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Intro to Research Methods definitions

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  • Case Study
    An in-depth analysis of one individual or a small group, often focusing on unique situations to gather extensive qualitative data.
  • Naturalistic Observation
    A research approach involving unobtrusive monitoring of subjects in their typical environment to capture authentic behavior.
  • Laboratory Observation
    A method where behavior is recorded in a controlled setting, allowing manipulation of variables and standardized tasks.
  • Psychometric Assessment
    A measurement tool, such as a survey, interview, or standardized test, used to quantify psychological constructs.
  • Survey
    A self-report instrument designed to efficiently collect data on attitudes, behaviors, or experiences from large groups.
  • Interview
    A structured or unstructured conversation aimed at obtaining detailed, in-depth information on specific psychological topics.
  • Standardized Test
    An assessment administered and scored uniformly, often requiring specialized training, to measure cognitive or psychological traits.
  • Reliability
    The consistency of a measurement tool, reflected in stable results across time, settings, or different administrators.
  • Validity
    The degree to which a tool or study accurately measures or reflects the intended construct or outcome.
  • Construct Validity
    The extent to which a measure truly assesses the theoretical concept it is intended to capture, not unrelated variables.
  • Random Assignment
    A procedure ensuring participants have equal chances of being placed in any group, increasing group equivalence.
  • Control Group
    A set of participants not exposed to the independent variable, serving as a baseline for comparison in experiments.
  • Double-Blind Design
    A study setup where neither participants nor researchers know group assignments, minimizing bias and expectancy effects.
  • Internal Validity
    The level of confidence that observed effects are due to the independent variable, not confounding factors, within a study.
  • External Validity
    The extent to which research findings can be generalized beyond the study sample to broader populations or settings.