDs, I will ask you
to both give a definition AND explain the term’s importance. I’ll give you a template
that looks like this (only bigger):
1. Term:
Definition:
Example/ importance:
VOCABULARY
1. Model 8. Random assignment
2. Observational study 9. Correlation (vs. “causation”)
3. Researcher bias 10. Longitudinal study
4. Participant bias 11. Control group
5. Case study 12. Reliability
6. Population 13. Validity
7. Sample 14. Confounding variable
CONCEPTS TO REVIEW
What are the questions Psychology works to study?
Observational research vs. Experiments—Be able to compare and contrast
Bias: what different forms can it take?
The 5 types of Observational research
Experiments: know the steps of how to do one (we will do one in class, and there
is a nifty summary in the box on p. 30)
What kinds of questions should you ask yourself when looking at a study to assess
whether it is valid, or not?