Unit 2 - Flashcards
hindsight bias
the tendency to
believe, after learning an outcome,
that one would have foreseen it.
(Also known as the I-knew-it-all-
along phenomenon.)
critical thinking
thinking that
does not blindly accept arguments
and conclusions. Rather, it
examines assumptions, assesses
the source, discerns hidden values,
evaluates evidence, and assesses
conclusions.
theory
an explanation using an
integrated set of principles that
organizes observations and predicts
behaviors or events.
hypothesis
a testable prediction,
often implied by a theory.
operational definition
a carefully
worded statement of the exact
procedures (operations) used in a
research study. For example, human
intelligence may be operationally
defined as what an intelligence test
measures.
replication
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.
case study
a descriptive
technique in which one individual
or group is studied in depth in
the hope of revealing universal
principles.
naturalistic observation
observing and recording behavior
in naturally occurring situations
without trying to manipulate and
control the situation.
survey
a technique for
ascertaining the self-reported
attitudes or behaviors of a particular
group, usually by questioning a
representative, random sample of
the group.
sampling bias
a flawed
sampling process that produces an
unrepresentative sample.
population
all those in a group
being studied, from which samples
may be drawn. (Note: Except for
national studies, this does not refer
to a country’s whole population.)
random sample
a sample that
fairly represents a population
because each member has an equal
chance of inclusion.
correlation
a measure of the
extent to which two variables
change together, and thus of how
well either variable predicts the
other.
correlation coefficient
a statistical
index of the relationship between two
variables (from -1.0 to +1.0).
scatterplot
a graphed cluster of
dots, each of which represents the
values of two variables. The slope
of the points suggests the direction
of the relationship between the
two variables. The amount of
scatter suggests the strength of the
correlation (little scatter indicates
high correlation).
illusory correlation
the
perception of a relationship where
none exists.
experiment
a research method in
which an investigator manipulates
one or more factors (independent
variables) to observe the effect on
some behavior or mental process
(the dependent variable). By
random assignment of participants,
the experimenter aims to control
other relevant variables.
experimental group
in an
experiment, the group exposed to
the treatment, that is, to one version
of the independent variable.
control group
in an experiment,
the group not exposed to the
treatment; contrasts with the
experimental group and serves as
a comparison for evaluating the
effect of the treatment.
random assignment
assigning
participants to experimental and
control groups by chance, thus
minimizing preexisting differences
between the different groups.
double-blind procedure
an
experimental procedure in which
both the research participants and
the research staff are ignorant
(blind) about whether the research
participants have received the
treatment or a placebo. Commonly
used in drug-evaluation studies.
placebo effect
experimental results caused by
expectations alone; any effect
on behavior caused by the
administration of an inert substance
or condition, which the recipient
assumes is an active agent.
independent variable
the
experimental factor that is
manipulated; the variable whose
effect is being studied.
confounding variable
a factor
other than the independent variable
that might produce an effect in an
experiment.
