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Unit 1
Scientific Foundations of Psychology
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| theory | an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events |
| hypothesis | a testable prediction often implied by a theory |
| operational definition | a carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study. |
| replication | repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different situations, to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced |
| case study | a descriptive technique in which one individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles |
| naturalistic observation | a descriptive technique of observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation |
| survey | a descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group |
| sampling bias | a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample |
| random sample | a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion |
| experiment | research method, an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variable), observe the effect on some behavior/ mental process (dependent variable). by random assignment of participants the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors |
| experimental group | in an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable |
| control group | in an experiment, the group not exposed to the treatment; contrast with the experimental group and serves as comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment. |
| random assignment | assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance thus minimizing preexisting differences between the different groups. |
| confounding variable | a factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a study's results |
| dependent variable | in an experiment, the outcome that is measured; the variable that may change when the independent variable is manipulated |
| validity | the extent to which a test or experiment measures or predicts what it is supposed to |
| double-blind procedure | an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or placebo. commonly used in drug studies |
| placebo effect | experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent. |
| independent variable | is an experiment, the factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied. |
| hindsight bias | the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (also known as the "I knew it all along" phenomenon |
| regression towards the mean | the tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to fall back (regress) towards the average |
| illusory correlation | perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger- than - actual relationship |
| scatterplot | a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the value of two variables, the slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables. the amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation. |
| correlation coefficient | a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1.00 to +1.00) |
| correlation | a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other |
| population | all those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn |
| statistical significance | a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance |
| inferential statistics | numerical data that allows one to generalize- to infer from sample data the probability of something being true of a population |
| variable | anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure |
| normal curve | a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean, and fewer and fewer near the extremes |
| standard deviation | a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score |
| range | the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution |
| skewed distribution | a representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value |
| median | the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it, and half are below it |
| mode | the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution |
| histogram | a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution |
| descriptive statistics | numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. includes measures of central tendency and measure of variation |
| debriefing | the post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants |
| informed consent | giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether the wish to participate |
| mean | the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scored and then dividing by the number of scores |
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Addi678
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