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33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
hindsight bias
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the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it (also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon)
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critical thinking
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thought process that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions; rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions
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theory
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an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events
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hypothesis
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a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
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operational definition
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a statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables; for example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as "what an intelligence test measures"
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replication
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repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
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case study
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an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
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naturalistic observation
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observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
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survey
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a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes and behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group
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population
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all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn
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random sample
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a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
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correlation
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a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
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correlation coefficient
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a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from -1 to +1)
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scatterplot
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a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values 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 (little scatter indicates high correlation)
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experiment
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a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variable); by random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors
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experimental group
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in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable
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control group
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in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment
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random assignment
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assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups
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double-blind procedure
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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 a placebo; commonly used in drug-evaluation studies
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placebo effect
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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
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independent variable
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the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied
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confounding variable
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a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment
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dependent variable
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the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable
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mode
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the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution
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mean
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the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores
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median
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the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it
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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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a computed measure of how much scores vary around a mean score
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normal curve
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a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (about 68 percent fall within one standard deviation of it) and fewer and fewer near the extremes
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statistical significance
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a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
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culture
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the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
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informed consent
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an ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate
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debriefing
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the postexperimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants
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