Chapter 1 - Vocabulary Flashcards
Overconfidence
Tends to often lead us to overestimate our intuition.
Hindsight Bias
The tendency to believe after learning an outcome that one would have foreseen it. The I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.
Critical Thinking
Thinking that doesn’t blindly accept arguments or conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns, hidden values, evaluated evidence, and assesses conclusions.
Scientific Method
Make observations, form theories, and then refine theories in the light of new observations.
Hypothesis
A testable prediction often implied by a theory.
Operational Definitions
A statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research variables. For example, human intelligence may be operationally defined as what an intelligence test measures.
Replicate
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.
Case Study
An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth, in hopes of revealing universal principles.
Survey
A technique for ascertaining the self reported attitudes or behaviors of people usually by questioning a representative random sample of them.
False Consensus Effect
The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.
Population
All the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for study.
Random Sample
A 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.
Correlate/Correlational research
A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other. Correlations just describe a relationship, not causality. 0 is a low relationship while 1 is a very strong one.
Scatter plots
A graphed cluster of dots, each which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the variables. The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the relationship.
Illusory Correlation
The perception of a relationship where none exists.
Experiment
A research method in which an investigation manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the same behavior or mental process.
Double-blind Procedure
An experimental procedure in which both the researchers and participants are ignorant (blind) about whether the participants are receiving the treatment or a placebo.
Placebo Effect
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.
Experimental Condition
The condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
Control Condition
The condition of an experiment that contrasts with experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Random Assignment
Assigning the participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing per existing differences between those assigned to different groups.
Independent Variables
The experimental factor that is manpulated. The variable whose effects are being studied.
Dependent Variable
Outcome Factor. The variable that May change in response to the manipulations of the independent variable.
