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36 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Theories |
A general principle or set of principles that explain findings about a topic and from which new hypothesis can be generated. |
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Hypothesis |
A prediction from a theory. |
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Independent Variable |
The proposed cause. A predictor variable. |
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Dependent Variable |
The proposed effect. An outcome variable. |
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Levels of measurement |
Categorical and continuous |
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Binary Variable (Categorical) |
There are only two categories.
e.g. Meets vs. Exceeds Performance rating. |
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Nominal Variable (Categorical) |
There are more than two categories.
e.g. Ethnicity |
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Ordinal Variable (Categorical) |
The same as a nominal variable but the categories have a logical order.
e.g. Letter grades -A, A-, B+, etc. |
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Interval/Ratio Variable (Continuous) |
Equal intervals on the variable represent equal differences in the property being measured.
e.g. The difference between 6 and 8 is equivalent to the difference between 13 and 15. |
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Measurement Error |
The discrepancy between the actual value and what we are trying to measure, and the number we use to represent that value. |
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Validity |
Whether an instrument measures what it set out to measure |
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Content Validity |
Evidence that the content of a test corresponds to the content of the construct it was designed to cover. |
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Ecological validity |
Evidence that the results of a study, experiment or test can be applied, and allow inferences, to real-world conditions. |
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Reliability |
The ability of the measure to produce the same results under the same conditions. |
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Test-Retest Reliability |
The ability of a measure to produce consistent results when the same entities are tested at two different points in time. |
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Correlational Research |
Observing what naturally goes on in the world without directly interfering with it. |
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Cross-sectional Research |
Data come from a single point in time and does not involve manipulating variables "snap shot" |
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Longitudinal Research |
Measure the same variables on the same subjects over time to observe changes. |
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Experimental Research |
One or more variable is systematically manipulated to see their effect (alone or in combination) on an outcome variable. |
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Frequency Distributions (aka Histograms) |
A graph plotting values of observations on the horizontal axis, with a bar showing how many times each value occurred in the data set. |
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The 'Normal' Distribution |
Bell shaped
Symmetrical around the center |
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Skew |
The symmetry of the distribution.
Positive skew (scores bunched at low values with the tail pointing to high values).
Negative skew (scored bunched at high values with the tail pointing to low values). |
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Kurtosis |
The heaviness of the tails. |
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Leptokurtic |
More acute peak, and wider tails. |
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Platykurtic |
Less acute peak, light - poorly defined tails. |
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Mode |
The most frequent score |
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Bimodal |
Having two modes |
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Bimodal |
Having two modes |
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Multimodal |
Having several modes |
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Median |
The middle score when scores are ordered. |
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Central Tendency |
The mean - Add numbers up and divide |
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Range |
The smallest score subtracted from the largest score.
e.g. 22, 40, 53, 57, 93, 98, 103, 108, 116, 121, 252
Range =252-22=230 |
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Quartiles |
The three values that split the sorted data into four equal parts.
Lower quartile = median of lower half of the data.
Upper quartile = median of upper half of the data.
Second quartile = median |
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Null hypothesis |
There is no effect |
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Null hypothesis |
There is no effect |
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The alternative hypothesis |
AKA the experimental hypothesis |
