psych chapter 1 Flashcards
Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions, rather it examines assumptions, disconcerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.
Critical thinking
The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen.
Hindsight bias
An explanation using an integrated set of principles that organize observations and predicts behaviors or events
Theory
A testable prediction often implied by a theory
Hypothesis
S statement of the procedures used to define research variables.
Operational definition
Repeating the essence of a research study usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether or not the basic findings extend to other participants and circumstances.
Replication
An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles.
Case study
A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.
Survey
The tendency to overestimate the extent to which other share our beliefs and behaviors.
False consensus effect
All the cases in a group for which samples may be drawn for a study
Population
A sample that fairly represents a populations because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.
Random sample
Observing and recording behaviors in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation
Naturalistic observation
A measure to the extent in which two factors vary together, and thus of how each factor effects the other.
Correlation
A graphed cluster of dots, each of which represent the values of two variables.
Scatter plot
The prediction of a relationship where none exist
Illusory correlation
A research method in which the investigator manipulates one or more factors to observe the effect of some behavior or mental processes.
Experiment
An experiment procedure in which both the participant and the staff are both ignorant about whether the participant is receiving a placebo or the real thing.
Double blind procedure
Experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by administration of an inert substance or condition, which is assumed to be an active agent.
Placebo effect
The condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
Experimental condition
The condition of an experiment that contrast the experimental condition and serves as the comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Control condition
Assigning participants to experimental and control conditions by chance, thus minimizing preexisting differences between those assigned to the different groups.
Random assignment
The experimental factor that is manipulated
Independent variable
The outcome factor; the result may change in compliance with the manipulation of the independent variable
Dependent variable
The most frequent occurring scores in distribution
Mode
The arithmetic average
Mean
The middle score
Median
The difference between the highest and the lowest score
Range
A computed measure of how much the scores vary around the mean score
Standard deviation
A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
Statistical significance
The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next
Culture
