chapter 8-9 vocab terms

Question 1

bivariate correlation

Answer 1

an association that involves exactly two variables (bivariate association)

Question 2

effect size

Answer 2

the magnitudes or strength of a relationship between two or more variables

Question 3

statistically significant

Answer 3

the conclusion assigned when p<0.05 that is, when it is unlikely the result came from the null hypothesis population

Question 4

replication

Answer 4

the process of conducting a study again to test whether the result is consistent

Question 5

restriction of range

Answer 5

in a bivariate correlation, the absence of a full range of possible scores on one of the variables, to the relationship from the sample underestimates the true correlation

Question 6

curvilinear association

Answer 6

an association between two variables which is not a straight line; instead as one variable increase, the level of the other variable increases and then decreases (and vice versa)

Question 7

directionality problem

Answer 7

in a correlational study, the occurrence of both variables being measured around the same time, making it unclear which variable in the association came first

Question 8

third-variable problem

Answer 8

in a correlational study, the existence of a plausible alternative explanation for the association between two variables

Question 9

spurious association

Answer 9

a bivariate association that is attributable only to systematic mean differences in subgroups within the sample; the original association is not present within the subgroups

Question 10

moderator

Answer 10

a variable that, depending on its level, changes the relationship between two other variables

Question 11

outlier

Answer 11

a score that stands out as either much higher or much lower than most of the other scores in a sample

Question 12

multivariate design

Answer 12

a study designed to test an association involving more than two measured variables

Question 13

longitudinal design

Answer 13

a study in which the same variables are measured in the same people at different points in time

Question 14

cross-sectional correlation

Answer 14

in a longitudinal design, a correlation between two variables that are measured at the same time

Question 15

autocorrelation

Answer 15

in a longitudinal design, the correlation of one variable with itself, measured at two different times

Question 16

cross-lag correlation

Answer 16

In a longitudinal design, a correlation between an earlier measure of one variable and a later measure of another variable

Question 17

multiple regression

Answer 17

a statistical technique that computes the relationship between a predictor variable and a criterion variable, controlling for other predictor variables

Question 18

control for

Answer 18

holding a potential third variable at a constant level while investigating the association between two other variables

Question 19

criterion variable

Answer 19

the variable in a multiple-regression analysis that the researchers are most interested in understanding or prediciting

Question 20

predictor variable

Answer 20

a variable in multiple regression analysis that is used to explain variance in the criterion variable

Question 21

parsimony

Answer 21

the degree to which a theory provides the simplest explanation of some phenomenon. In the context of investigating a claim, the simplest explanation of a pattern of data; the best explanation that requires making the fewest exceptions or qualification

Question 22

mediator

Answer 22

a variable that helps explain the relationship between two other variables

Question 23

multivariate design

Answer 23

a study designed to test an association involving more than two measured variables

Question 24

longitudinal design

Answer 24

a study in which the same variables are measured in the same people at different points in time.

Question 25

cross-sectional correlation

Answer 25

In a longitudinal design, a correlation between two variables that are measured at the same time.

Question 26

autocorrelation

Answer 26

In a longitudinal design, the correlation of one variable with itself is measured at two different times.

Question 27

cross-lag correlation

Answer 27

In a longitudinal design, a correlation between an earlier measure of one variable and a later measure of another variable

Question 28

multiple regression

Answer 28

a statistical technique that computes the relationship between a predictor variable and a criterion variable, controlling for other predictor variables

Question 29

control for

Answer 29

holding a potential third at a constant level while investigating the association between two other variables

Question 30

criterion variable

Answer 30

the variable in a multiple regression analysis that the researchers are most interested in understanding or predicting (dependent variable)

Question 31

predictor variable

Answer 31

a variable in multiple-regression analysis that is used to explain variance in the criterion variable (independent variable)

Question 32

parisomony

Answer 32

the degree to which a theory provides the simplest explanation of some phenomenon. In the context of investigating a claim, the simplest explanation of a pattern of data; the best explanation that requires making the fewest exception or qualification

Question 33

mediator

Answer 33

a variable that helps explain the relationship between two other variables (mediating variable)