Psychology Unit 1 Vocabulary

Question 1

Psychology

Answer 1

The scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context.

Question 2

Hindsight Bias

Answer 2

The tendency to believe, after learning the outcome, that you knew it all along.

Question 3

Overconfidence

Answer 3

The tendency to think we know more than we do.

Question 4

Barnum Effect

Answer 4

The tendency for people to accept very general or vague characterizations of themselves and take them to be accurate.

Question 5

Applied Research

Answer 5

Research with clear, practical applications.

Question 6

Basic Research

Answer 6

Research which explores questions that you may be curious about, but not intended to be immediately used.

Question 7

Hypothesis

Answer 7

Expresses a relationship between two variables.

Question 8

Independent Variable

Answer 8

Whatever is being manipulated in the experiment.

Question 9

Dependent Variable

Answer 9

Whatever is being measured in the experiment.

Question 10

Operational Definition

Answer 10

Explain what you mean in your hypothesis.

Question 11

Sampling

Answer 11

The population you want to study.

Question 12

Experimental Method

Answer 12

Trying to prove cause & effect.

Question 13

Confounding Variable

Answer 13

Anything that could cause change in B, that is not A.

Question 14

Hawthorne Effect

Answer 14

Just the fact that you know you are in an experiment can cause change.

Question 15

Experimental Bias

Answer 15

An outcome that is a result of the preconceived ideas of the researcher.

Question 16

Correlational Method

Answer 16

Expresses a relationship between two variables but does not show causation.

Question 17

Positive Correlation

Answer 17

Variables go in the same direction.

Question 18

Negative Correlation

Answer 18

Variables go in different directions.

Question 19

Naturalistic Observation

Answer 19

Study by watching subjects in their natural environment.

Question 20

Correlation Coefficient

Answer 20

A number that measures the strength of a relationship.

Question 21

Case Study

Answer 21

A study that provides a detailed picture of one or a few subjects.

Question 22

Descriptive Statistics

Answer 22

Statistics that describe a set of data.

Question 23

Central Tendency

Answer 23

Mean, Median, and Mode.

Question 24

Z Score

Answer 24

A unit that measures the distance of one score from the mean.

Question 25

Inferential Statistics

Answer 25

The purpose of this type of data is to discover whether the finding can be applied to the larger population from which the sample was collected.

Question 26

Critical Thinking

Answer 26

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions. Rather. it examines assumptions, uncovers hidden values, weighs evidence, and assesses conclusions.

Question 27

Culture

Answer 27

The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values and traditions shared by a group of people handed down from one generation to the next.

Question 28

Double-blind Procedure

Answer 28

A procedure in which participants and research staff are ignorant (blind) about who has received the treatment or placebo.

Question 29

Nature-Nurture issue

Answer 29

A controversy over the relative influence of genes and experience in the development of psychological traits and behaviors.

Question 30

Population

Answer 30

All those in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn.