AP Psych Unit 1.2 Vocab

basic research

Research that is conducted for the sake of knowledge itself, rather than to solve a specific or practical problem.

case study

An in-depth study of a single person who has unusual characteristics. Case studies are often useful when a condition or characteristic is so rare that group experiments are not feasible.

clinical

The branch of psychology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.

confounding variable

In an experiment, any variable other than the independent variable that creates differences between the experimental and control groups.

control group

In an experiment, the group that does not receive the experimental treatment but is identical to that group in all other respects. Results from the experimental group are typically compared to those of the control group.

correlation

The degree of relatedness between two sets of data.

data

Information gathered in the course of scientific study.

dependent variable

In an experiment, the variable that is measured to determine whether the independent variable had an effect.

double blind

A research design in which participants are given either the experimental treatment or a placebo, and neither the participants nor those administering the treatments know which participants are receiving which condition. This is commonly done in drug studies.

ethics

In general, the scientific study of morality. In psychology, it refers to the codes of conduct for the profession, including research, teaching, and clinical work.

experiment

A research design that features random assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups, at least one independent variable that is manipulated, and at least one dependent variable that is measured. It is the only research design in which cause-and-effect relationships can legitimately be determined.

experimental condition or group

In an experiment, the group that is exposed to the independent variable.

independent variable

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the experimenter to determine whether it has an effect on the dependent variable.

informed consent

A procedure in which a potential research participant is fully informed of all the risks and benefits of participating in the study before consenting to do so.

observational research

A way to do research in which careful, systematic observation in a natural environment is the main tool for data collection.

operational definition

A concrete definition of a variable for the purposes of a particular experiment.

placebo

A treatment that resembles the experimental condition, but is intended to have no effect on the dependent variable. The most common example of this is a sugar pill used as a placebo in a drug study.

population

The group of all possible individuals from which a sample could be chosen.

pseudoscience

An activity that closely resembles science, but does not follow the principles of the scientific method.

random assignment

In an experiment, every participant has an equal opportunity to be assigned to a particular group. Random assignment to groups is the hallmark of a "true experiment."

random selection

A method of sampling in which every member of a population has an equal chance of being selected for the sample.

representative

A sample that resembles the population of interest on variables that are identified as important.

research design

A plan for how to conduct the scientific investigation, how the variables will be manipulated and/or measured, as well as how the data will be collected and analyzed.

science

The pursuit of knowledge and understanding, using systematic methods of inquiry.

skepticism

A philosophical approach that says that nothing can be known with absolute certainty. In general, it refers to a doubting or questioning attitude.

survey

A method of research in which information is systematically gathered from a representative sample of a group on some variable of interest. The information can be gathered through interviews and/or the administration of questionnaires.

theory

A coherent set of explanations for a phenomenon.

third variable

A situation in which two variables are correlated, but neither one of them caused the other. They were both caused by another, different variable. If A and B are correlated, then C caused A and B.