Psychology Chapter 2 Terms

Front 1

Archival Measures

Back 1

Records or documents that already exist

Hint 1

I saw you throwing peace signs with the FBI

Front 2

Case Study

Back 2

An in-depth analysis of an individual, group, or event.

Hint 2

I stay noided

Front 3

Confounding of variables

Back 3

Two variables are intertwined in such a way that the variable that influenced the results cannot be determined.

Front 4

Control group

Back 4

Not affected by the independent variable in an experiment.

Front 5

Correlational Research

Back 5

1. Measure one variable (X)

2. Measure a second variable (Y)

3. Statistically determine if X and Y are related

Front 6

Correlation coefficient

Back 6

Statistic that indicates the direction and strength of the relation between two variables.

Hint 6

Stronk

Front 7

Counterbalancing

Back 7

Procedure in which the order of conditions is varied so that no condition has an overall advantage relative to the others.

Front 8

Dependent variable

Back 8

The factor that is measured and may be influenced by the independent variable.

Front 9

Descriptive Research

Back 9

Seeks to identify how humans and other animals behave, particularly in natural settings.

Front 10

Descriptive statistics

Back 10

Summarize and describe the characteristics of a set of data.

Front 11

Double-blind procedure

Back 11

Both the participant and experimenter are kept blind as to which experimental condition the participant is in.

Hint 11

I dunno

Front 12

Experiment

Back 12

1. Manipulation of one or more variables.

2. Measure of the first variable's influence on other variables.

3. Control of extraneous factors that could change the results of the experiment.

Front 13

Experimental group

Back 13

The group that is effected by an independent variable in an experiment.

Front 14

Experimenter expectancy effects

Back 14

The subtle and unintentional ways a researcher influences participants to respond a certain way that is consistent with the researchers hypothesis.

Front 15

External validity

Back 15

The degree to which the results of a study can be generalized to other populations, settings, and conditions.

Front 16

Hypothesis

Back 16

A specific prediction about some phenomenon.

Hint 16

If-Then

Front 17

Independent variable

Back 17

The factor that is manipulated or controlled by the experimenter.

Front 18

Inferential statistics

Back 18

Confidence in inferences we make about a population based on findings from a sample.

Front 19

Informed consent

Back 19

Before people agree to participate in research they should be informed about:

1. The study's purpose and procedures

2. The study's potential benefits

3. Potential risks to participants

4. The right to decline participation and withdraw at anytime without penalty

5. Whether responses will be confidential and, if not, how privacy will be safeguarded

Front 20

Internal validity

Back 20

The degree to which an experiment supports clear causal conclusions.

Front 21

Mean

Back 21

The arithmetic average of a set of scores.

Hint 21

Average

Front 22

Median

Back 22

The point that divides a distribution in half when that distribution is arranged in order from lowest to highest.

Front 23

Meta-analysis

Back 23

Statistical procedure for combining the results of different studies that examine the same topic.

Front 24

Mode

Back 24

The most frequently occurring score in a distribution.

Front 25

Naturalistic observation

Back 25

Observing behavior as it occurs in a natural setting, and attempts to avoid influencing that behavior.

Hint 25

"...in it's natural habitat."

Front 26

Negative correlation

Back 26

When higher scores on one variable are associated with lower scores on a second variable.

Hint 26

We're going in, we're going down.

Front 27

Operational definition

Back 27

Defining a variable in terms of the specific procedures used to produce or measure it.

Front 28

Placebo

Back 28

A substance that has no pharmacological effect.

Front 29

Placebo effect

Back 29

People receiving a treatment show a change in behavior because of their expectations, not because the treatment itself had any specific benefit.

Front 30

Population

Back 30

All the individuals we wish to draw a conclusion about.

Front 31

Positive correlation

Back 31

Higher scores on one variable are associated with higher scores on another variable.

Front 32

Random assignment

Back 32

Each participant has an equal chance of being in any group in an experiment.

Front 33

Random sampling

Back 33

Each member in a population has an equal probability of being chosen to participate in a survey.

Front 34

Range

Back 34

Difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Front 35

Replication

Back 35

Repeating an experiment to ensure that the results of previous experiments were not due to chance, and have external validity.

Front 36

Representative sample

Back 36

A sample that reflects the important characteristics of a population.

Front 37

Sample

Back 37

A portion of the population that is participating in a survey.

Front 38

Scatterplot

Back 38

Graphs that show the correlation between two variables.

Front 39

Social desirability bias

Back 39

Answering a survey dishonestly to appeal to societal expectations.

Front 40

Standard deviation

Back 40

A statistic that takes into account how much each score in a distribution differs from the mean.

Front 41

Statistical significance

Back 41

Very unlikely that a particular finding occurred by chance alone.

Front 42

Survey research

Back 42

Information about a topic is obtained by administering questionnaires or interviews to many people.

Front 43

Theory

Back 43

A set of formal statements that explains how and why certain behaviors are related to one another.

Front 44

Unobtrusive measures

Back 44

Recording behavior in a way that keeps participants unaware that certain responses are being measured.

Front 45

Variable

Back 45

Any characteristic or factor that can vary.