Unit 0 AP Psych Vocab

Case Study

Research method involves in depth and detailed examination of people/groups/events/phenomenons

Correleation

research method used to examine the relation between two variables

Meta-analysis

research method used to synthesize and analyze the results of multiple studies on a topic

Naturalistic Observation

Research method used to study behavior in its natural environment without intervention

Hypothesis

specific and testable description of the expected outcome of a study

variable

anything that can be changed/is changing

independent variable

variable that the experimenters manipulate

dependent variable

variable researchers measure

random assignment

eliminated differences between groups

falsifiable

hypothesis must be able to be proven false

operational definitions

clear/detailed statements about how researchers will measure the data collected by variables to ensure validity and reliability in research.

replication

confirm original findings

confounding variable

hidden/unexpected factor that can influence independent/dependent variables In a study

sampling bias

error made in the sampling process

population

all individuals who can participate in a study

random sample

each member of the population has the same chance off getting into a sample as other members

placebo effect

real responde to an action/substance based solely on expectations and not actual properties

single-blind procedure

participants dont know if they are in the control or experimental group

double-blind procedure

experimenter and participants dont know which group the participants belong to, eliminated excessive bias

experimental bias

error form experimenters unconscious expectations

experimental group

when researchers manipulate the independent variable in groups

control group

measures dependent variable and doesn’t recieve experimental treatment

peer reviewer

process to ensure quality and credibility of published work

self-report bias

errors that occur when individuals provide subjective accounts of their own behaviors

social desirability bias

type of self report. answered questions in a way they believe others will view favorably

correlation coefficient

statistic used to describe the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables

critical thinking

questioning everything about everyone

debriefing

researchers give details about the nature of a study

effective size

numerical measure of strength/magnitude of a relationship between variables/size of the difference between groups

hindsight bias

knew it all along theory. seeing events that have occurred as being more predictable that they were before taking place

histogram

a categorial graph

inferential statistics

method to determine likelihood that the result is due to manipulation of independent variable or variable or change

mean

average number

median

middle number

mode

number that appears the most

normal curve

symmetrical bell curve on a graph

percentile rank

% of scores in a given distribution that is the same or lower

qualitative research

nonnumerical data

quantitative research

numerical data

range

difference between the largest umber and the smallest number

regression towards the mean

statistical phenomenon that occurs when subsequent measurements if a variable show a tendency to be closer to the average or the mean

skewed distribution

scores that arent evenly distributed

descriptive statistics

used to organize/summarize/describe the characteristics of a data set

experiment

research using cause and effect relationships between variables

illusory correlation

perception of a relationship between two variables where no relationship truly exists

scatter plot

graph that shows numerical data with dots

standard deviation

statistical measure that quantifies the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of data

validity

degree to which assessments succeeded in what they were designed to measure

theory

set of principles organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events

statistical significance

demonstration that results of a study that are not just by chance

survey

used to gather info about population by asking questions

informed consent

the ethical principle requiring researchers to obtain voluntary/informed agreement from participants before involving them in a study