psychology 1-9-15 - Sheet1

Question 1

Hindsight bias

Answer 1

the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all along phenomenon.)

Question 2

Critical thinking

Answer 2

thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Question 3

Theory

Answer 3

an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes and predicts observations.

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

a testable prediction

Question 5

Operational definitions

Answer 5

precise statements of the procedures (operations) used to define independent and dependent variables.

Question 6

Replication

Answer 6

repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances

Question 7

Case study

Answer 7

a descriptive research strategy in which one person is studied in great depth

Question 8

Survey

Answer 8

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of people, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of them.

Question 9

False consensus effect

Answer 9

is the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Question 10

Population

Answer 10

all the cases in a group, from which samples may be drawn for a study.

Question 11

Random sample

Answer 11

a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.

Question 12

Naturalistic observation

Answer 12

involves observing and recording behavior in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate or control the situation.

Question 13

Correlation

Answer 13

a statistical measure that indicates the extent to which two factors vary together and thus how well one factor can be predicted from the other. Correlations can be positive or negative.

Question 14

Scatterplot

Answer 14

a depiction of the relationship between two variables by means of a graphed cluster of dots.

Question 15

Illusory correlation

Answer 15

the false perception of a relationship between two events when none exists.

Question 16

Experiment

Answer 16

a research strategy in which a researcher directly manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) in order to observe their effect on some behavior or mental process (the dependent variables; experiments therefore make it possible to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 17

Placebo

Answer 17

an inert substance or condition that is administered as a test of whether an experimental subjects who mistakenly thinks a treatment

Question 18

Double-blind procedure

Answer 18

a control procedure in which neither the experimenter nor the research subjects are aware of which condition is in effect. It is used to prevent experimenters’ and subjects’ expectations from influencing the results of an experiment.

Question 19

Placebo effect

Answer 19

experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behavior caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which is assumed to be an active agent.

Question 20

Experimental condition

Answer 20

the condition of an experiment that exposes participants to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.

Question 21

Control condition

Answer 21

the condition of an experiment that contrasts with the experimental condition and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.

Question 22

Random assignment

Answer 22

the procedure of assigning subjects to the experimental and control conditions by chance in order to minimize preexisting differences between the groups.

Question 23

Independent variable

Answer 23

the factor being manipulated and tested by the investigator.

Question 24

Dependent variable

Answer 24

the factor being measured by the investigator.

Question 25

Mode

Answer 25

the most frequently occurring score in a distribution; it is the simplest measure of central tendency to determine.

Question 26

Mean

Answer 26

the arithmetic average of a distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.

Question 27

Medians

Answer 27

the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it.

Question 28

Range

Answer 28

a measure of variation computed as the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.

Question 29

Standard deviation

Answer 29

the average amount by which the scores in a distribution deviate around the mean. Because it is based on every score in the distribution

Question 30

Statistical significance

Answer 30

a statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance.

Question 31

Culture

Answer 31

the enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, and traditions shared by a large group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next.