Exam 1 (Ch. 1 & 2)

Question 1

Descriptive statistics

Answer 1

calculation that produces a number that summarizes or describes a set of data

Question 2

Inferential statistics

Answer 2

calculations based upon measurements from a sample used to reach a conclusion about a larger unmeasured population

Question 3

Population

Answer 3

all scores of the individuals of interest for investigation; defined by the investigator

Question 4

Sample

Answer 4

scores of a subset of the population; defined by the investigator

Question 5

Parameter

Answer 5

numerical (number) or nominal (categorical) characteristic of a population; constant and usually becomes a variable of interest for research questions

Question 6

Statistic

Answer 6

a numerical or nominal characteristic of a sample; used as an estimate of the population parameter; differs between samples and is variable (changeable)

Question 7

Variable

Answer 7

Any measurable characteristic that varies from one situation to the next

Question 8

(Raw) score

Answer 8

Measurement of a variable

Question 9

Quantitative

Answer 9

amount or degree of the variable; numeric and continuous

Question 10

Interval

Answer 10

intervals between numbers are equal

Question 11

Ratio

Answer 11

has a true zero point

Question 12

Qualitative

Answer 12

categorical characteristic; not continuous or numeric

Question 13

Nominal

Answer 13

reflects membership in groups

Question 14

Ordinal

Answer 14

includes greater or less than relationships

Question 15

Order of Variables

Answer 15

Nominal -> Ordinal -> Interval -> Ratio

Question 16

Experimental

Answer 16

variables are manipulated and their effects on other variables are measured (relationship between)

Question 17

Independent variable (IV)

Answer 17

manipulated

Question 18

Dependent variable (DV)

Answer 18

measured

Question 19

Control group

Answer 19

placebo/fake treatment; for comparison

Question 20

Extraneous variable

Answer 20

uncontrolled/uneliminated variable that can affect outcome

Question 21

Confounding variable

Answer 21

extraneous variable that mirrors IV outcome, making it difficult to determine relationship between IV and DV (frequently seen in human subjects)

Question 22

Raw scores

Answer 22

raw data collected through research; unedited

Question 23

Simple frequency distribution

Answer 23

ordered arrangement of scores that shows frequency

Question 24

Grouped frequency distribution

Answer 24

ordered arrangement of scores condensed into meaningful groups

Question 25

Class intervals

Answer 25

data grouped into equal-sized ranges

Question 26

Abscissa

Answer 26

horizontal axis (X)

Question 27

Ordinate

Answer 27

vertical axis (Y)

Question 28

Frequency polygon

Answer 28

quantitative; intersecting points of axes

Question 29

Histogram

Answer 29

quantitative; similar to bar graph but represents distribution of scores (discrete data/whole numbers); no gaps between bars

Question 30

Bar graph

Answer 30

categories of a qualitative variable; spaces between bars

Question 31

Line graph

Answer 31

relationship between two variables (X & Y); aka scatterplot

Question 32

Bell-shaped

Answer 32

most frequent scores fall around the mean (average); aka normal distribution/normal curve

Question 33

Positive/Right Skewed

Answer 33

frequency scores are low (tail points right)

Question 34

Negative/Left Skewed

Answer 34

frequency scores are high (tail points left)

Question 35

Rectangular

Answer 35

uniform distribution (X values have same frequency)

Question 36

Bimodal

Answer 36

2 humps