Chapter 1: Thinking Clearly with Psychological Science

Question 1

Hindsight Bias

Answer 1

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it.

Question 2

Critical Thinking

Answer 2

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions.

Question 3

Theory

Answer 3

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

a testable prediction, often implied by a theory.

Question 5

Operational definition

Answer 5

a statement of the procedures used to define research variables.

Question 6

Replication

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Case study

Answer 7

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.

Question 8

Survey

Answer 8

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.

Question 9

False Consensus Effect

Answer 9

the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Question 10

Population

Answer 10

all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study.

Question 11

Random Sample

Answer 11

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.

Question 12

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 12

observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

Question 13

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 13

a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
CORRELATION DOESN’T PROVE CAUSATION! ^.^

Question 14

Scatterplot

Answer 14

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).

Question 15

Illusory Correlation

Answer 15

the perception of a relationship where none exists.

Question 16

Experiment

Answer 16

a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process.

Question 17

Double-blind procedure

Answer 17

an experimental procedure in which both the research participant and the research staff are ignorant about whether the participants have received the treatment or the placebo.

Question 18

Placebo Effect

Answer 18

experimental results 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.

Question 19

Experimental Condition

Answer 19

the condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Question 20

Control Condition

Answer 20

the condition of an experiment that contrasts with the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Question 21

Random Assignment

Answer 21

assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.

Question 22

Independent Variable

Answer 22

the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.

Question 23

Dependent Variable

Answer 23

the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable.

Question 24

Mode

Answer 24

the most frequently occurring score in a distribution.

Question 25

Mean

Answer 25

the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

Question 26

Median

Answer 26

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it.

Question 27

Range

Answer 27

the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Question 28

Standard Deviation

Answer 28

a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.

Question 29

Statistical Significance

Answer 29

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance.

Question 30

Culture

Answer 30

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.