Unit 1: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science

Question 1

Hindsight biased

Answer 1

The tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it

Question 2

Critical thinking

Answer 2

Thinking that one 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 observations and predicts behaviors and events

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

A testable prediction, often implied by a theory

Question 5

Operational definition

Answer 5

A statement of the procedures (operations) used to define research 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

An observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in hope of revealing universal principles

Question 8

Survey

Answer 8

A technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of a group

Question 9

Population

Answer 9

All cases in a group being studied from which samples may be drawn

Question 10

Random sample

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Naturalistic observations

Answer 11

Job serving and recording behavior is naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation

Question 12

Correlation

Answer 12

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and thus how well either factor predicts the other

Question 13

Correlation coefficient

Answer 13

A statistical index of the relationship between two things

From -1 to +1

Question 14

Scatter plot

Answer 14

A graphed cluster of dots with the amount of scatter suggesting the strength of correlation

Question 15

Illusory correlation

Answer 15

The perception of a relationship where none exists

Question 16

Experiment

Answer 16

Research method in which (a) factor(s) are manipulated (independent variable) to observe the effect on behavior or mental processes (dependent variable)

Question 17

Random assignment

Answer 17

Assigning participants to an experimental or control group by chance

Question 18

Double-blind procedure

Answer 18

Experimental procedure in which the researcher and participants don’t know which participants were assigned the treatment of the placebo

Question 19

Placebo effect

Answer 19

Experimental results cause by expectations alone

Question 20

Experimental group

Answer 20

Group that exposed to the treatment

Question 21

Control group

Answer 21

The group that is not exposed to the treatment

Question 22

Independent variable

Answer 22

Experimental factor that is manipulated

Question 23

Dependent variable

Answer 23

The out come; response

Question 24

Mode

Answer 24

Most frequently occurring

Question 25

Mean

Answer 25

Arithmetic average

Question 26

Median

Answer 26

Middle score in a distribution

Question 27

Range

Answer 27

Difference between the highest and lowest score

Question 28

Standard deviation

Answer 28

Computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean

Question 29

Normal curve

Answer 29

Symmetrical bell shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data

Question 30

Statistical significance

Answer 30

How likely it is that a result occurred by chance

Question 31

Culture

Answer 31

Behaviors, ideas, attitudes and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next