AP Psych Unit 0

Operational Definition

carefully worded statement of exact procedure

Representative Sample

A sample that closely resembles the characteristics of the population being studied

Confounding Variable

factors, besides an independent variable, that have effects on an experiment

Statistical Significance

the likelihood that a result was not caused by chance

Scientific Aspect of Psychology

primarily concerned with a methodology that emphasizes explanation and evaluation through empirical measurement

Naturalistic observation

observing subjects in their natural environment without intervention

Case Study

in depth analysis of a small group or individual

Experiment

a simplified reality to isolate and control specific variables

variable

anything that contributes to the result of a research study

Independent variable

the factor that is directly manipulated by the researcher

dependent variable

the outcome or behavior measured by the reasercher

Positive correlation

variables that move in the same direction together (ex. one increases the other also increases OR both variables decrease at the same time)

Negative correlation

variable that move in the opposite direction (ex: one increases and one decreases

zero correlation

no statistical relationship between two variables

hindsight bias

results of study so clear that critics argue why research was done

illusory correlation

believes in lucky hat

Overconfidence

the tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs

median

the central score, located exactly at the 50th percentile

Standard deviation

how scores vary around the mean

statistical signifigance

indicated that experimental results are highly unlikely to occur by chance