Unit Zero Terms

For AP Psych

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one would have predicted or expected the outcome.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables.

Operational Definitions

A clear, precise, and measurable definition of a variable or concept in a study.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment, serving as a baseline for comparison.

Case Study

An in-depth analysis of an individual, group, event, or situation to explore causation and underlying principles.

Naturalistic Observation

A research method where subjects are observed in their natural environment without researcher interference.

Survey

A research method that collects data from a large number of respondents through questionnaires or interviews.

Social Desirability Bias

The tendency of respondents to answer questions in a way that will be viewed favorably by others.

Sampling Bias

A bias that occurs when the sample chosen is not representative of the population, leading to skewed results.

Random Sample

A sampling method where every individual in the population has an equal chance of being selected.

Illusory Correlation

The perception of a relationship between two variables when no such relationship exists.

Random Assignment

The process of assigning participants to different groups by chance to minimize pre-existing differences.

Double-Blind Procedure

An experimental procedure where both participants and researchers are unaware of who receives the treatment or placebo.

Placebo Effect

The phenomenon where participants experience changes in behavior due to believing they are receiving a treatment.

Dependent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is measured and expected to change due to manipulation of the independent variable.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the researcher to observe its effect.

Confounding Variable

An extraneous factor that correlates with both the independent and dependent variables, potentially skewing results.

Experimenter Bias

The unintentional influence researchers can have on the outcome of an experiment due to their expectations.

Informed Consent

The process of informing participants about a study's nature and potential risks for voluntary participation.

Debriefing

The procedure after a study to inform participants about the research's true nature and address misconceptions.

Mode

The most frequently occurring score or value in a data set.

Median

The middle score in a data set when arranged in order, separating the higher half from the lower half.

Mean

The arithmetic average of a data set, calculated by summing all values and dividing by the number of values.

Correlation Coefficient

A statistical measure that describes the direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.