AP psychology unit 0 - research

Critical thinking

Thinking carefully about information and evidence before deciding if it is true

Control group

The group in an experiment not receiving the independent variable or treatment being tested

Case study

An in depth study of one person or study

Correlation

A relationship between two variables that change together

Correlation coefficient

A number between -1 and +1 that shows the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables.

Culture

: The shared beliefs, values, behaviors, and traditions of a group of people

Confounding variable

: An outside factor that could affect the results of an experiment.

Double blind procedure

An experiment where neither the participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who receives the treatment.

Debriefing

Explaining the true purpose and details of an experiment to participants after it ends.

Dependent variable

The variable that is measured to see how it changes during an experiment.

Experiment

A study where researchers change one variable to see how it affects another.

Experimental group

The group in an experiment that receives the treatment being tested.

Falsifiable

Something that can be tested and potentially proven wrong.

Hypothesis

A prediction that can be tested through research.

Hindsight bias

Believing you knew something would happen after it has already happened.

Illusory correlation

Believing two things are related when they actually are not.

Independent variable

The variable that the researcher changes or controls in an experiment.

Null hypothesis

The prediction that there is no real effect or relationship between variables.

Protection from harm

Keeping research participants safe from physical and psychological harm.

Descriptive statistics

Numbers used to summarize and describe data.

Inferential statistics

Statistics used to draw conclusions about a larger population based on a sample.

Informed consent

When participants agree to a study after learning about its procedures and possible risks.

Meta analysis

A study that combines the results of multiple studies on the same topic.

Mode

The number or value that appears most often in a data set.

Mean

The average, found by adding all values and dividing by the number of values.

Naturalistic observation

Watching and recording behavior in a natural setting without interfering.

Normal bell shaped curve

A symmetrical graph where most scores are near the average and fewer are at the extremes.

Operational definition

A clear explanation of exactly how a variable will be measured or manipulated in a study.

Population

The entire group of people that researchers want to study.

Placebo effect

When someone experiences a change because they believe a treatment will work, even if it is inactive.

Percentile rank

The percentage of scores that are at or below a particular score.

Peer reviewed

An expert who checks another researcher's study for quality and accuracy.

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

Quantitative research

Research that collects and analyzes numerical data.

Qualitative research

Research that collects non-numerical information, such as opinions, experiences, or descriptions.

Random assignment

Placing participants into experimental groups by chance

Regression towards the mean

The tendency for unusually high or low scores to move closer to the average when measured again.

Confirmation bias

Looking for or favoring information that supports what you already believe.

Deception

When researchers intentionally hide or misrepresent information about a study to participants.

Variance

A statistical measure of how spread out values are from the mean.

Reliability

How consistently a test or study produces similar results.

Replication

Repeating a study to see whether the same results occur again.

Random sample

A group selected so that every member of the population has an equal chance of being chosen.

Sampling bias

When a sample does not fairly represent the population being studied.

Self report bias

When people give inaccurate information about themselves in surveys or interviews.

Social desirability bias

When people answer questions in ways that make them look good to others.

Skewed diatribution

A data distribution that is uneven, with more extreme values on one side than the other.

Scatterplot

A graph using dots to show the relationship between two variables.

Survey

A research method that collects information by asking people questions.

Statistical significance

When a result is unlikely to have happened by chance if the null hypothesis is true.

Standard deviation

A measure of how much scores typically differ from the average.

Theory

An explanation of behavior or events that is supported by evidence and research.

Validity

How well a test or study measures what it is supposed to measure.

Likert scale

A rating scale used to measure opinions or attitudes, such as from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree."

Non experimental design

Research that studies variables without directly manipulating them.

Median

The middle number in a data set when the values are arranged in order.

Longitudinal study

A study that follows the same participants over a long period of time.

Confidentiality

Keeping participants' personal information private and protected.

Framing

How information is presented in a way that influences people's decisions or opinions.