Psych Ch. 2: Research Methods

Front 1

Hindsight Bias

Back 1

Tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one'd foresee it

Front 2

Critical Thinking

Back 2

Thinking that doesn't blindly accept arguments and conclusions; rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions

Front 3

Theory

Back 3

An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

Front 4

Hypothesis

Back 4

Testable prediction often implied by theory

Front 5

Operational Definition

Back 5

A statement of the procedures or operations used to define research variables

Front 6

Replication

Back 6

Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants and different situations, to see whether basic findings extend to other participants and circumstances

Front 7

Case Study

Back 7

An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles

Front 8

Survey

Back 8

A technique for ascertaining the self-reported views or attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group

Front 9

Random Sample

Back 9

A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has equal chance of inclusion

Front 10

Naturalistic Observation

Back 10

Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Front 11

Correlation

Back 11

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and that's how well either factor predicts the other

Front 12

Correlation Coefficient

Back 12

A statistical index of the relationship between two things from -1 to +1

Front 13

Scatterplot

Back 13

A graphed cluster of dots, each which represents the values of two variables; the amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little scatter, high correlation)

Front 14

Illusory Correlation

Back 14

The perception of a relationship where none exists

Front 15

Random Assignment

Back 15

Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups

Front 16

Double-Blind Procedure

Back 16

An experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant or blind about whether the research participants have received the treatment or placebo; commonly used in drug evaluation tests

Front 17

Placebo Effect

Back 17

Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any behavior affected is caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent

Front 18

Independent Variable

Back 18

Experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied

Front 19

Confounding Variable

Back 19

Factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in the experiment

Front 20

Dependant Variable

Back 20

The outcome factor; variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

Front 21

Mode

Back 21

The most frequently occurring score in a distribution

Front 22

Mean

Back 22

The arithmetic average of a distribution

Front 23

Median

Back 23

The middle score in a distribution, half the scores above it, half the scores below

Front 24

Range

Back 24

The difference between the highest and lowest distribution scores

Front 25

Standard Deviation

Back 25

Computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Front 26

Normal Curve

Back 26

A symmetrical bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean with 68% within one SD of the mean with fewer and fewer on the edges

Front 27

Statistical Significance

Back 27

A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

Front 28

Culture

Back 28

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from 1 generation to the next

Front 29

Informed Consent

Back 29

An ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Front 30

Debriefing

Back 30

The postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants