Unit 2

Question 1

Hindsight bias

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Critical thinking

Answer 2

thinking that doesn’t blindly accept arguments/conclusions.

it examines: assumptions, assess source, discerns values, evidence, assess conclusions

Question 3

theory

Answer 3

explanation using integrated set of principles that organizes observations + predicts behaviors/events

Question 4

hypothesis

Answer 4

testable prediction, often implied by theory

Question 5

operational definition

Answer 5

carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in research

Question 6

replication

Answer 6

repeating essence of research study, usually with different participants in different situations to see if results vary

Question 7

case study

Answer 7

descriptive technique in which one individual/group study in depth in hope of revealing universal principles

Question 8

naturalistic observation

Answer 8

observing/recording behavior in natural situations without manipulating/controlling the situation

Question 9

survey

Answer 9

technique finding self-reported attitudes/behaviors of a group

• questioning representative
• random sample

Question 10

sampling bias

Answer 10

flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

Question 11

population

Answer 11

A group being studied from which samples may be drawn

Question 12

Random sample

Answer 12

sample that fairly represents a population because each member has equal chance of being apart of study

Question 13

correlation

Answer 13

measure extent which 2 variables change together and either variable predicts other

Question 14

correlation coefficient

Answer 14

statistical index of relationship between two variables

Question 15

scatterplot

Answer 15

graphed cluster of dots which represent the values of two variables
- slope of points suggest direction of relationship between two variables
amount of scatter suggests strength of correlation (low correlation=high correlation)

Question 16

illusory correlation

Answer 16

perception of relationship where none exists

Question 17

experiment

Answer 17

research method which investigator manipulates one+ factors to observe effect on some behavior/mental processes

Question 18

experimental group

Answer 18

Group exposed to treatment, that is, one version of independent variable

Question 19

Control group

Answer 19

Group not exposed to treatment, serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of treatment

Question 20

random assignment

Answer 20

assigning participants to experimental/control groups by chance

Question 21

double-blind procedure

Answer 21

experimental procedures which both research participants/research staff are blind about whether research participants have received treatment

Question 22

placebo

Answer 22

experimental results caused by expectations alone; think it works due to your mind believing it does

Question 23

independent variable

Answer 23

experimental factor is manipulated; variable whose effect is being studied

Question 24

confounding variable

Answer 24

Factor other than independent variable that might produce an effect in experiment

Question 25

dependent variable

Answer 25

outcome factor; variable may change in response to independent variable

Question 26

validity

Answer 26

extent to which test/experiment measures/predicts what it is supposed to

Question 27

descriptive statistics

Answer 27

number data used to measure/describe characteristics of groups
-includes measures of central tendency/variation

Question 28

histogram

Answer 28

bar graph depicting frequency distribution

Question 29

mode

Answer 29

most frequent score

Question 30

mean

Answer 30

average of numbers

Question 31

median

Answer 31

middle score

Question 32

skewed distribution

Answer 32

representation of scores that lack symmetry around average value

Question 33

range

Answer 33

difference between highest and lowest score

Question 34

standard deviation

Answer 34

computed measure of how much scores vary around mean score

Question 35

normal curve and

Answer 35

symmetrical shape that describes distribution of many types of data

Question 36

inferential statistics

Answer 36

number data that allows one to generalize and infer sample data from likelihood of something being true of a population

Question 37

statistical significance

Answer 37

statistical statement of how likely that a result occurred by chance

Question 38

culture

Answer 38

enduring behaviors, ideas,values and traditions shared by a group of people

Question 39

informed consent

Answer 39

ethical principle that research participants are told enough to enable them to choose whether they want to join

Question 40

debriefing

Answer 40

post experimental explanation of a study, includes its purpose and any deceptions to participants to