psych stats

Question 1

2 BRANCHES OF STATISTICS

Answer 1

DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
and
INFERENTIAL STATISTICS

Question 2

Use sample data to make general estimates about the larger population
infer, or make an intelligent guess about the population

Answer 2

inferential statistics

Question 3

Organize, summarize, and communicate a group of numerical observations
Describes large number of data in a single number or in just as few numbers

Answer 3

descriptive statistics

Question 4

A set of observations drawn
from the population if interest.

Answer 4

sample

Question 5

Includes all possible
observations about which we’d
like to know something

Answer 5

population

Question 6

finding something that needs explaining
“ Why are there many problematic personalities in reality shows like Big Brother?

Answer 6

Initial observation

Question 7

Theory: (1)People with narcissistic personality disorder are more likely to audition
for Big Brother than those without.
(2) Producers will more likely select people with narcissistic personality to
be contestants than those with less extreme personalities
hypothesis testing

Answer 7

Generating theories and testing them

Question 8

3 types of variables

Answer 8

independent, dependent, confounding

Question 8

When we collect data we need to decide on two things:
(1) what to measure
(2) how to measure it.
Hypothesis Testing

Answer 8

Data Collection to Test theory

Question 9

has at least two levels that we either manipulate
or observe to determine its effects on the dependent variable

Answer 9

independent variable

Question 10

is the outcome variable that we hypothesize to be
related to, or caused by, changes in the independent variable.

Answer 10

dependent variable

Question 11

is any variable that systematically varies with the
independent variable so that we cannot logically determine which variable
is at work.

Answer 11

A confounding variable

Question 12

In experimental work the cause, or independent variable, is a

Answer 12

predictor

Question 13

the effect, or dependent variable, is simply

Answer 13

an outcome

Question 14

Can take only specific values; no other
values can exist between these numbers
 Example:
If we measure the number of times a study
participants gets up early in a particular week,
the only possible values would be whole
numbers. It is reasonable to assume that each
participant could get up early 0 to 7 times in
any given week, but not 1.6 or 5.92 times

Answer 14

discrete observations

Question 15

Observations of physical, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics that can on
different values.
 Behavioral scientists often study abstract variables such as motivation, self-
esteem and attitudes

Answer 15

variables

Question 16

2 types of discrete observation

Answer 16

nominal and ordinal variable

Question 17

2 types of continuous observation

Answer 17

interval and ratio variables

Question 18

Use for observation that have categories or
names as their values

Answer 18

nominal variables

Question 19

Are observations that have rankings (i.e. 1st, 2nd , 3rd,
…) as their values

Answer 19

ordinal variables

Question 20

Can take a full range of values; an infinite number of
potential values exists.
 Example:
One person might complete a task in 12.389 seconds.
Someone else might complete it in 14.740 seconds. Limited only by the number of
decimal places we choose to use

Answer 20

CONTINUOUS VARIABLES

Question 21

Are used for observations that have numbers as their values; the distance between pairs of consecutive number is assume to be equal.
 Examples: temperature, IQ, SAT/ACT test scores

Answer 21

INTERVAL VARIABLES

Question 22

There will often be a discrepancy between the
numbers we use to represent the thing we’re
measuring and the actual value of the thing
we’re measuring (i.e. the value we would get if
we could measure it directly). This discrepancy
is known as

Answer 22

measurement error

Question 23

Are variables that meet the criteria for interval variables but also have meaningful
zero points.
 Examples: weight, height

Answer 23

Ratio variables

Question 24

What do you call this example? Imagine that you know as an absolute truth that you weight 83 kg. One day you step on the bathroom scales and it says 80 kg. There is a difference of 3 kg between your actual weight and the weight given by your measurement tool (the scales): there is a measurement error of 3 kg Although properly calibrated bathroom scales should produce only very small measurement errors (despite what we might want to believe when it says we have gained 3 kg), self-report measures do produce measurement error because factors other than the one you’re trying to measure will influence how people respond to our measures.

Answer 24

measurement error

Question 25

One way to try to ensure that measurement error is kept to a minimum is to determine properties of the measure that give us confidence that it is doing its job properly

Answer 25

reliability and validity

Question 26

refers to whether an instrument measures what it was designed to measure

Answer 26

validity

Question 27

refers to the consistency of a measure

Answer 27

reliability

Question 28

necessary but not sufficient condition of a measure.

Answer 28

validity

Question 29

is the process of drawing conclusions about whether a particular relation between variables is supported by the evidence

Answer 29

hypothesis testing

Question 29

Social scientists use research to test their ideas through a specific statistics-based process called

Answer 29

hypothesis testing

Question 30

specifies the operations or procedures used to measure or manipulate a variable.  Example: How do we operationalize anxiety?

Answer 30

operational definition

Question 31

Data Collection Research Methods

Answer 31

Correlational Research Methods and Experimental Research Methods

Question 32

also called as cross-sectional research

Answer 32

correlational research

Question 33

(where we manipulate one variable to see its effect on another) is that experimentation involves the direct manipulation of variables.

Answer 33

experimental research

Question 33

(where we observe what naturally goes on in the world without directly interfering with it

Answer 33

correlational research

Question 34

is a process used in experiments to assign participants to different groups (e.g., treatment and control groups) in a way that each participant has an equal chance of being placed in any group. This helps ensure that the groups are similar in all respects before the treatment or intervention is applied.

Answer 34

random assignment

Question 35

participants experience one, and only one, level of the independent variable.

Answer 35

between-groups research design

Question 36

variable that is manipulated

Answer 36

independent variable

Question 36

the different levels of the independent variable are experienced by all participants in the study; also called a repeated-measures design.

Answer 36

within-groups research design

Question 37

variable that is being measured

Answer 37

dependent variable

Question 37

The company randomly assigns half of the employees to Training Program A and the other half to Training Program B. They compare performance after the training.

Answer 37

Between-Groups Design:

Question 37

All employees complete both Training Program A and Training Program B, but in a randomized order. Each employee’s performance is compared after each training session to see which program is more effective.

Answer 37

Within-Groups Design

Question 37

The basic ingredients of a data set are called the

Answer 37

Raw scores

Question 38

in a within-groups research design, the different levels of the independent variable are experienced by all participants in the study also called

Answer 38

repeated measures design

Question 39

data that have not yet been transformed or analyzed

Answer 39

raw scores

Question 40

which describes the pattern of a set of numbers by displaying a count or proportion for each possible value of a variable

Answer 40

frequency distribution

Question 41

is a visual depiction of data that shows how often each value occurred, that is, how many scores were at each value. Once organized, the data can be displayed as a grouped frequency table, a frequency histogram, or a frequency polygon. These four methods of visually organizing data represent the basic tools in a statistician’s toolbox.

Answer 41

frequency table

Question 41

Determine the highest score and the lowest score.

Answer 41

1st step in creating frequency table

Question 42

Create two columns: the first is labeled with the variable name, and the second is labeled “frequency.”

Answer 42

2nd step creating frequency table

Question 43

List the full range of values that encompasses all the scores in the data set from highest to lowest. Include all values in the range, even those for which the frequency is 0.

Answer 43

3rd step creating frequency table

Question 44

Count the number of scores at each value, and write those numbers in the frequency column

Answer 44

4th step in creating frequency table

Question 45

measures the fraction of the total group that is associated with each score.

Answer 45

proportion

Question 46

measures that describe the distribution of scores and can be incorporated into the table.

Answer 46

proportion and percentage

Question 47

Because proportions describe the frequency (f) in relation to the total number (N), they often are called

Answer 47

relative frequencies

Question 48

associated with each score, you first find the proportion (p) and then multiply by100:

Answer 48

percentage

Question 49

is a visual depiction of data that reports the frequencies within a given interval rather than the frequencies for a specific value.

Answer 49

a grouped frequency table

Question 50

A fitness researcher is investigating the relationship between exercise habits and health outcomes. They collect data from 500 participants on how many hours per week they exercise and their blood pressure levels. The manager calculates the average customer satisfaction score from a scale of 1 to 10 based on the survey results. The manager also groups the satisfaction scores to see how many customers rated their experience between 1-3, 4-6, and 7-10. Based on this sample of 200 customers, the manager estimates that 80% of all future customers will likely rate their satisfaction above 7. The manager performs a test to see if there’s a significant difference in customer satisfaction between lunch and dinner service times

Answer 50

Inferential statistics

Question 51

A restaurant manager collects feedback from 200 customers about their dining experience over the past month. The manager wants to both summarize the feedback and make decisions about possible improvements. The researcher calculates the median number of exercise hours per week for all participants. The researcher estimates that individuals who exercise more than 5 hours a week are likely to have lower blood pressure in the general population. The researcher creates a graph showing the distribution of exercise hours among participants, indicating how many participants exercise 1-3 hours, 4-6 hours, etc. The researcher performs a statistical test to determine whether people who exercise at least 5 hours a week have significantly lower blood pressure than those who exercise less.

Answer 51

descriptive statistics

Question 52

the ability of the measure to produce the same results under the same conditions. To be valid must be ___

Answer 52

Reliability