AP Psych Test Unit 0 + ATP

peer reviewers

people who evaluate a study’s theory, originality, and accuracy

theory

explains behavior or events by offering ideas that organize observations

hypothesis

a good theory that produces testable predictions

falsifiable

the mark of a hypothesis scientific strength

operational definition

research procedures and concepts that check psychologists biases

replication

repeating and observation by using different participants, materials, and circumstances

case study

examines one person or group in hopes of revealing truths

naturalistic observation

non-experimental technique where you observe and record behavior in naturally occurring situations

social desirability bias

people answer questions in the way they think will please the researcher

self-report bias

people report their own behavior inaccurately

sampling bias

a sampling process that produces a unrepresentative sample - flawed process

random sample

a sample that represents a population since each member has the same chance of inclusion

population

all those in a group being studied (random samples drawn)

correlation

one trait or behavior matches/pairs with another

correlation coefficient

shows the relationship between two variables

variable

anything that can vary that makes sense (is ethical) to measure

scatterplot

a graphed cluster of dots showing values of two variables

illusory correlation

seeing, perceiving, or assuming a relationship where none actually exists

regression toward the mean

weird or extreme scores falling back toward the average

experiment

a research method that contains one or more manipulated variables

experimental group

a group exposed to treatment in an experiment

control group

the group in an experiment that is not exposed to the treatment

random assignment

randomly assigning people into different groups in an experiment

single-blind procedure

an experiment where the participants being researched don’t know which group they are in

double-blind procedure

an experiment where the participants and staff don’t know their group

placebo effect

you believe you have been given something when you actually haven’t (changes performance)

independent variable

the factor in an experiment that is changed and studied

confounding variable

a factor other than the independent variable that can affect/change results

experimenter bias

researchers unintentionally influence results to confirm their own beliefs

dependent variable

changes based off independent variable

validity

how well a experiment/test measures/predicts what it’s meant to

quantitative research

research method that relies on numerical data

qualitative research

research method that relies on data that is not translated into numbers

informed consent

giving people enough information to decide if they want to participate in the study or not

debriefing

explanation of a study after it happens

descriptive statistics

using numerical data to describe the characteristics of a group

histogram

a bar graph that depicts a frequency distribution

mode

most recurring scores in a distribution

mean

average of a distribution

median

middle of all the scores

percentile rank

percent of scores lower than a specific given score

skewed distribution

represents scores that lack symmetry around their average value

range

difference between highest and lowest score in a distribution

standard deviation

computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score

normal curve

symmetrical bell-shaped curve, describes distribution of many types of data

indiferential statistics

numerical data - only allows you to generalize (infer probability of something being true)

meta-analysis

statistical procedure - analyzes results of multiple studies to reach and overall conclusion

statistical significance

a statement of how likely a result is

effect size

strength of the relationship between two variables

scientific method

a question and a theory, then a hypothesis, then you test it, and hopefully get accurate results

correlation ______ prove causation

does not

why does correlation not equal causation

it predicts but cannot prove

the big five research designs in psychology

experiment, case study, naturalistic observation, correlational study, meta-analysis

thumb is used for

psychodynamic

pointer finger is used for

biological

middle finger is used for

behavioral

ring finger is used for

humanistic

pinky is used for

evolutionary

hands together are used for

socio cultural

thinking pose is used for

cognitive

psychodynamic is

childhood and its effects

biological is

dna and inner body reactions

behavioral is

a persons environment affecting their behavior

humanistic is

centered around the person and being their best self

evolutionary is

natural selection and evolutionary pressures

socio cultural is

environment, community, and culture surrounding you

cognitive is

processing mentality and its effect on learning