Exam 1

Question 1

Mindfulness

Answer 1

Striving for awareness, presence, or purposefulness non-judgmentally and/or engaging deeply in life in all that we do

Question 2

First Instinct Fallacy

Answer 2

The idea that it is best to follow one’s “gut feeling”

Question 3

Availability Heuristic

Answer 3

The estimation of the likelihood of an event by how easily it comes to mind (ex. we are designed to remember the bad so therefore we are most likely to remember the bad/incorrect)

Question 4

Individual Differences

Answer 4

The variations in thoughts, emotions, personality etc.

Question 5

Reciprocal Determinism

Answer 5

The tendency for people to mutually influence each others behavior (ex. mimicking someone’s actions)

Question 6

Naïve Realism

Answer 6

The belief that we see the world exactly as it (i.e. the assumption that “seeing is believing”

Question 7

Confirmation Bias

Answer 7

The tendency to seek evidence that supports ones hypotheses/belief

Question 8

Disconfirmation Bias

Answer 8

The tendency to seek evidence that is inconsistent with the disliked/rejected hypotheses/belief

Question 9

Belief Perserverance

Answer 9

The tendency to stick to ones initial belief even with evidence

Question 10

Scientific Skepticism

Answer 10

The ability to evaluate claims with an open mind, persuasive evidence, and the willingness to change ideas mind

Question 11

Correlation-Causation Fallacy

Answer 11

The idea that “correlation implies causation” in which two events that have a correlation have an established cause-and-effect relationship

Question 12

Principle of Parsimony

Answer 12

The principle that the simplest explanation that can explain the data is to be preferred

Question 13

Heuristics

Answer 13

Referred to as a mental shortcut that allows people to solve problems and make judgements quickly and efficiently (ex. you see an individual wearing a hoodie in a dark alley and you decide to walk faster)

Question 14

Experimental Designs

Answer 14

Refers to how participants are allocated to the different groups in an experiment

Question 15

Hedonic Treadmill

Answer 15

A metaphor for the human tendency to pursue one pleasure after another

Question 16

Base Rate Information

Answer 16

A statistic used to describe the percentage of the population that demonstrates some characteristic

Question 17

P.T. Barnum Effect

Answer 17

Phenomenon that occurs when individuals believe that personality descriptions apply specifically to them (ex. horoscopes, astrology etc.)

Question 18

Falsifiability

Answer 18

Logical possibility that an assertion, theory, and/or hypothesis can be shown to be false

Question 19

Occam’s Razor

Answer 19

The concept that if two explanations account equally well for a phenomenon, one should generally pick the simpler one

Question 20

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 20

Used to describe or summarize the characteristics of a sample or data set (the basic features of the data in a study)

Question 21

Inferential Statistics

Answer 21

Used to try to reach conclusions that extend beyond the immediate data alone (allow to make predictions from the data)

Question 22

Biases

Answer 22

To feel or show an inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something

Question 23

Representative Heuristic

Answer 23

Estimating the likelihood of an event by comparing it to an existing prototype that already exists in one’s mind (ex. police who are looking for a criminal may focus on the black population)

Question 24

Independent Variable

Answer 24

Characteristic of an experiment that is manipulated or changed by the researcher

Question 25

Dependent Variable

Answer 25

The variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment

Question 26

Confound Variable

Answer 26

Factors other than the independent variable that may cause a result

Question 27

Correlation Design

Answer 27

Investigates the relationship between two variables without manipulating them in anyway

Question 28

Illusory Correlation

Answer 28

The phenomenon of perceiving a relationship between variables even when no relationship exists

Question 29

Control Group

Answer 29

The group that does not receive the manipulation or treatment in an experiment

Question 30

Experimental Group

Answer 30

The group that receives the manipulation or treatment in an experiment

Question 31

Random Assignment

Answer 31

Random sorting of a group of people into two separate groups

Question 32

6 Principles of Critical/Scientific Thinking

Answer 32

1. Ruling out Hypothesis
2. Understanding that Correlation is not Causation
3. Falsifiability
4. Replicability
5. Understanding that Extraordinary Claims require Extraordinary Evidence
6. Occam’s Razor