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Question 1

Scientific Method

Answer 1

a set of rules that governs the collection and analysis of data gained through observation studies or experiments

Question 2

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 2

the observation of the behaviour of people or animals in their natural environments

Question 3

Clinical Observation

Answer 3

the observation of the behaviour of people or animals who are undergoing diagnosis or treatment

Question 4

Correlational Study

Answer 4

the examination of relations between two or more measurements of behaviour or other characteristics of people or animals

Question 5

Experiment

Answer 5

a study in which the researcher changes the value of an independent variable and observes whether this manipulation affects the value of a dependent variable. only experiments can confirm the existence of cause-and-effect relations among variables

Question 6

Hypothesis

Answer 6

a statement usually designed to be tested by an experiment that tentatively expresses a cause-and-effect relationship between two or more events

Question 7

Theory

Answer 7

a set of statements designed to explain a set of phenomena; more encompassing than a hypothesis

Question 8

Case Study

Answer 8

a detailed description of an individual’s behaviour during the course of clinical treatment or diagnosis

Question 9

Survey Study

Answer 9

a study of people’s responses to standardized questions.

Question 10

Variable

Answer 10

anything capable of assuming several values

Question 11

Manipulation

Answer 11

setting the values of an independent variable in an experiment to see whether the value of another variable is affected

Question 12

Experimental Group

Answer 12

a group of participants in an experiment, the members are exposed to a particular value of the independent variable which has been manipulated by the researcher

Question 13

Control Group

Answer 13

a comparison group used in an experiment, the members are exposed to the naturally occurring or zero value of the independent variable

Question 14

Independent Variable

Answer 14

the variable that is manipulated in an experiment as a means os determine cause-and-effect

Question 15

Dependent Variable

Answer 15

the variable that is measured in an experiment

Question 16

Normal Fallacy

Answer 16

the false belief that one has explained the causes of a phenomenon by identifying and naming it; for ex. believing that one has explained lazy behaviour by attributing it to ‘laziness’

Question 17

Operational Definition

Answer 17

the definition of a variable in terms of the operations the researcher performs to measure or manipulate it

Question 18

Validity

Answer 18

the degree to which the operational definition of a variable accurately reflects the variable it is designed to measure or manipulate

Question 19

Confounding of Variables

Answer 19

inadvertent simultaneous manipulation of more than one variable. the results of an experiment involving confound variables permit no valid conclusions about cause and effect

Question 20

Counterbalancing

Answer 20

a systematic variation of conditions in an experiment such as the order of presentation of stimuli so that different participants encounter them in different orders; prevents confounding of independent variables with time-dependent processes such as habitation or fatigue

Question 21

Reliability

Answer 21

• the repeatability of a measurement; the likelihood that if the measurement was made again it would yield the same value

Question 22

Interrater Reliability

Answer 22

the degree to which two or more independent observing agree in their rating of another organisms behaviour

Question 23

Random Assignment

Answer 23

procedure in which each participant has an equally likely chance of being assigned to any of the conditions or groups of an experiment

Question 24

Placebo

Answer 24

an inert substance that cannot be distinguished in appearance from a read medication; used as the control substance in a single-blind or double blind experiment

Question 25

Single-Blind Study

Answer 25

an experiment in which the researcher but not the participant knows the value of the independent value

Question 26

Double-Blind Stud

Answer 26

an experiment in which neither the researcher nor the participant knows the value of the independent value

Question 27

Correlational Study

Answer 27

he examination of relations between two or more measurements of behaviour or other characteristics of people or animals

Question 28

Matching

Answer 28

a systematic selection of participants in groups in an experiment (or more often a correlational study) to ensure that the mean values of important participant variables of the groups are similar

Question 29

Replication

Answer 29

repetition of an experiment or observational study to see whether previous results will be obtained

Question 30

Sample

Answer 30

a selection of elements from a larger population

Question 31

Generalization

Answer 31

- the conclusion that the results obtained from a sample apply also to the population from which the sample was taken from

Question 32

Informed Consent

Answer 32

agreement to participate in an experiment after being informed about the nature of the research and any possible risks and benefits

Question 33

Confidentiality

Answer 33

privacy of participants and non-disclosure of their participation in a research project

Question 34

Debriefing

Answer 34

- full disclosure to participants of the nature and purpose of a research project after its completion

Question 35

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 35

mathematical procedures for organizing collections of data (such a determining the mean, range etc)

Question 36

Measure of Central Tendency -

Answer 36

a statistical measure used to characterize the value of items in a sample of numbers

Question 37

Mean

Answer 37

measure of central tendency; the sum of a group of values divided by their number

Question 38

Median

Answer 38

measure of central tendency; midpoint of a group of values arranged numerically

Question 39

Measure of Variability

Answer 39

a statistical measure used to characterize the dispersion in values of items in a sample of numbers

Question 40

Range

Answer 40

difference between the highest and lowest score

Question 41

Standard Deviation

Answer 41

a statistic that expresses the variability of a measurement; square root of the average of the squared deviations from the mean

Question 42

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 42

a measurement of the degree to which two variables are related

Question 43

Inferential Statistics

Answer 43

mathematical procedures for determining whether relations or differences between samples are statistically significant