STUDY GUIDE

Question 1

Variable

Answer 1

Anything that can change (opinion)(answer)

Question 2

Population

Answer 2

A group on which data is being gathered and analyzed
(Population will always be bigger than sample)

Question 3

Sample

Answer 3

A selection (subset) of data from a larger group of data, (called the population)

Question 4

Inferential statistics

Answer 4

How accurately can we use a sample to make conclusions about a population

Question 4

Descriptive statistics

Answer 4

Summarizing and describing the data

Question 5

Sampling error

Answer 5

Specific things that can be pointed out in the graph

Question 6

Discrete observations

Answer 6

Separate scores with no values in between
(ex. number of cars in a household)

Question 7

Continuous observations

Answer 7

Infinite number of possible values fall between any two scores
(ex. weight, time taken to run a mile)

Question 8

Correlational research

Answer 8

Looks at how two things relate without any experimental manipulation.
(ex. looks at life as it happens)

Question 9

Experimental research

Answer 9

Experimenter has control and manipulation over variable.

Question 10

Independent variable

Answer 10

ex. Type of music
levels: Billie Eilish, Beyonce, Beethoven

Question 11

Dependent variable

Answer 11

ex. The amount of words remembered after 15 minutes

Question 12

Confounding variable

Answer 12

Variables where levels change with the levels of independent variable.
Researcher is unable conclude what led to the differences in results.

Question 13

Random assignment

Answer 13

Every participant has an equal chance of being in each group/condition.
Ensures that there are no existing differences between groups.

Question 14

Random sampling

Answer 14

Every member of the population has an equal chance of being in the sample

Question 15

Convenience sampling

Answer 15

Form a sampling from subjects who are readily available

Question 16

Volunteer sample

Answer 16

Specific type of convenience sample where the subject selects themselves to be in the study
(“self selection”)

Question 17

Generalizability and external validity

Answer 17

-Same thing
Can we take what we have learned about the sample and apply it to the population. Achieved through good sampling techniques.

Question 18

Matching

Question 19

Levels of an independent variable

Question 20

Control condition

Answer 20

Researchers must have “control” over their groups/conditions/manipulation

Question 21

Experimental condition

Answer 21

Studying the effects of 2 different pain medications of headaches, I may give people who have headaches either Tylenol or Bayer

Question 22

Non-experimental condition

Question 23

Operational definition

Answer 23

Construct: a characteristic that cannot be directly observed but is useful for describing and explaining behavior
Identifies how a construct will be measured

Question 24

Reliability

Answer 24

If its reliable its consistent

Question 25

Validity

Answer 25

If a study is generalizable, it is externally valid

Question 26

Between subjects

Answer 26

If we compare two (or more) different groups in our experiment. It is between subjects

Question 27

Within Subjects

Answer 27

If we compare the same group doing two (or more) different things
It is within subjects

Question 28

Symmetrical distribution

Question 29

Positively skewed distribution

Answer 29

Highest on left and lowest right

Question 30

Negatively skewed distribution

Answer 30

Highest on left and lowest on right

Question 31

Ceiling effect

Answer 31

When scores cannot go any higher due to some constraint

Question 32

Floor effect

Answer 32

When scores can’t go any lower due to some constraint

Question 33

Nominal

Question 34

Ordinal

Question 34

Ratio

Question 35

Interval

Question 36

Histogram

Answer 36

Key parts: numerical data on the bottom
From the x of frequency distribution table frequencies on the side.

Question 37

Frequency distribution table

Answer 37

X is the score, f is how many scores occurred at each value (the frequency)

Question 38

Grouped frequency distribution table

Answer 38

Approximately 10 intervals is best. Interval size should be easy to deal with (like 1,2,5,10)

Question 39

Polygon

Answer 39

Same organization as a histogram
Should only be used for continuous variables

Question 40

Bar Graph

Question 41

Scatterplot

Answer 41

Compare two numerical variables
Each dot is a pair of data from your subject