Chapter 1 Flashcards
Over confidence
Tendency to be more confident than correct-to over estimate that accuracy of ones belief/judgement
Hindsight bias
Tendency to believe, after learning an outcome that one would have foreseen it (I knew it all along)
Critical thinking
Smart thinking; examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions
Scientific method
Self-correcting process for asking questions and observing natures answer
Theory
An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events, simplifies things
Hypothesis
Testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Operational definitions
A statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. Allows us to MEASURE variables
Replicate
Repeating the essence of a research study
Case study
Psychologists study one individual in depth in hope if revealing things true of us all
Survey
Asks people to report their behavior/opinions/attitudes
False consensus effect
Tendency to over estimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors
Population
All the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study. Group of people, used as samples
Random sample
A sample that fairly represents a population; each member has an EQUAL opportunity
Naturalistic observations
Observing/recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
Correlate
A measure of which 2 factors vary together and how we’ll either factor PREDICTS the other
Scatter plots
Graphed cluster of dots. Each dot represents the value of 2 variables
Illusory correlation
The perception of a relationship where none exist. Thinking a relationship exist when it doesn’t
Experiment
Manipulates one or more factors (independent) to observe a behavior or mental process (dependent)
Double blind procedure
An experimental procedure where neither the research participant and research staff are blind about whether the participant have received the treatment or placebo
Placebo effect
Experimental results caused by expectations alone. Acting like you took a medicine but didn’t
Experimental condition
Exposes participants to the treatment, one version of the independent variable
Control condition
Contrasts the experimental control; serves as a comparison
Random assignment
Assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance minimizing pre existing differences between those assigned to the different groups
Independent variable
Experimental factor that is manipulated , variable whose effect is being studied
Dependent variable
The variable that May change in response to manipulate of independent variable
Wording effect
The different way of saying things to change people’s way of thinking
Representative
A sample that fairly reflects the population being studied
Non representative
A sample that unfairly reflects the population being studied
Correlation coefficient
Statistical measure of a relationship, closest to 1
Mode
Most frequently occurring number
Mean
Arithmetic average
Median
Middle number in the line up
Range
Difference between highest and lowest number
Standard deviation
How much scores vary around the mean
Statistical significance
Statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
Culture
Behaviors, ideas, traditions that are shared by a large group of people and past on from generation to generation
Experimenter bias
The unconscious tendency for researchers to change their data to increase the chance if confirming their hypothesis
