UNIT 2 - Research Methods

Question 1

Hindsight bias

Answer 1

“I knew it all along”

Question 2

Critical thinking

Answer 2

Examines assumptions and assesses conclusions

Question 3

Theory

Answer 3

Well-tested explanation

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

Prediction

Question 5

Operational definitions

Answer 5

carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

Question 6

Replication

Answer 6

Repeating research studies to determine the reliability

Question 7

Case study

Answer 7

One person or group studied in depth

Question 8

Naturalistic observation

Answer 8

Observing natural behavior without controlling the situation

Question 9

Survey

Answer 9

Self reported attitudes or behaviors

Question 10

Sampling bias

Answer 10

a flawed sampling process that produces an unrepresentative sample

Question 11

Population

Answer 11

Everyone in the group being studied

Question 12

Random sample

Answer 12

Fair representation as each member has an equal chance of being selected

Question 13

Correlation

Answer 13

Connection

Question 14

Correlation coefficient

Answer 14

Relationship between 2 variables. (Closer to 1 = higher)

Question 15

Scatterplot

Answer 15

a graphical depiction of the relationship between two variables

Question 16

Illusory correlation

Answer 16

the perception of a relationship where none exists

Question 17

Experiment

Answer 17

Investigator manipulates one ore more factors (independent variable) to observe the effect on some behavior or mental process (dependent variable)

Question 18

Experimental group

Answer 18

The group(s) exposed to the treatment

Question 19

Control group

Answer 19

The group not exposed to the treatment

Question 20

Random assignment

Answer 20

Assigning participants to groups by chance

Question 21

Double-blind procedure

Answer 21

Researchers and research participants unaware if there’s a placebo or not

Question 22

Placebo effect

Answer 22

experimental results caused by expectations

Question 23

Independent variable

Answer 23

Manipulated variable being studied

Question 24

Cofounding variable

Answer 24

Variable that might produce an effect

Question 25

Dependent variable

Answer 25

Variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable

Question 26

Validity

Answer 26

the extent to which a test measures or predicts what it is supposed to

Question 27

Descriptive statistics

Answer 27

Numerical data used to measure and describe characteristics of groups

Question 28

Histogram

Answer 28

a bar graph depicting a frequency distribution

Question 29

Mode

Answer 29

most frequently occurring number

Question 30

Mean

Answer 30

Average

Question 31

Median

Answer 31

Middle number

Question 32

Skewed distribution

Answer 32

a representation of scores that lack symmetry around their average value

Question 33

Range

Answer 33

the difference between the highest and lowest number

Question 34

Standard deviation

Answer 34

Measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

Question 35

Normal curve

Answer 35

A symmetrical curve that describes the distribution of many types of data

Question 36

Inferential statistics

Answer 36

numerical data that allow one to generalize

Question 37

Statistical significance

Answer 37

how likely it is that an obtained result occurred by chance

Question 38

Informed consent

Answer 38

Principle that enables participants to choose whether they want to participate

Question 39

Debriefing

Answer 39

Post experimental explanation of a study