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A set of vocabulary flashcards covering core terms from the first statistics lecture in PSYCH 01/2002.
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Statistics in Psychology
The quantitative backbone of psychological research, allowing rigorous, scientific analysis of data.
Descriptive Statistics
Numbers or graphics that summarize and describe the main features of a data set (e.g., mean, SD, histograms).
Inferential Statistics
Techniques used to draw conclusions about a population from a sample (e.g., p-values, significance tests).
Quantitative Methods
Research approaches that generate numerical data and rely on statistical analysis.
Qualitative Methods
Non-numerical, narrative approaches that explore meaning, experience, or context.
Experimental Research
A design involving manipulation of an independent variable and random assignment to establish cause-and-effect.
Randomized Controlled Design
An experiment where participants are randomly allocated to experimental or control groups to minimize bias.
Independent Variable (IV)
The variable a researcher manipulates or categorizes to observe its effect (e.g., intervention vs. control).
Dependent Variable (DV)
The outcome measured in a study, expected to change in response to the IV (e.g., maths grades).
Categorical Variable
A variable composed of distinct groups or categories (e.g., male/female, pass/fail).
Continuous Variable
A variable with numeric values along a continuum (e.g., test scores 0–100).
t Test
A statistical test comparing the means of two groups on a continuous DV, accounting for score variability.
Correlation (r)
A statistic ranging from –1 to +1 that quantifies the strength and direction of association between two continuous variables.
Positive Correlation
An association where higher values on one variable relate to higher values on the other (e.g., drinks ↑, hangover ↑).
Negative Correlation
An association where higher values on one variable relate to lower values on the other (e.g., drinks ↑, driving ability ↓).
Effect Size
A descriptive statistic (e.g., correlation, mean difference) indicating the magnitude of a relationship or effect.
Measures of Central Tendency
Statistics that locate the center of a distribution (mean, median, mode).
Measures of Variability
Statistics describing score spread (range, variance, standard deviation).
Histogram
A bar graph showing the frequency distribution of a single continuous variable.
Scatter Plot
A graph displaying pairs of scores on two variables as dots, revealing possible correlations.
Sample
The subset of a population actually studied and analyzed.
Population
The entire group of interest about which researchers wish to draw conclusions.
Random Assignment
The process of allocating participants to conditions purely by chance to equalize groups.
"Intelligence is a Muscle" Intervention
An educational manipulation teaching students that IQ is malleable, used to test effects on math performance.
Vitamin D Hypothesis (COVID-19)
The proposal that higher vitamin D levels might reduce COVID-19 severity—a relationship found to be minimal in studies.