The cognitive approach in psychology studies mental processes—such as how we perceive, think, remember, learn, make decisions, and solve problems. Cognitive psychologists see the mind as an information processor, similar to a computer, examining how we take in information, store it, and use it to guide our behavior.| Simply Psychology
Psychology is a science because it employs systematic methods of observation, experimentation, and data analysis to understand and predict behavior and mental processes, grounded in empirical evidence and subjected to peer review.| Simply Psychology
Experimental design refers to how participants are allocated to different groups in an experiment. Types of design include repeated measures, independent groups, and matched pairs designs.| Simply Psychology
Correlation means association - more precisely, it measures the extent to which two variables are related. There are three possible results of a correlational study: a positive correlation, a negative correlation, and no correlation| Simply Psychology
Internal validity refers to whether the design and conduct of a study are able to support that a causal relationship exists between the independent and dependent variables. It ensures that no other variables except the independent variable caused the observed effect on the dependent variable.| Simply Psychology
In psychology, random assignment refers to the practice of allocating participants to different experimental groups in a study in a completely unbiased way, ensuring each participant has an equal chance of being assigned to any group.| Simply Psychology
Demand characteristics refer to clues or signals in an experimental setting that hint to participants about the experimenter's expectations, leading them to behave in a certain way to match these expectations, potentially biasing the results.| Simply Psychology
A controlled experiment aims to demonstrate causation between variables by manipulating an independent variable while controlling all other factors that could influence the results. Its purpose is to show that changes in one variable (the independent variable) directly cause changes in another variable (the dependent variable).| Simply Psychology
Qualitative research is a method of inquiry used in various disciplines, including social sciences, education, and health, to explore and understand human behavior, experiences, and social phenomena. It focuses on collecting non-numerical data, such as words, images, or objects, to gain in-depth insights into people's thoughts, feelings, motivations, and perspectives.| Simply Psychology
Predictive validity is a subtype of criterion-related validity that refers to the degree to which scores from a psychological instrument can predict a| Simply Psychology
The experimental method involves the manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships. The key features are controlled methods and the random allocation of participants into controlled and experimental groups.| Simply Psychology