This special Research Methods in Psychology exam-review episode of The Psychology Undergrad walks through the core concepts students must master for finals. We clarify correlational vs. experimental research, how psychologists test cause-and-effect, and why random assignment, control, confounds, and operational definitions matter.

Using relatable examples—from social media behavior to moral decision-making—we revisit exam-heavy topics like positive/negative correlations, directionality, third-variable issues, laboratory vs. field studies, internal vs. external validity, and measurement reliability. Designed as a clean, comprehensive review to strengthen understanding before the test.

Keywords: psychology exam review, research methods review, correlational vs experimental, variables, operational definition, reliability and validity, random assignment, third variable problem, study design, TRU-OL PSYC exam prep, psychology glossary, research methods final preparation