Psychology Terms 1

AP Psychology Vocabulary - Unit 0

Hindsight bias

the tendency to falsely believe, after learning an outcome, that you could have predicted it

Hypothesis

a testable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables, usually implied by a broader theoretical framework.

Operational definitions

a precise, measurable description of how a researcher plans to measure or manipulate a variable in a study

Control group

the participant group in an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment or independent variable manipulation

Case study

a descriptive research method in AP Psychology where researchers study one person or a small group in extreme depth

Naturalistic observation

a descriptive research method where psychologists watch and record behavior in real-world settings without manipulating or controlling variables or interfering with the subjects

Survey

a descriptive research method used to collect self-reported attitudes, opinions, or behaviors from a group of people by asking them questions

Social desirability bias

the tendency of survey respondents to answer questions in a way that makes them look good and fit social norms, rather than telling the truth.

Sampling bias

a flaw in the research process where the chosen participants do not accurately reflect the wider target population

Random sample

a smaller group of participants chosen from a larger population by chance

Illusory correlation

a cognitive bias where your brain mistakenly sees a connection or pattern between two completely unrelated things

Random assignment

using pure chance (like flipping a coin) to put participants into either an experimental group or a control group

Double blind procedure

an experimental design where neither the participants nor the researchers interacting with them know who receives the real treatment and who receives a placebo

Placebo effect

occurs when a participant's physical or mental health improves after receiving an inactive, fake treatment

Dependent variable

the measured outcome or response in an experiment (outcome)

Independent variable

the factor that the researcher deliberately changes or manipulates in an experiment (cause)

Confounding variable

an outside factor other than the independent variable that accidentally changes, ruins the results, and creates an alternative explanation for an experiment's outcome

Experimenter bias

when a researcher's unconscious expectations or wishes accidentally influence the results of a study

Informed consent

the ethical requirement that happens before a study to explain risks and goals so people can choose to join

Debriefing

happens after a study to reveal hidden details, explain any trickery used, and answer questions

Mode

the most frequently occurring score or value in a set of data

Median

the exact middle score in a set of data when all the numbers are put in order from least to greatest

Mean

the mathematical average of a set of data

Correlation coefficient

a number from -1.00 to +1.00 that shows the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables