Chapter 1 Flashcards
Overconfidence
Tendency to believe we know more than we actually do
Incidence in incorrect judgements
Not conscious of it
Critical Thinking
Active and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, and evaluating information
Scientific Method
Systematic process that is used to test a hypothesis and problem solving
Theory
Explanation of using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations
General explanations that predict observations and events
Hypothesis
Testable prediction, often implied by a theory
Operational Definitions
Statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables
It allows us to measure variables
Easy for others to replicate
Replicate
Repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances
Case Study
Observation technique in which one person or animalis studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
Able to study rare conditions
Generalizability is difficult
Survey
Technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them
Bad because of the wording effects
General view of someone or something – hard to write unbiased questions
False Consensus Effect
Tendency to overestimate the extent to which other share our beliefs and behaviors
Population
All the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study
Random Sample
Sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion
Naturalistic Observations
Observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
Unable to control events, simply observing
Does not identify cause and effect
Observing in a natural setting
Correlations
Measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other
Just describe relations, not causality/causation
Scatterplots
Graph of two variables to reveal correlation
Illusory Correlation
Perception of a relationship where none exists
Experiment
When the investigator is able to control the situation and to decrease the possibility that unnoticed, outside variables will influence the results
Scientific procedure to determine cause and effect
Double-blind Procedure
When the research participants and the research staff are ignorant(blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or the placebo
Placebo Effect
Any effect on behavior caused by expectations alone
Any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which is assumed to be an active agent
Patients believe they are receiving the actual treatment
Experimental Condition
The participants who are exposed to the independent variable
Changes
Control Condition
The participants that serve as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment – no independent variable applied
Dependent variable
Stays the same
Random Assignment
Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups
Assigning subjects to different treatments
Independent Variable
The experimental factor that is manipulated (X)
Dependent Variable
The outcome factor (Y)
The variable that may change in response to manipulation
