Chapter 2 Psychological Research

Question 1

archival research

Answer 1

method of research using past records or data sets to answer various research questions, or to search for interesting patterns or relationships

Question 2

confounding variable

Answer 2

unanticipated outside factor that affects both variables of interest, often giving the false
impression that changes in one variable causes changes in the other variable, when, in actuality, the outside factor causes changes in both variables

Question 3

correlation coefficient

Answer 3

number from -1 to +1, indicating the strength and direction of the relationship
between variables, and usually represented by r

Question 4

cross-sectional research

Answer 4

compares multiple segments of a population at a single time

Question 5

illusory correlation

Answer 5

seeing relationships between two things when in reality no such relationship exists

Question 6

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Answer 6

committee of administrators, scientists, and community members that
reviews proposals for research involving human participants

Question 7

inter-rater reliability

Answer 7

measure of agreement among observers on how they record and classify a particular
event

Question 8

longitudinal research

Answer 8

studies in which the same group of individuals is surveyed or measured repeatedly
over an extended period of time

Question 9

naturalistic observation

Answer 9

observation of behavior in its natural setting

Question 10

observer bias

Answer 10

when observations may be skewed to align with observer expectations

Question 11

operational definition

Answer 11

description of what actions and operations will be used to measure the dependent
variables and manipulate the independent variables

Question 12

single-blind study

Answer 12

experiment in which the researcher knows which participants are in the experimental
group and which are in the control group

Question 13

validity

Answer 13

accuracy of a given result in measuring what it is designed to measure

Question 14

Operational definition

Answer 14

a description of something in terms of the operations (procedures, actions, or processes) by which it could be observed and measured. For example, the operational definition of anxiety could be in terms of a test score, withdrawal from a situation, or activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 15

What are some of the ways that leaves from plants are put to use by humans?

Answer 15

Dyes

Shade from tree leaves can reduce home cooling costs

Food

Cordage