Unit 0 - AP Psych

Empirical approach

Approach using experimental processes

Critical thinking

Thinking that examines assumptions, identifies and separates hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusion.

Hindsight Bias

The tendency to believe, after someone knows the results, that they knew it would have happened

Peer reviewers

People who evaluate work

Theory

Something supported by evidence

Hypothesis

An educated guess before any research has been done; a prediction

Operational definition

A statement of exact procedures done in a process so that others can replicate it to validate results

Replication

The repetition of a study to see if the results can be applied to other populations and circumstances

Case study

Study of one individual in great detail

Naturalistic observation

Secret observations in a completely natural environment

Survey

Method of obtaining self-reported attitudes or behaviors of a specific group

Sampling bias

When a sample is not representative of the population

Random sample

A sample that represents a population fairly and equally

Population

Everyone in a group being studied

Correlation

Technique used to measure a relationship between two variables

Correlation coefficient

Measures the relationship strength between two variables between -1 and 1

Variable

Anything that can vary and is ethical to measure

Scatterplot

A graph of clustered dots that represent values

Illusory correlation

Perceiving a relationship where it doesn’t exist

Regression towards the mean

Tendency for extreme scores to regress towards the average

Experiment

A way of confirming the validity of a result with consistent results

Experimental group

Group that is getting experimented on

Control group

Group that is not being experimented on

Random assignment

Subjects are randomly placed in control/experimental group to eliminate bias

Double-blind procedure

A study where neither the participants nor the researchers know which treatment a group is receiving (less likely to be biased)

Placebo effect

When the expectations of a participant in a study can influence their behavior

Independent variable

The manipulated variable

Confounding variable

Factors that can cause difference between groups

Dependent variable

Unchanged variable

Validity

The assumption that the experiment measures what it is supposed to and the results are accurate

Quantitative research

Research in numbers

Qualitative research

Research in words

Informed consent

Giving participants information about a study and let them decide if they want to participate

Debriefing

The explanation of a study when it is over

Descriptive statistics

Numerical data used measure and describe characteristics of a group

Histogram

A bar graph depicting frequency distribution

Mode

Most frequently occurring score

Median

The middle score

Mean

The average score

Skewed distribution

Unsymmetrical data due to an extreme outlier

Range

The difference between the highest and lowest score

Standard deviation

The average difference between each score

Normal curve

Bell curve - 1 SD = 68%, 2 SD = 95%

Inferential statistics

Numerical data that allows us to inference if the result can be applied to a larger population

Meta-analysis

A procedure that statistically combines the result of many different studies

Statistical significance

How likely it is that the result occurred by chance

Effect size

The strength of a relationship between 2 or more variables