Unit Two review notes

ap psychology unit 2

Psychology

The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

Hindsight bias

The tendency to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.

Overconfidence

A cognitive bias where a person's subjective confidence in their judgments is greater than their objective accuracy.

Scientific attitude

The principles of curiosity, skepticism, and humility that guide scientific inquiry.

Scientific method

A systematic process for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables.

Operational definition

A clear, precise statement of the procedures and concepts used in a study, allowing for measurement and replication.

Case study

An in-depth analysis of a single individual or group to gain insights into broader principles.

Survey

A research method that collects data from a large number of respondents through questionnaires or interviews.

Random sampling

A technique where every individual in a population has an equal chance of being selected for a study.

Naturalistic observation

A research method involving the observation of subjects in their natural environment without interference.

Correlation

A statistical measure that describes the extent to which two variables are related.

Correlational coefficient

A numerical value that indicates the strength and direction of a correlation between two variables.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect, where one event directly influences another.

Illusory correlations

The perception of a relationship between two variables when no such relationship exists.

Experiment

A research method that manipulates one or more variables to determine their effect on a dependent variable.

Independent variable (IV)

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent variable (DV)

The variable that is measured in an experiment to assess the impact of the independent variable.

Confounding variables

Extraneous factors that may affect the dependent variable and lead to erroneous conclusions.

Measures of central tendency

Statistical measures that describe the center of a data set, including mode, mean, and median.

Standard deviation

A measure of the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of values.

Normal curve

A bell-shaped graph representing the distribution of a set of data, where most values cluster around the mean.

Validity

The extent to which a test measures what it is intended to measure.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure, or the degree to which it produces stable and consistent results.

Statistical significance

The likelihood that a result or relationship is caused by something other than mere chance, often measured by a p-value.

Informed consent

The process of ensuring that participants understand the nature of a study and agree to participate.

Debriefing

The process of informing participants about the study's purpose and methods after its completion.

Ethics in research

The moral principles guiding research, including the treatment of human and animal subjects.

Positive Skew

most people did slightly below average, few people did really well WAY above average

Negative Skew

most people did slightly above average, few people did really well WAY below average