Midterm

Question 1

Psychophysics

Answer 1

the study of how changes in physical stimuli are translated into psychological experience.
psycho=internal impression
physics= external world

Question 2

Central Tendency

Answer 2

descriptive statistics indicating the center of the distribution.
mean=ΣX/n
median= once scores on in order the middle # is the median.
mode= most frequent # in set
mean geometric= x1x2x3…=

Question 3

Parametric Statistical

Answer 3

tests make assumptions about the underlying population parameters of the samples on which the test were performed.

Question 4

Operational Definitions

Answer 4

describe the procedures used to produce a concept and allow us to communicate successfully about the concepts we are studying.

Question 5

Method of Adjustment

Answer 5

start below the threshold to find just what you can hear. Down to up and back down. Just hearing vs just don’t
Not very accurate

Question 6

Method of Limits

Answer 6

in order to measure a subjects perception of a stimuli. A stimulus is presented in an ascending/ descending pattern of ADDA. Threshold is found when individual switches from “yes” to “no” or “no” to “yes”.

Question 7

Method of constant

Answer 7

Most precise. Present each of the stimuli in random order

Question 8

Staircase Method

Answer 8

concentrated responses around the threshold. For the first trial it is similar to the method of limits. Once the estimate of threshold is found, the stimuli are never presented far from the estimate.

Question 9

Difference Threshold

Answer 9

the minimum amount of stimulus change required to produce a sensation difference.
are based on relative judgements, in which a constant unchanging comparison stimulus judged relative to a series of changing stimuli.
Ex: lifting a pair of weights- one weight always remains the same- observer judges if new weight is “heavier, lighter, or equal” to the standard weight.

Question 10

Error Bars

Answer 10

show the limits of where the mean will be if the experiment is ran again.
If the error bars overlap, it is unlikely the experiment is significant.

Question 11

Fechner

Answer 11

the physical world is separate from psychological world (stimulus –> response)

Question 12

Semi-interquartile Range

Answer 12

Used when the distribution is not normal. Measures the variability by dividing a data set into quantiles. Q3-Q1

Question 13

Central Limit Therum

Answer 13

as “n” goes up the distribution gets narrow and normal/

Question 14

Weber’s Law

Answer 14

is important because it tells us what we need to know about the environment.
In very weak and very strong conditions Weber’s law does not work.
Ratio’s always stay the same.

DL/S=K

DL=Difference Limen
S=Standard stimulus
K=Constancy

Question 15

Scientific Method

Answer 15

fixed belief on the base of experiences.

• State a problem
• Formulate a hypothesis
• Test an experiment
• Outcome

Question 16

3 Goals of Research

Answer 16

Description ———-> Observational Research
Prediction ————> Correlational Research
Control Inter-causality —-> Experimental Research
(Manipulating the variables)

Question 17

Types of Measurements

Answer 17

Nominal-Qualitative. measures the difference ex: male female, Zip codes, undergrad programs. Categorical
Ordinal- measures differences and magnitudes. Ranks/ In order
Interval- properties of difference, magnitude, and equal intervals
Ratio- all four properties difference, magnitude, equal interval and meaningful zero.

Question 18

Properties of measurement scales

Answer 18

Difference- ex temps are colder/ warmer or ex male and female
Magnitude- scale can show that one attribute is grater than or less than
Equal Interval- ex: a 1lb difference between 2 weights is the same when considering 1 lb vs 2 lbs or 70 lbs vs 71 lbs
True zero- a zero on the scale that indicates nothing of the attribute being measure exists.

Question 19

Just-noticeable difference

Answer 19

is the internal sensation of change when it is just noticeable. Ex: a room getting gradually lighter the moment you notice the change of the rooms light

Question 20

Interval of uncertainty

Answer 20

the difference between the higher and lower threshold in the calculation of the difference threshold.

Question 21

Point of subjective Equality

Answer 21

is the mean of the upper and lower threshold

Question 22

Error of Expectation

Answer 22

expecting to hear change so the response is “I’m expecting to hear… so yes I hear it”

Question 23

Error of Habituation

Answer 23

When you make a response of hearing that is beyond what can be heard

Question 24

Counterbalancing

Answer 24

is used to avoid the introduction of confounding variables. Controls the order effects

Question 25

3 Standard Deviations

Answer 25

SD of a sample = SQRT of Σ(M-X)2 / N-1
SD of a population = SQRT of Σ(M-X)2 / N
SEM= Est SD of population/ SQRT N

Question 26

Absolute Mean Deviation

Answer 26

AD= Σ | x - µ | / N

Question 27

Absolute Limen (threshold)

Answer 27

is the smallest level of energy required by an external stimulus to be detectable by the human senses, including vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch.

Question 28

Confounding

Answer 28

when more than one independent variable is simultaneously varied so that it is unsure which variable is responsible for the outcome.

For example, if you are researching whether lack of exercise leads to weight gain, lack of exercise is your independent variable and weight gain is your dependent variable. Confounding variables are any other variable that also has an effect on your dependent variable.

Question 29

Interaction

Answer 29

event that occurs when the effects of one independent variable are not identical across different levels of other independent variables

Question 30

Deduction

Answer 30

reasoning proceeds from a general theory to particular data

Question 31

Induction

Answer 31

reasoning proceeds from particular data to a general theory.