Unit 0 AP Psychology

Critical Thinking

A kind of thinking that doesn’t accept conclusions automatically. It exams the source and assets the conclusion before making decisions.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe after learning the outcome that one would’ve foreseen it.

Theory

A explanation using a set of principle that is used to organize observations and predict behaviors and events.

Hypothesis

A prediction that is implied by theory, this is confirmed by the result.

Falsifiability

The possibility for hypothesis or theory to be proven as false by an observation or experiment.

Operational Definition

A statement of exact procedures that is used in a research study. It should be precise and measurable

Replicate

Repeating the most important parts of the research. This is done with different volunteers and environments and see if the basic finding could be replicated.

Case Study

A technique where one individual or group of people is studied in depth to reveal principles

Naturalistic Observation

An action of observing and recording behavior in the environment without changing it, a non-experimental technique

Survey

Technique that is used to obtain attitude or behavior of a group. These include questions and multiple choice 

Self-reporting Bias

Bias of people reporting their behavior inaccurately. These are due to factors such as social desirability

Social Desirability

People responding in ways that the researchers expect. People do this to please the researchers

Sampling

A subset of individual selected to represent the entire group.

Random Sample

A sample that is fair and represents the entire population. This is done so that each member has an equal chance to be included.

Population

Everyone that are being studied and samples are drawn from them.

Correlation

A measure of how 2 factors are different and how well factors predict one another.

Correlation Coefficient

A statistical index of the relationship between 2 things. It ranges from -1 to +1

Variables

Anything that can vary and is feasible and ethical to measure

Scatterplot

A graph that consists of dots, each represent the value of the 2 variables. The slope suggests the relationship and scatter suggests the strength.

Illusory Correlation

Perceiving a relationship where none exists or perceiving a stronger relationship.

Regression Towards The Mean

The tendency for extreme or unusual scores or events to change the average.

Experiment

A experiment is a research method where investigator changes the factors to see the effects while other factors are controlled.

Experiment Group

The group exposed to the treatment.

Control Group

The group that isn’t subjected to anything, used as a comparison.

Randomly Assignment

Assigning participants to experiment and control group by chance, minimizing the difference of the groups.

Single-Blind Procedure

An experimental procedure in which the research participants don’t know what they are doing.

Double-Blind Procedure

A experiment procedure in which both the research participants and the staff are kept in the dark without knowledge of the experiment.

Placebo Effect

Results caused by expectations and effects are caused by the administration of substance

Independent Variables

The factor that was being manipulated, the effects of this are studied.

Confounding Variables

A factor that isn’t the factor being studied that could potentially impact the result of the study

Normal Curve

A symmetrical curve that is shaped like a bell that describes the distribution of data.

Range

The difference between the highest and the lowest scores.

Skewed

A representation of scores that lack symmetry

Standard Deviation

A computed measurement of how much the scores vary around the median score.

Median

The middle score of a distribution with half scores above and below

Percentile Rank

The percentage of scores that are lower than a given score.

Mean

The average of a distribution, found by adding the total of everything.

Mode

The most frequent occurring score in the distribution.

Debrief

The explanation of the study after the experiment, the purpose and deceptions are revealed to the participants.

Informed Consent

Giving protentional participants enough information for them to choose if they want to particpate.

Qualitative Research

A research method that relies on in-depth, narrative data. These are not numbers.

Quantitative Research

Research method that requires data. This data are numerical rather then words.

Validity

The extent of a test or experiment measures and predicts that is supposed to measure.

Experimenter Bias

Bias caused when researchers influence the results to confirm their beliefs.