exit exam

Longitudinal research design

A research design that collects data from the same subjects repeatedly over a period of time.

Cross-sectional research design

A research design that analyzes data from a population at a specific point in time.

Repeated measures design

A research design where the same subjects are observed multiple times.

Experimental research design

A design where the researcher manipulates one variable to determine its effect on another variable.

Correlational research design

A research design that examines the relationship between two or more variables.

Case study

An in-depth examination of an individual, group, or phenomenon.

Grounded theory

A research approach that develops theories based on data systematically gathered from participants.

Phenomenology

A qualitative research approach focusing on individuals' lived experiences.

Ethnography

A qualitative research method that studies cultures and communities through immersion.

Descriptive research

Research that aims to describe characteristics of a population or phenomenon.

Confidence interval

A range of values that is likely to contain the population parameter.

Independent variable (IV)

The variable that is manipulated in an experiment to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Dependent variable (DV)

The outcome variable that is measured in an experiment.

Control group

The group in an experiment that does not receive the treatment or intervention.

Z-score

A statistic that indicates how many standard deviations a data point is from the mean.

Mean

The most commonly used measure of central tendency, calculated by adding all scores and dividing by the number of scores.

Replication

The process of repeating a study to confirm its findings.

Positive correlation

A relationship where two variables increase or decrease together.

Negative correlation

A relationship where one variable increases as the other decreases.

Type I error

Falsely rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true.

Type II error

Failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is false.

Sampling

The process of selecting individuals from a population to participate in a study.

Population

The entire group of individuals from which a sample is drawn for a study.

T-test

A statistical test used to compare the means of two groups.

Degrees of freedom

The number of independent values that can vary in the calculation of a statistic.

Sensory neurons

Neurons that gather information from the environment and send it to the brain.

Motor neurons

Neurons that carry signals away from the brain to muscles or glands.

Oligodendrocytes

Cells in the central nervous system that produce myelin.

Schwann cells

Cells in the peripheral nervous system that produce myelin.

Steroid hormones

Hormones derived from cholesterol that pass through cell membranes.

Protein hormones

Hormones made of amino acids that bind to receptor sites on cell membranes.

Action potential

A brief electrical charge that travels down a neuron, resulting from depolarization.

EPSP (Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential)

A partial depolarization of a postsynaptic neuron that makes it more likely to fire.

IPSP (Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential)

A hyperpolarization of a postsynaptic neuron that makes it less likely to fire.

Encephalization factor

The measure of brain size relative to body size; larger in humans than in other mammals.

Sensory transduction

The process by which a receptor cell converts stimulus energy into electrical signals.

Tonic receptors

Receptors that show a slow decrease in firing rate with constant stimulation.

Phasic receptors

Receptors that show a fast decrease in firing rate with constant stimulation.

Agonist

A substance that activates a receptor to produce a biological response.

Antagonist

A substance that binds to a receptor but does not activate it, blocking its action.

Schizophrenia

A mental disorder characterized by distorted thinking, perception, emotions, language, and sense of self.

Illusory correlation

A perceived relationship between two variables that does not exist.

Attention

The concentration of mental effort on a particular stimulus.

Automaticity

Fast, effortless processing that occurs without conscious attention.

Gestalt psychology

The psychological approach that emphasizes understanding the whole of human experience rather than the sum of its parts.

Implicit memory

Memory that does not require conscious recall and is often tested indirectly.