AP Psychology Study Guide - Unit 1: Research Methods

Vocabulary flashcards for AP Psychology Unit 1: Research Methods, covering key terms and definitions from the CED.

Hindsight Bias

The 'I knew it all along' phenomenon, occurring after an event has happened.

Scientific Attitude

A mindset that utilizes curiosity, skepticism, and humility to understand the world.

Theory

Highly researched and tested frameworks that organize multiple studies.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction made before a theory, allowing us to accept, reject, or revise the theory.

Operational Definition

A precise definition of a variable, making it measurable and manageable.

Misremembering

Incorrectly remembering details of an event or the event itself.

Overconfidence

Thinking we know more than we actually do.

Pseudoscience

Popular beliefs that seem related to science but are not.

Confirmation Bias

Finding evidence that only supports one's own thinking or opinion.

Critical Thinking

Not blindly accepting arguments or conclusions, but questioning and analyzing.

Positive Correlation

Two variables increase together.

Negative Correlation

Two variables move in opposite directions.

Independent Variable

The variable that is controlled in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The result or effect of the independent variable.

Strong Correlation

Predictive variables; for example, as the number of gallons of gas increases, so does the amount spent on gas.

Weak Correlation

Non-predictive variables; for example, as the color of a car becomes darker, the more gas it uses.

Correlation Coefficient

The statistical measure showing the degree of relationship between two variables, ranging from -1.00 to +1.00.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing animal or human behavior in their natural environment without manipulating variables.

Hawthorne Effect

When individuals/animals know they are being observed, they will act differently.

Case Studies

Examinations of behavior and mental processes that are new, complex, and rare.

Surveys

A technique to measure self-reported attitudes, opinions, and behaviors by questioning a random sample.

Sampling Bias

An unrepresentative sample in a survey.

Experiments

A research method to determine causation by manipulating variables.

Confounding Variable

Other outside variables that may have affected the results; an unwanted factor.

Control Group

The group in an experiment that receives the placebo.

Experimental Group

The group in an experiment that receives the actual treatment.

Double-Blind Study

When neither the doctor nor the participants know who is getting the treatment or placebo.

Single Blind Study

Only the doctor knows if the group is getting the placebo or treatment.

Positively Skewed

A type of distribution where values are more spread out on the right side (tail), indicating unusually high values.

ETHICAL GUIDELINES

A set of guidelines in experiments like Informed consent, Confidentiality, Debriefing, Protection from Harm and Approval by IRB

ABCS

Appropriate, Beneficial, Caring

Measure of Central Tendency

Mean, Median, Mode

Measures of Variation

Range and Standard Deviation

Range

Difference between the highest and lowest scores.

Standard Deviation

Average difference between a score and the mean (how the graph is spread out).

Statistically Significant

The results are not a fluke and are not due to chance.

Negatively Skewed

A distribution where more data values fall to the right side, with the tail on the left, indicating lower-end values.