College Psychology Unit 2

Theory

An organized explanation that uses evidence to explain behavior or mental processes. Must be testable.

Variable

Anything that can change or vary in a psychological study

Steps in scientific investigation

The process of asking a question, forming a hypothesis, collecting data, analyzing results, drawing conclusions, and sharing results

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between two or more variables

Operational definition

A precise description of how a variable will be measured or manipulated in a study

Scientific approach

Events are governed by some lawful order. Uses evidence to study behavoir.

Independent Variable

The variable deliberately manipulated by the experimenter

Experimental group

Subjects who receive special treatment with regard to the independent variable

Physiological recording

Measures physiological responses, such as heart rate or brain activity to study psychological processes

Archival research

Studying existing records or documents such as medical records, or historical documents.

Questionare

A set of written questions used to collect information from participants

Survey

A research method that collects information about peoples attitudes or behaviors, usually through questions

Experimental research

A researcher manipulates a variable to determine whether it causes a change in another variable

Interview

A research method in which a researcher asks participants direct questions to gather information

Scientific Journal

A publication containing research studies that have been reviewed by experts in the field

Naturalistic observation

Observing and recording behavior in ones natural environment without interfering

Dependent Variable

Measured to see whether it changes because of the independent variable

Control group

Used for comparison, does not receive the experimental treatment

Case Study

An in-depth investigation of one person/group/situation

Statistics

Mathematical methods used to collect and interpret data

Descriptive statistics

Used to summarize and describe all data collected in a study

Inferential statistics

Used to draw conclusions about a larger population based off of a sample population

Standard deviation

A measure of how spread scores are from the mean

Correlation Coefficient

A number from -1 to 1 that shows the strength and direction of a relationship between 2 variables. The closer to 1 or -1 a number is, the stronger the correlation is between the 2 variables.

Statistically significant

Results that are unlikely to have occurred simply by chance

Sample

The smaller group of people actually studied in a research project. Samples are taken from a full population of a group.

Population

The entire group that a researcher wants to learn about

Placebo

Looks like the real treatment but has no active effect. Used to compare against the experiment

Socially desirable responding

Participants answer questions they believe will make them look good rather than answering truthfully

Ethics in research

Rules to ensure an experiment is morally correct and conducted responsibly

Deception

When a researcher intentionally withholds or provides misleading information to participants about some part of a study, when ethically justified