Unit 0 - All Vocab Flashcards
Range
The difference between the highest and lowest score in a set of data
Illusory Correlation
Perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger than actual relationship
Causation
When one trait or behavior tends to cause another
Correlation
When one thing happens because of another
Correlation Coefficient
A statistical index of the relationship between two things (ranges from -1 to +1)
Mode
The most frequently occuring score(s) in a set of data
Median
The middle score in a set of data
Mean
The average number in a set of data
Biopsychosocial Approach
Combines biological, psychological and social-cultural viewpoints
Humanistic Perspective
How we achieve personal growth and self-fulfillment
Psychodynamic Psychology
How behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts
Social-cultural Psychology
How behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures
Evolutionary Perspective
How the natural selection of traits had promoted the survival of genes
Cognitive Psychology
How poeple encode, process, store and retrieve information
Biological Psychology
How the body and brain enable emotions, memories and sensory experiences. How our genes and our environment influence our individual differences.
Behavioral Psychology
How we learn observable responses
Case Study
A descriptive technique in which an individual or group is studied in depth in the hope of revealing universal principles
Naturalistic Observation
A descriptive technique for recording/observing behavior in naturally occuring situations without control or manipulation
Survey
A descriptive technique for obtaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group usually by questioning a random sample
Longitudinal Study
A study of people over their lifetime
Cross-sectional Study
A study of multiple poeple from different ages
Meta Analysis
Combining the results of a number of different reports to create a single, more precise estimate/finding
Experiment
A researcher manipulates one or more variables to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process. Only thing to establish cause and effect through random assignment.
Hawthorne Effect
People will change their behavior when they know they are being observed (tied to naturalistic observation)
Confirmation Bias
The tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our preexisting values, opinions or beliefs.
Self-report Bias
Selective revealing or suppression of information (usually by survey respondents)
Social Desirability Bias
The tendency for survey respondents to answer questions in a way they think will be favorably viewed by others
Hindsight Bias
The tendency to believe - after learning the outcome - one would have foreseen it (“I knew it all along”)
Overconfidence
People tend to be more confident than they are correct
Perceiving Order in Random Events
Random sequences often don’t look random
Informed Assent
Consent process when minor is under 18 (must have parental permission)
Informed Consent
Giving potential participants enough information about a study to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate
Debriefing
Post-experimental explanation of study (purpose and deceptions)
Hypothesis
A testable prediction often based off a theory
Theory
A set of ideas that predicts behaviors and events
Falsifiable
When a hypothesis can be proven false
Operational Definitions
A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures (operations) used in a research study
Replication
Repeating the essence of a research study - different principles and situations - to see whether the basic finding can be reproduced
Dependent Variable
The outcome that is measured
Independent Variable
The factor that is manipulated
Variable
Anything that can vary and is feasible/ethical to measure
Confounding Variable
A factor other than the factor being studied that might influence a studies results
Control Group
The group not exposed to the treatment that serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment
Experimental Group
In an experiment, the group exposed to the treatment
Random Assignment
Assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance
Random Sample
A sample that fairly represents a population because each member has equal chance of inclusion
Population
All those in a group from which samples may be drawn
Sampling Bias
A flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample
Placebo Effect
Experimental results caused by expectation alone - effect from which recipient assumes is an active agent
Double-blind Procedure
Neither the researcher or the participants knows whether they received the treatment or the placebo
Scatterplot
A graphed cluster of dots, each representing the value of two variables. The “slope” suggests correlation
Histogram
A bar graph depicting a frequency distribution
Regression Toward the Mean
The tendency for extreme or unusual scores/events to fall back (regress) toward average
Percentile Rank
The percentage of scores in a distribution that are equal to or lower than a specific score
Effect Size
Measure of meaningfulness in an experiment (How much of an impact?)
Statistical Significance
A statistical statement of how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance
Inferential Statistics
Numerical data allowing one to infer the probability of something being true for a population
Descriptive Statistics
Numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups. Includes measures of central tendency and measures of variation
Skewed Distribution
Scores lacking symmetry around average (positive and negative skew)
Standard Deviation
How much scores vary around the mean score
Normal Curve
A symmetrical, bell shaped curve
