In a meta-analysis, the statistical or experimental methods of multiple studies are reviewed for common techniques, results, or disagreements. This is done in order to discover new areas of research interest. Most dissertation-level research and some graduate theses include some level of meta-analysis to justify new research studies.

Inter-data reliability is a made up phrase. The other four are all types of reliability tests. Inter-rater reliability checks if independent raters or judges agree on what they are seeing. Test-retest reliability checks if repeated tests or administrations lead to similar scores or results. Inter-item reliability checks that if items in an assessment correlate. Split-half reliability checks if both halves or parts of a test measure the same thing.

Longitudinal research is described as research where the same individuals are studied over a long period of time. This type of research produces useful results, but it is extremely costly and not time effective.

Cross-sectional research involves studying participants of varying age groups and comparing some behavior between those age groups. This approach is cost effective and less time consuming that longitudinal, but is subject to more confounding variables and sampling error. In research studies, the choice is generally between cost and time-efficiency and research validity.

Monozygotic twins share 100% of their DNA. As a result, the higher concordance rates in MZ twins that have a mood disorder means that genetic factors played a role in contrast to environmental factors.

In 1961, Albert Bandura and his colleagues conducted a study in which children were placed at a table with engaging toys while they simultaneously watched an adult interact with a tall inflatable clown toy. Some children watched adults aggressively attack the Bobo doll while others watched adults play quietly with other toys. In the control group, no adult model was present at all. After the children watched the adult model, the experimenter took them to another playroom. The experimenter attempted to frustrate the child by explaining to them that the engaging toys there were only for other children—he or she would have to play with the toys in the experimental playroom instead. Afterwards, researchers observed how many aggressive behaviors the child displayed towards the Bobo doll. When the child had seen an adult model beat up and verbally assault the Bobo doll, the child was much more likely to do it as well. On the other hand, children in the other groups were more likely to non-aggressively play with the other toys in the room.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Harry Harlow separated rhesus monkeys from their mothers very shortly after birth and put them in an environment where they only had access to inanimate “surrogate mothers.” One available “mother” was made of rough wire and the other was made of soft terry cloth; however, only the wire “mother” dispensed milk. The researchers found that while the monkeys fed from the wire “mother,” they spent far more time clinging to the cloth “mother.” This revealed that attachment is not solely related to the parent’s ability to provide food. In adult life, the monkeys were incredibly damaged by this experience. They could not show or respond to natural sexual postures with other monkeys and eventually were aloof—and sometimes abusive—parents.

The ideal sample that is chosen out of a population is a representative sample, which means that the makeup of the sample generally matches the makeup of the population. The sample is often chosen through the process of random sampling, but the sample itself is not random. Also, increasing the size of the sample increases the chance that it will be representative but a large sample is not the goal of picking the sample.

The ideal sample that is chosen out of a population is a representative sample, which means that the makeup of the sample generally matches the makeup of the population. The main benefit of choosing a larger sample is that it is more likely to be representative of the population; however, unless the sample includes the entire population (which it rarely, rarely does), it does not guarantee that it will be representative. However, larger samples are often more time consuming, harder to coordinate, and more costly, so those drawbacks have to be balanced.

The difference between laboratory experiments and field experiments is not the number of subjects, but the place where they are conducted-the lab or the outside world. Lab experiments are more easily controlled whereas field experiments are more realistic.