Psychology Chapter 1 - The Science Of Psychology - Terms

Front 1

Psychology

Back 1

The science of behavior ad mental processes.

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Biological Perspective

Back 2

A research perspective whose major explanatory focus is how the brain, nervous system, and other physiological mechanisms produce behavior and mental processes.

Front 3

Cognitive Perspective

Back 3

A research perspective whose major explanatory focus is how mental processes, such as perception, memory and problem solving, work and impact on behavior.

Front 4

Behavioral Perspective

Back 4

A research perspective whose major explanatory focus is how external enviornmental events condition observable behavior.

Front 5

Sociocultural Perspective

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A research perspective whose major explanatory focus is how other people and the cultural context impact on behavior and mental processes.

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Hindsight Bias (I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)

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The tendency, after learning about an outcome, to be overconfident in one's ability to have predicted it.

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Descriptive Methods

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Research methods whose main purpose is to provide objective and detailed descriptions of behavior and mental processes.

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Naturalistic Observation

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A descriptive research method in which the behavior of interest is observed in its natural setting, and the researcher does not intervene in the behavior being observed.

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Participant Observation

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A descriptive research method in which the observer becomes part of the group being observed.

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Case Study

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A descriptive research method in which the researcher studies an individual in depth over an extended period of time.

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Survey Research

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A descriptive research method in which the researcher uses questionnaires and interviews to collect information about the behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of particular groups of people.

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Population

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The entire group of people that researcher is studying.

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Sample

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The subset of a population that actually participates in a research study.

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Random Sampling

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A sampling technique that obtains a representative sample of a population by ensuring that each individual in a population has an equal opportunity to be in the sample.

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Correlational Study

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A research study in which two variables are measured to determine if they are related (how well either one predicts the other.)

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Variable

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Any factor that can take on more than one value.

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Correlation Coefficient

Back 17

A statistic that tells us the type and the strength of the relationship between two variable. The sign of the coefficient (+ or -) indicates the type of correlation - positive or negative, respectively. The absolute value of the coefficient (0.0 or 1.0) represents the strength of the correlation with 1.0 being the maximum strength.

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Positive Correlation

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A direct relationship between two variables.

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Negative Correlation

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An inverse relationship between two variables.

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Scatterplot

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A visual depiction of correlational data in which each data point represents the scores of the two variables for each participant.

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Third - Variable Problem

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An explanation of a correlation between two variables in terms of another (third) variable that could possibly be responsible for the observed relationship between the two variables.

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Random Assignment

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A control measure in which participants are randomly assigned to groups in order to equalize participant characteristics across the various groups in an experiment.

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Independent Variable

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In an experiment, the variable that is a hypothesized cause and thus is manipulated by the experimenter.

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Dependent Variable

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In an experiment, a variable that is hypothesized to be affected by the independent variable and thus is measured by the experimenter.

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Experiment

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A research method in which the researcher manipulates one or more independent variable and measure their effect on one or more dependent variables while controlling other potentially relevant variables.

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Experimental Group

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In an experiment, the group exposed to the independent variable.

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Control group

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In an experiment, the group not exposed to the independent variable.

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Operational Definition

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A description of the operations or procedures that a researcher uses to manipulate or measure a variable.

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Placebo Effect

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Improvement due to the expectation of improving because of receiving treatment.

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Placebo Group

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A control group of participants who believe they are receiving treatment, but who are only receiving a placebo.

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Inferential Statistical Analyses

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Statistical analyses that allow researchers to draw conclusions about the reulsts of a study by determining the probability the results are due to random variation (chance). The results are statistically significant if this probability is .05 or less.

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Double-Blind Procedure

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A control measure in an experiment in which neither the experimenters nor the participants know which participants are in the experimental and control groups.

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Descriptive Statistics

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Statistics that describe the results of a research study in a concise fashion.

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Frequency Distribution

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A depiction, in a table or figure, of the number of participants (frequency) receiving each score for a variable.

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Mean

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The numerical average of a distribution of scores.

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Median

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The score positioned in the middle of a distribution of scores when all of the scores are arranged from lowest to highest.

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Mode

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The most frequently occurring score in a distribution of scores.

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Range

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The difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

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Standard Deviation

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The average extent that the scores vary from the mean for a distribution of scores.

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Normal Distribution

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A frequency distribution that is hshaped like a bell. About 68 percent of the scores fall within 1 standard deviation of the mean, about 95 percent within 2 standard deviations of the mean, and 99 percent within 3 standard deviations of the mean.

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Percentile Rank

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The percentage of scores below a specific score in a distribution of scores.

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Right-skewed distribution

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An asymmetric frequency distribution in which there are some unusually high scores that distort the mean to be greater than the median.

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Left-skewed Distribution

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An asymmetric frequency distribution in which there are some unusually low scores that distort the mean to be less than the median.