Introductory Terms

Question 1

Mental Process

Answer 1

The performance of cognitive activity

Question 2

Cognition

Answer 2

The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understand through thought, experience, and the senses.

Question 3

Behaviour

Answer 3

The way in which one acts and conducts oneself.

Question 4

Empirical Evidence

Answer 4

Evidence acquired from observation and experimentation.

Question 5

Independent variable

Answer 5

A variable that does not depend on another variable.

Question 6

Dependent variable

Answer 6

A variable whose value depends on that of another variable.

Question 7

Treatment group

Answer 7

A set of participants in a research study that are exposed to some manipulation or an intentional change (in the independent variable of the study).

Question 8

Control group

Answer 8

A set of participants in a research study that receive standard treatment, not experimental treatment.

Question 9

Causation

Answer 9

The empirical relation between two variables such that change in one brings about change in the other.

Question 10

Correlation

Answer 10

A statistical measurement of a relationship between two variables.

Question 11

Extraneous variable

Answer 11

Any variable that is not being investigated but potentially affects the outcome of the study.

Question 12

Negative correlation

Answer 12

A relationship between two variables where an increase in one variable brings about a decrease in the other.

Question 13

Positive correlation

Answer 13

A relationship between two variables where an increase in one variable brings about an increase in the other.

Question 14

Phenomenon

Answer 14

An event that has been observed and considered factual, but whose cause is considered unknown or not well researched.

Question 15

Bidirectional ambiguity

Answer 15

A situation where the direction of the correlation is unknown.

Question 16

Laboratory experiment

Answer 16

An experiment conducted under highly controlled conditions where accurate measurements are possible.

Question 17

Conformity

Answer 17

The process whereby people change their beliefs, attitudes, actions, or perceptions to more closely match those held by groups to which they belong.

Question 18

Bystanderism

Answer 18

When an individual is less likely to help someone in an emergency situation when there are lots of other bystanders present.

Question 19

Spurious correlation

Answer 19

A situation in which variables are associated. through their common relationship with one or more other variables but do not have a causal relationship with one another.

Question 20

Illusory correlation

Answer 20

In psychology, illusory correlation isthe phenomenon of perceiving a relationship between variables (typically people, events, or behaviors) even when no such relationship exists.

Question 21

Bidirectional Ambiguity

Answer 21

It is impossible to know if x causes y, y causes x, if they interact to cause behavior

Question 22

High heuristic validity

Answer 22

Can be applied in many practical ways.

Question 23

Participant Variable

Answer 23

When individual characteristics of the participant affect their behavior in an experiment.

Question 24

Confounding variable

Answer 24

A variable that affected the research findings that the researchers find out about after the experiment.