Page 1 Notes - Key Statistics Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering observational vs. experimental studies, confounding variables, the placebo effect, and the uses/misuses of statistics.

Observational Study

A study in which researchers observe and measure variables without assigning any treatments, making it difficult to infer causation due to potential confounding.

Experimental Study

A study in which researchers assign treatments to participants and control conditions, often using randomization to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Confounding variable

An extraneous variable that influences both the independent and dependent variables, potentially distorting the observed association if not controlled.

Placebo effect

A improvement in a participant's condition resulting from the belief in the treatment, not from the treatment itself.

Uses & Misuses of Statistics

Uses: summarize data, describe patterns, test hypotheses, and make inferences; Misuses: bias, cherry-picking data, p-hacking, misleading graphs, and overgeneralization.