Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture I Core Components II Intro to Scientific Method Outline of Current Lecture I Intro to Statistics II Population and samples III Types of Statistics IV Defining and Measuring Variables V Constructs and Operational Definitions Current Lecture I Intro to Statistics Statistics set of mathematical procedures for organizing summarizing and interpreting info from research Psych 311 1nd Edition WE interpret numbers detect patterns have a way of communication and stats allows us to be objective Stats is the part of the scientific method that allows us to answer research questions II Population and Sample Sample subset of population that must be representative we must study samples because populations are too large Sampling Error Discrepancy between sample and population or between two samples from same population Error unpredictable unsystematic chance differences Error does NOT mean mistake III Types of Statistics These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Descriptive Stats describes data Inferential Stats generalize findings back to population Discrete Categorical Variables variable doesn t change Continuous Variables two or more variables that continue changing and evolving Data observations we collect in studies represented as scores or X s Datum single measurement or observation IV Defining and Measuring Variables Participant Variables characteristics that differ between people Environmental Variables characteristics of environment outside of participant Independent Variable manipulated variable Dependent Variable what researches measure Variables characteristics conditions that change or has different values Score specific value for given person Value number represents a possible state of variables V Constructs and Operational Definitions Construct hypothetical attribute characteristic or mechanism that can t be directly observed but useful for describing explaining behavior Directly vs indirectly observing variables Operational Definitions we must create this it identifies a procedure for measuring observable behavior and uses resulting measurements as definition and measurement of hypothetical construct must describe set of observations for measuring manipulating variable defines construct in terms of resulting measurements Developing Operational Definition Answer question How do I know it when I see it Don t define a construct with a construct Create it in context of study Make it sufficiently specific You must quantify construct Determine what the values mean
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