Psychology Unit 0

Replication

Repeating a research study to see if you get similar results with different people or situations. If the results are similar, it increases confidence that the original finding is reliable.

Naturalistic observation

Observing and recording behavior and naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situations

Critical thinking

Thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions rather it examines assumptions the certain values and evaluate evidence and assess conclusions

Hindsight bias

The tendency to believe after learning an outcome that one would have seen it

Peer reviewers

Experts who check a research study to make sure it is accurate, valid, and well done.

Theory

An explanation that organizes observations and predicts behaviors or events.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction often implied by a theory

Operational definition

A carefully worded statement of the exact procedures used in a research study

Key elements of scientific attitude

Curiosity: asking questions

Skepticism: sifting reality from fantasy and demanding evidence

Humility: accepting incorrect predictions

Case study

Studying one person or group in detail to learn more about general principles.

Survey

The collection of data by having people answer a series of questions

Social desirability bias

A tendency to give socially approved answers to questions about oneself

Overconfidence

Being more confident in your beliefs or judgments than you should be; thinking you know more than you actually do.

Receiving order in random events(Clustering illusion)

Seeing patterns where there aren’t any. Ex.Thinking 5 heads in a row is less likely than a mix of heads and tails when flipping a coin.

Sampling bias

A problem that occurs when a sample is not representative of the population from which it is drawn

Falsifiable

The possibility that an idea, hypothesis or theory can be disproving by observation or experiment

Self-report bias

Inaccurate or distorted answers on surveys because of things like wanting to look good, poor memory, or misunderstanding questions.

Random sample

Method of selecting from a population in which each person has a equal probability of being selected

Population

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Correlation

A measure of the extent to which two factors vary together and thus of how well either factor predict the other

Correlation coefficient

A statistical index of the relationship between two things

Variable

A factor that can change

Scatter plot

A graft cluster of dots Each of which represent represents the values of two variables

Negative correlation

As one variable increases the other one decreases

Positive correlation

Both variables moving the same direction whether they’re up or down

Illusionary correlation

Proceeding a relationship with none exist, or perceiving is stronger than actual relationship

Regression towards the mean

Extreme or unusual results tend to return closer to the average over time. Ex. After a player has a lucky streak and scores a lot, they usually return to their normal scoring level.

Experiment

A research method where a researcher changes one or more factors to see how they affect behavior or mental processes.

Experimental group

The group that is exposed to the treatment

Control group

The group that does not receive experimental treatment

Random assignment

Putting participants into experimental or control groups by chance to make the groups as similar as possible.

Placebo effect

When someone’s expectations cause a change in their behavior or symptoms, even though they received an inactive treatment.

Single blind procedure

Research design in which participants don’t know whether they are in the experimental or control group

Double blind procedure

Neither the participants nor the researchers know who receives the real treatment or the placebo.

Ex. In a new medicine study, some patients receive the real medicine and others receive a placebo. Neither the patients nor the doctors know who received which until the study is over.

Confounding variable

Something besides what the researcher is testing that could affect the results.

Ex.Testing whether a new study app improves grades, but some students also study more outside of the app. The extra studying could affect their grades.

experimenter bias

The influence of the experimenter expectation on the outcome of the research

Validity

The extent to which a test measured or predict what is supposed to

Quantitative research

Research that collects and reports data Primarily in numerical form

Qualitative research

Research that relies on what is seen in field or naturalistic settings more than on statistical data

Informed consent

An ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate

Debriefing

The pulse experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose in any deceptions to its participants

Descriptive statistics

Statistics that summarize the data collected in a study

Histogram

A graph of vertical bars representing the frequency distribution of a Set data

median

The middle number

Mode

The most frequently occurring scores in a distribution

Mean

Average

Standard deviation

How much score is very around the Mean score

Percentile rank

The processes of scores below a specific score in a distribution of scores

skewed distribution

A representation of scores that like symmetry around their average value

Normal curve(Normal distribution)

A bell-shaped curve where most scores are close to the average (mean), while fewer scores are found at the extreme high or low ends. ( abt 68 fall within one standard deviation of it)

Influential statistics

Data that helps researchers use a sample to make conclusions about a larger population.

Meta-analysis

Combining the results of many different studies to get a stronger overall conclusion.

“A study of studies”

Statistical significance

A measure of how likely it is that a result happened by chance rather than because of what was being studied.

“Was the result real or good luck?”

Affect size

How strong the relationship or difference is between two or more variables.