Terms and Concepts to Remember (Psychology Research Methods)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key research-methods terms from the lecture notes.

hindsight bias

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

critical thinking

The disciplined process of evaluating evidence, claims, and arguments before forming conclusions.

theory

A well-supported explanation that organizes observations and generates testable predictions.

hypothesis

A testable prediction derived from a theory.

operational definition

A precise, measurable definition of how a variable will be manipulated or measured in a study.

replication

Repeating a study to see if findings hold across time, contexts, or samples.

case study

An in-depth analysis of a single person, group, or situation.

survey

A method of collecting self-reported data from a sample, typically via questionnaires or interviews.

population

The entire group a researcher wants to generalize about.

random sample

A sample chosen so every member of the population has an equal chance of inclusion.

naturalistic observation

Observing behavior in its natural environment without interference.

correlation

A measure of how two variables change together; does not establish causation.

correlation coefficient

A numerical index (r) of the strength and direction of a linear relationship, ranging from -1 to 1.

scatterplot

A graph that shows the relationship between two variables with data points plotted on a plane.

illusory correlation

Perceiving a relationship between variables even when none exists.

experiment

A research method that manipulates one or more variables to determine causal effects.

random assignment

Allocating participants to groups by chance to create equivalent groups at the start.

double-blind procedure

A research setup in which neither participants nor researchers know who is in the treatment vs control group.

placebo effect

Improvement resulting from participants' expectations rather than the treatment.

experimental group

The group that receives the treatment or manipulation of the independent variable.

control group

The group that does not receive the treatment, used as a baseline.

independent variable

The variable that is deliberately changed or manipulated.

confounding variable

An extraneous variable that could influence the dependent variable, threatening internal validity.

dependent variable

The variable that is measured or observed.

mode

The value that occurs most frequently in a data set.

mean

The arithmetic average of a set of numbers.

median

The middle value in an ordered data set.

range

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set.

standard deviation

A measure of how much scores vary around the mean.

normal curve

A bell-shaped, symmetrical distribution common in many natural phenomena.

statistical significance

A result unlikely to have occurred by chance, often judged by a p-value threshold.

culture

Shared beliefs, norms, and practices that shape behavior and research findings within a group.

informed consent

The voluntary agreement to participate, given with knowledge of procedures, risks, and rights.

debriefing

Post-study explanation of the study's purpose and methods, including clarifying deception if used.