Chapter 1 Vocabulary

Question 0

Survey

Answer 0

Looks at many cases in less depth, used to study attitudes and behaviors, wording of questions is very important.

Question 1

Case study

Answer 1

One of the oldest research methods, studies one individual in depth hoping to discover something true about all of us, but can be misleading in atypical individuals.

Question 2

False Consensus Effect

Answer 2

Overestimating the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

The whole group that is being studied, often smaller sample groups of are used to generalize the population

Question 4

Random Sample

Answer 4

Every person in the group has an equal chance of participating, people are randomly selected, the larger the sample group the better

Question 5

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 5

Recording behavior of organisms in their natural habitats without interference, used to describe behavior, not explain it!

Question 6

Correlate

Answer 6

When one trait or behavior of accompanies another, DOES NOT PROVE CAUSATION
Correlation Coefficient: Predicts how closely 2 things predict each other

Question 7

Scatterplots

Answer 7

Plots 2 variables on an x and y axis with points, used to view possible correlation patterns

Question 8

Illusionary Correlation

Answer 8

A perceived non-existent correlation, often surprising coincidences that we perceive as correlation, wives-tales, sugar=hyper children ect.

Question 9

Experiment

Answer 9

Allows researchers to focus on the effects of specific factors by manipulating them or comparing them to a control

Question 10

Double-blind Procedure

Answer 10

Where neither the subjects or researchers know what half of the subjects have the effective drug, treatment, ect. and what have the placebo

Question 11

Placebo Effect

Answer 11

Believing that you are receiving a treatment, while in reality you are not, but either you condition or behavior have changed

Question 12

Experimental Condition

Answer 12

Participants who are exposed to the independent (manipulated) variable

Question 13

Control Condition

Answer 13

Participants who serve as the comparison or the control and have not been introduced to the independent variable

Question 14

Random Assignment

Answer 14

Assigning participants and control groups by chance, minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned groups, used in experimets, not surveys

Question 15

Independent Variable

Answer 15

The experimental factor that is manipulated

Question 16

Dependent Variable

Answer 16

The outcome factor, effected by the Independent Variable

Question 17

Mode

Answer 17

Most frequent occurring data point

Question 18

Mean

Answer 18

Arithmetic Average (sum of all data points divided by the total number of data points) easily skewed by outliers, most commonly used

Question 19

Median

Answer 19

The midpoint of all data points (50% of data points are on either side of the midpoint)

Question 20

Range

Answer 20

The midpoint between the highest and lowest data point

Question 21

Standard Diviation

Answer 21

Useful standard for measuring deviation, uses info from each data point to determine their deviation from the mean

Question 22

Culture

Answer 22

Shared ideas and behaviors that one generation passes on to the next generation

Question 23

Hindsight Bais

Answer 23

The “I knew it all along” phenomenon, basically when you see the answer after the fact and it seems so easy (anagram activity)

Question 24

Overconfidence

Answer 24

“I was almost right”, a confidence that is hard to dislodge

Question 25

Critical Thinking

Answer 25

Smart thinking that examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence and assesses conclusions

Question 26

Scientific Method

Answer 26

Make observations form theories and refine theories

Question 27

Theory

Answer 27

Explains through a set of principals that organizes and predicts behaviors or events

Question 28

Hypothesis

Answer 28

Testable predictions used to test theories

Question 29

Operational Definitions

Answer 29

Specific and precise definitions of concepts to allow for replication to check biases

Question 30

Replicate

Answer 30

Repeating an obervarion, often with different subjects to strengthen the theory